Groundwater sustainability agency: transparency.

Legislative bill overview

AB 293 requires California's Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) to enhance transparency and public accountability in their operations and decision-making processes. The bill, sponsored by Assemblymember Steve Bennett, was signed into law in October 2025 after passing both the Senate and Assembly with overwhelming bipartisan support (31-3 in the Senate).

Why is this important

Groundwater Sustainability Agencies manage critical water resources under California's Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, affecting millions of residents and agricultural operations. Increased transparency requirements ensure public oversight of policies that directly impact water availability, agricultural viability, and community water security in an era of increasing drought and water scarcity.

Potential points of contention

• Implementation burden: GSAs may face administrative costs and resource demands to comply with enhanced transparency requirements, potentially diverting funding from actual groundwater management work
• Competitive disadvantage concerns: Greater disclosure of agency operations and decisions could expose proprietary information or negotiating positions that some agricultural or municipal water users prefer kept confidential
• Clarity of requirements: The specific transparency mandates may be ambiguous, creating inconsistent implementation across California's numerous GSAs and potential legal disputes over compliance standards