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CaliforniaSB 3942025-2026 Regular SessionSenateWALLET

Water theft: fire hydrants.

Sponsored By: Benjamin Allen (Democratic)

Signed by Governor

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 3 costs, 0 mixed.

Big penalties for hydrant misuse

Local water agencies can ban unauthorized connections to fire hydrants and must set procedures to impose, enforce, collect, and review fines. Unauthorized hydrant connection includes using a hydrant, a hydrant meter, or a fire detector check without permission. Fines are up to $2,500 for a first offense, up to $5,000 for a second, and up to $10,000 for a third or later offense. An agency cannot charge both a hydrant fine and a general water-theft fine for the same act. Other remedies still apply, including criminal charges or civil lawsuits.

Local fines for water theft

Local water agencies can pass laws that ban water theft. They must set rules to impose, collect, and review fines, and offer a hardship waiver when payment would be an undue burden. Meter tampering fines are up to $130 for a first offense, up to $700 for a second within one year, and up to $1,300 for a third or later offense. Other water-theft fines are up to $1,000 for a first offense, up to $2,000 for a second within one year, and up to $3,000 for each additional offense. Irrigation districts can fine under this law or under other Water Code rules, and this law does not cap fines under those other rules.

Utilities can sue for water theft

A water utility can sue for money damages if someone diverts water, reconnects without permission, tampers with a meter or utility property, knowingly uses diverted service, or tampers with a hydrant or related device. The law presumes a violation if a device to get free service is found on your property, if a meter is altered or bypassed, or if someone uses a hydrant or related device without permission to avoid paying. You can challenge this presumption. During an active fire, a fire agency, or an approved insurance resource with incident command approval, is treated as authorized to use a hydrant.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Benjamin Allen

    Democratic • Senate

Cosponsors

  • Susan Rubio

    Democratic • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 190 • No: 0

Senate vote • 8/25/2025

Item 272 — Senate SFLOOR

Yes: 37 • No: 0

House vote • 7/10/2025

Item 87 — Assembly AFLOOR

Yes: 72 • No: 0

legislature vote • 7/1/2025

Vote in CX13

Yes: 12 • No: 0

legislature vote • 6/18/2025

Vote in CX15

Yes: 10 • No: 0

Senate vote • 5/27/2025

Item 160 — Senate SFLOOR

Yes: 39 • No: 0

legislature vote • 4/1/2025

Vote in CS53

Yes: 13 • No: 0

legislature vote • 3/19/2025

Vote in CS82

Yes: 7 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 540, Statutes of 2025.

    10/10/2025Senate

  2. Approved by the Governor.

    10/10/2025legislature

  3. Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 11 a.m.

    9/2/2025legislature

  4. Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 37. Noes 0. Page 2253.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.

    8/25/2025Senate

  5. Ordered to special consent calendar.

    8/21/2025Senate

  6. In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.

    7/10/2025Senate

  7. Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 72. Noes 0. Page 2509.) Ordered to the Senate.

    7/10/2025House

  8. Read second time. Ordered to consent calendar.

    7/7/2025House

  9. Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

    7/3/2025House

  10. From committee: Do pass as amended. Ordered to consent calendar. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (July 1).

    7/2/2025House

  11. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (June 18). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.

    6/18/2025House

  12. Coauthors revised.

    6/18/2025House

  13. From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.

    6/9/2025House

  14. Referred to Coms. on L. GOV. and JUD.

    6/5/2025House

  15. In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.

    5/28/2025House

  16. Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 1239.) Ordered to the Assembly.

    5/27/2025Senate

  17. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

    4/22/2025Senate

  18. Ordered to second reading.

    4/21/2025Senate

  19. Withdrawn from committee.

    4/21/2025Senate

  20. April 21 hearing postponed by committee.

    4/16/2025Senate

  21. Set for hearing April 21.

    4/4/2025Senate

  22. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 13. Noes 0. Page 610.) (April 1). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

    4/2/2025Senate

  23. Set for hearing April 1.

    3/24/2025Senate

  24. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 7. Noes 0. Page 422.) (March 19). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.

    3/19/2025Senate

  25. Set for hearing March 19.

    3/4/2025Senate

Bill Text

  • Chaptered

    10/10/2025

    HTML

  • Enrolled

    8/27/2025

    HTML

  • Amended Assembly

    7/3/2025

    HTML

  • Amended Assembly

    6/9/2025

    HTML

  • Introduced

    2/14/2025

    HTML

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