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State Senator Suzette Martinez Valladares (R–Santa Clarita) presented AB 1663 on the Senate floor on behalf of bill author, Assemblymember Greg Wallis (R–Bermuda Dunes). The bill passed unanimously with bipartisan support and now heads to Governor Newsom's desk.
AB 1663 fixes two longstanding problems with the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act: it gives the Department of Fish and Wildlife more flexibility to work with tribes on cultural uses of the tree, and it simplifies the hazard tree permit process for homeowners, who have often faced the same fees and red tape as commercial developers, sometimes costing thousands of dollars per tree.
"This bill proves you can protect a treasured species and the people who live alongside it," Sen. Valladares said. "Tribes and homeowners have been stuck fighting the same bureaucracy for too long. AB 1663 clears that path without giving up a single protection for the Western Joshua Tree."
After passing the Senate unanimously 40-0, it passed the Assembly 77-0, moving through the Legislature without a single no vote.
"I’m grateful to Assemblyman Wallis for his commitment to our community and protecting our environment,” said Sen. Valladares. "I was proud to carry it on the Senate floor for Assemblymember Wallis, and I'm glad our desert communities are one signature away from real relief."