California Assembly Committee Chair Introduces Key Golden Mussel Boating Access Bill

California Assembly Member Diane Papan, Chair of the Committee on Water, Parks, and Wildlife, and 10 bipartisan coauthors, recently introduced AB-1772 a bill that would help reduce the risk of spreading aquatic invasive species - particularly the Golden Mussel - and improve access for boaters in California. Stopping the spread of the Golden Mussel and maintaining boating access has been a top priority for NMMA and the recreational boating community in California.

The bill is called an "intent bill," which allows the authors of the bill to draft legislative language related to these priorities:

• Establishing a statewide standard for decontaminating vessels and other equipment;
• Developing a reciprocity system to allow for the recognition of certified decontamination at other waterbodies in the state;
• Create a voluntary database to help inform water managers on contamination status and improve access to waterways; and
• Identify alternative funding sources, beyond fees already imposed on recreational boaters.

In 2025, the spread of Golden Mussels - an aquatic invasive species - in California caused agencies to severely limit or close boater access at several public waterways in California. Recreational boaters and anglers are often the first to fund and support critical conservation programs that maintain access. NMMA strongly supports measures that balance preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species and maintaining access to public waterways for the hundreds of thousands of Californians that boat each year.

NMMA will continue to monitor and provide updates on the progress of this legislation in California. Please contact Clay Crabtree, NMMA's Senior Director of Public Policy, at [email protected].