Ochoa Bogh Advances 2 Joshua Tree Bills, SB 1063 Fails
Sen. Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh advanced two joshua tree bills out of the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee, while SB 1063 failed to pass. The vote left the Morongo Basin homeowner fight split in two directions: two measures move on with amendments, and the fee-free relief bill for septic-to-sewer hookups did not.
Ochoa Bogh’s Three-Bill Package
Ochoa Bogh said she was deeply disappointed by the outcome. “I am deeply disappointed that SB 1063 did not pass.” She added, “That bill would have helped homeowners who are simply trying to maintain their property and access basic services without unnecessary delays.”
She also said, “I will keep working to address these barriers.”
SB 1061 and SB 1062 both advanced with amendments and now head to the Senate Appropriations Committee. SB 1061 would let homeowners relocate up to 10 western Joshua trees without fees or mitigation requirements under certain conditions, and it would clarify that moving a tree without a net loss does not count as a traditional take. SB 1062 would require the Department of Fish and Wildlife to weigh proportionate, tiered fees based on a project’s actual impact.
Morongo Basin Homeowners
Residents in the Morongo Basin say California’s Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act is forcing them to pay thousands of dollars, and in some cases tens of thousands, just to connect their homes to the sewer or build a fence. Under the 2023 law, ground-disturbing work near a western Joshua tree requires a permit from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The mitigation fees run from $150 to $2,500 per tree. SB 1063 would have created an expedited, fee-free pathway for septic-to-sewer hookups and similar life-sustaining projects, but it did not advance out of committee.
Senate Appropriations Committee
The remaining two bills now move to the Senate Appropriations Committee, where the fee structure and the treatment of small residential projects will get another review. SB 1061 and SB 1062 were written to address the gap between basic homeowner improvements and the costs tied to larger development, including the possibility that a fence could trigger the same fee burden as a larger project.
For homeowners near western Joshua trees, the result is partial relief rather than a full rewrite. The committee action keeps two bills alive for changes to fees and tree relocation rules, while the bill aimed at no-fee relief for sewer hookups stalled before reaching the next stage.
