The California Legislature’s 2025 session began on January 6 and is scheduled to adjourn on September 13. As always, Surfrider's California staff is engaging with our state legislators on proposed legislative bills. One of the most pivotal moments in any session is when bills with financial impacts hit the “suspense file” — a process in which the Appropriations Committee reviews all bills expected to have a financial impact of at least $50,000. Of the bills that land in suspense, about one-third on average don't make it out the other side, meaning they're considered dead for this session.
Unfortunately, after the May 23 deadline, that status applies to three bills we supported: "Leash the Lid," a ban on disposable vapes, and an effort to establish surf reserves. While disappointed, we nonetheless have four bills we support moving forward (and one we oppose!) covering a range of Surfrider's mission areas. See below for details and other legislative updates – and stay tuned for opportunities to make your voice heard!
Active Legislation We're Supporting or Engaging On
✅ SB 741 (Blakespear) – Emergency Permits for Coastal Work
Status: Passed Senate, now in Assembly
This bill allows limited emergency permits for projects that protect life, property, or critical infrastructure after a disaster declared by the Governor.
Surfrider worked with the author's office to ensure it doesn’t weaken Coastal Act protections, particularly against unnecessary shoreline armoring.
📄 Support Letter
Plastic Pollution
✅ AB 823 (Boerner) – Ban on Plastic Microbeads
Status: Passed Assembly, now in Senate
Would prohibit the sale of cleaning and personal care products with plastic microbeads starting in 2027, with broader restrictions in 2028. These toxic particles pollute waterways and harm marine life.
📄 Support Letter
Beach Access
❌ AB 462 (Lowenthal/Rivas) – Coastal Act Exemptions for ADUs
Status: Passed Assembly, now in Senate
Would exempt certain accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in Los Angeles County and disaster-declared areas from Coastal Act review.
As written, the bill could undermine beach access and coastal protections. Surfrider currently opposes this bill unless amended and is pushing for revisions that balance housing needs and coastal stewardship.
Ocean Protection
✅ AB 1448 (Hart) – Ban on New Oil & Gas Infrastructure in State Waters
Status: Passed Assembly, now in Senate
Would prohibit the State Lands Commission from issuing new leases or approving construction of oil and gas infrastructure in state waters tied to federal leases issued after 2018.
📄 Support Letter
Clean Water
✅ SB 10 (Padilla) – Funding for Tijuana River Clean-Up
Status: On Senate floor
Allows toll revenue from the Otay Mesa Port of Entry to fund wastewater treatment improvements and sanitation projects addressing pollution in the Tijuana River Valley.
📄 Support Letter
Track all these bills on our California Legislation Tracker page updated regularly with the latest on what’s moving and what’s not.
Inactive Bills (as of May 24, 2025)
❌ AB 10 (Essayli) – Undermining Coastal Commission Oversight
Status: No longer active
Would have reversed a Coastal Commission decision on launch activities at Vandenberg Space Force Base. Withdrawn after the bill’s author became U.S. Attorney for California’s Central District.
✅ AB 452 (Irwin) – State Surfing Reserves
Status: Held in suspense (dead)
Would have created a process for designating official state surfing reserves to help conserve critical surf ecosystems.
📄 Support Letter
✅ AB 762 (Irwin, Wilson) – Ban on Disposable Vape Devices
Status: Held in suspense (dead)
Would have banned the sale of disposable vape devices with embedded batteries starting in 2026.
📄 Support Letter
✅ SB 45 (Padilla, Blakespear) – Tethered Plastic Caps ("Leash the Lid")
Status: Held in suspense (dead)
Would have required that plastic bottle caps stay attached to bottles to reduce litter and improve recyclability.
🔗 Campaign Page
In Other Legislative News: Concerns Over SB 54 Implementation
SB 54, passed in 2022, was a landmark bill aimed at transforming how California deals with plastic packaging. Its key goals by 2032 are:
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📉 25% reduction in single-use plastic packaging and foodware
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♻️ 65% recycling of these items
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✅ 100% of packaging to be recyclable or compostable
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💰 $5 billion in fees from plastic producers over 10 years
But progress has stalled. In March, Governor Newsom rejected draft regulations submitted by CalRecycle, restarting the rulemaking process.
Key Issues with the New Draft:
- "Chemical recycling" loopholes that misrepresent disposal as recycling
- Broad exemptions that allow entire product sectors to sidestep regulations
- Weak standards for reuse and refill programs, risking a repeat of the thicker plastic bag problem
Surfrider, along with members of the Break Free From Plastic movement, is urging state officials to enforce the law properly, tighten definitions, and avoid industry self-policing.
Polystyrene Foam Ban Still Not Enforced
Additionally, as of January 1, 2025, SB 54 banned polystyrene foam foodware unless producers can prove a 25% recycling rate. That threshold has not been met — recycling rates remain closer to 1%. Despite the law, foam containers remain on store shelves and online.
Surfrider joined over 90 organizations — including Beyond Plastics, Californians Against Waste, and California Nurses for Environmental Health and Justice — in calling on Governor Newsom to enforce the ban and hold violators accountable.