Marine Invasive Species Act: biennial reports: semiannual updates.

The California Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water proposes modifications to the state's Marine Invasive Species Act that would alter reporting requirements for ballast water management and expand public access to compliance data. The legislation, authored by Committee Chair Monique Limón and fellow committee members, revises the timeline and scope of mandatory reports while establishing new online publication requirements.

Under the proposed changes, the State Lands Commission would transition from biennial to triennial reporting on ballast water management activities. These comprehensive reports, developed in consultation with the State Water Board, Department of Fish and Wildlife, and U.S. Coast Guard, must detail ballast water volumes, treatment methods, and loading/discharge locations. The reports also incorporate monitoring data, compliance rates by geographic area, and summaries of completed and ongoing research regarding nonindigenous species releases from vessels.

The bill creates additional transparency requirements through a new online reporting system. Beginning April 30, 2026, the Commission must publish and update semiannually on its website detailed vessel arrival data, ballast water discharge volumes categorized by vessel type and port, and available inspection and compliance statistics. This provision establishes regular public access to key metrics between the more detailed triennial reports to the Legislature.

These modifications aim to align reporting cycles with research timelines while maintaining oversight through more frequent online updates. The changes preserve existing consultation requirements between state and federal agencies but adjust how information flows to legislators and the public. While the bill requires no additional appropriations, implementation would necessitate updates to data management systems and web infrastructure to accommodate the new publication schedule.