As one other legislative session closes, we’re wanting again at our work for birds, wildlife, and the locations they rely upon.
This 12 months, we have been proud to convey again Audubon California’s Advocacy Day, bringing the voices and experiences of individuals from throughout the state direct to Sacramento. In August, advocates from communities spanning the Salton Sea and deserts to California’s coast and concrete areas joined us on the State Capitol, sharing their views with State Senate and Meeting places of work and firsthand experiences from their native communities, conservation applications, campuses, and group Audubon chapters.
These conversations mirrored the problems on the coronary heart of our work all through the 2026 legislative session: defending water and lands birds and other people rely upon, increasing entry to nature, strengthening conservation protections, and celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the California Coastal Act.
Considered one of our largest priorities was SB 1268 (Gonzalez), which Audubon California co-sponsored with GreenLatinos to proceed California’s Open air for All initiative and assist make equitable entry to parks, open house, and nature an enduring statewide dedication.
Audubon advocates additionally supported our priorities all year long by sending letters to lawmakers urging them to help SB 954, which sought to shut a loophole within the California Environmental High quality Act for sure superior manufacturing services, and by sharing why these points matter in their very own communities.
No matter every invoice’s final result, these voices helped lawmakers hear immediately from the individuals affected by their selections. We’re grateful to everybody who shared their experiences and time to convey these priorities into the rooms the place selections are made.
Wanting Again at Our 2026 Coverage Priorities
Right here’s a take a look at a number of of the payments, resolutions, and finances priorities Audubon California supported through the 2026 legislative session—and the place they stand at present. Along with co-sponsoring SB 1268, our help included submitting public remark letters, offering testimony, and dealing alongside lawmakers and companions to advance insurance policies that profit birds, habitats, and communities.
SB 1268: Increasing Open air for All
Everybody ought to have entry to parks, open house, and nature, no matter the place they reside in California. Audubon California co-sponsored SB 1268 with GreenLatinos to proceed California’s Open air for All initiative and make equitable entry to nature an enduring statewide dedication by codifying Governor Newsom’s Open air for All initiative. SB 1268 was signed into regulation by Governor Newsom on September 29, 2026. Read how this progress can help shape a future where more Californians can enjoy the outdoors.
AB 2218: Advancing Water Fairness for California Native American Tribes
Water is deeply related to tradition, group, and ecological stewardship. AB 2218 would set up a state coverage recognizing historic water inequities affecting California Native American Tribes and direct the state to higher help Tribes in sustaining cultural traditions, ecological practices, and relationships with waters they’ve stewarded since time immemorial. The invoice represents an necessary step towards addressing the lasting impacts of insurance policies that forcibly separated Tribal communities from their lands and water sources. AB 2218 was vetoed by Governor Newsom on September 18, 2026.
AB 2734: Investing Whale Tail Funds in California’s Coast
California’s Whale Tail License Plate has helped fund coastal entry, training, stewardship, and conservation for many years. AB 2734 directs a higher share of Whale Tail income towards coastal applications, serving to be certain that extra of the cash generated by the plate helps the coast it celebrates. These investments can strengthen coastal restoration, public entry, and habitat for species together with the California Least Tern and Western Snowy Plover. AB 2734 was signed into regulation by Governor Newsom on September 20, 2026.
SCR 136: Celebrating 50 Years of the California Coastal Act
For 50 years, the California Coastal Act has helped defend habitat, protect public entry, and safeguard the coast for birds and other people. Audubon California supported SCR 136, launched by Senator John Laird, to commemorate 5 many years of coastal safety and reaffirm the significance of continued stewardship of California’s coast and coastal waters. The Coastal Act has helped defend and restore hundreds of acres of habitat whereas increasing alternatives for individuals to entry and join with the shoreline. SCR 136 was adopted by the Legislature and chaptered on August 11, 2026.
SB 954: Restoring CEQA’s Environmental Safeguards for Superior Manufacturing
SB 954 sought to handle a loophole created in 2025 that exempted sure superior manufacturing services from overview below the California Environmental High quality Act (CEQA). Audubon California supported the invoice as a result of it will have strengthened safeguards for communities and delicate habitat whereas requiring extra consideration of environmental impacts from qualifying initiatives. Hundreds of Audubon California supporters contacted lawmakers in help of those protections. SB 954 was vetoed by Governor Newsom on September 18, 2026.
SB 1135: Serving to Individuals and Wildlife Coexist
As individuals and wildlife more and more share California’s city, rural, and dealing landscapes, stopping battle earlier than it occurs may help maintain each communities and animals secure. SB 1135 would restore California’s statewide wildlife coexistence program, offering training, instruments, and science-based sources to assist communities cut back dangerous interactions with wildlife. The invoice would additionally help statewide reporting and applications designed to handle wildlife conflicts, together with these involving livestock. Governor Newsom signed SB 1135 into regulation on September 29, 2026.
Investing in Wetlands and Wildlife Habitat
Wholesome wetlands and wildlife areas are important stopover, breeding, and wintering habitat for tens of millions of birds shifting via California. This 12 months, Audubon California and companions advocated for Proposition 4 funding to help wetlands, refuges, and wildlife areas within the Central Valley and Klamath Basin. These investments may help restore habitat, strengthen biodiversity, enhance local weather resilience, and help the communities and economies related to wholesome landscapes. Due to our advocacy, the ultimate state finances included $25 million for Central Valley wetlands and the Klamath refuges.
Rising Strain, Continued Management
With rising pressures on habitat, water, and communities throughout California, sturdy state management will stay important to defending biodiversity and serving to reverse many years of hen inhabitants declines.
We’ll proceed monitoring how these legal guidelines and investments are carried out, monitoring rising coverage alternatives, and dealing with companions and communities to advocate for the protections California wants.
That work is simply doable due to the individuals and companions who present up for it. We’re deeply grateful to our supporters, group Audubon chapters, advocates throughout the state, and our companions on the places of work of Assemblymembers Connolly and Senator Gonzalez, GreenLatinos, Los Padres ForestWatch, Grassland Resource Conservation District, Clean Water Action, and lots of others, for sharing their experience, elevating their voices, and dealing alongside us to advance these priorities.
Hold making a distinction for California’s unimaginable biodiversity and communities. Join Audubon California’s newsletter for coverage updates, conservation information, and alternatives to take motion for birds and other people.
