California Assembly Passes Crucial Bill to Protect State from Offshore Oil Drilling
AB 1448 now heads to Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk to sign into law
Press Release Date: August 27, 2026
Location: SACRAMENTO, Calif.
Contact:
Cory Gunkel, Ashley Blacow | email: cgunkel@oceana.org, ablacow@oceana.org | tel: Cory Gunkel, 1.831.643.9220
The California Assembly passed legislation today that would strengthen protections for the state’s iconic coastline from federal efforts to expand offshore oil and gas drilling.
Assembly Bill (AB) 1448, by Assemblymember Gregg Hart (D-Santa Barbara), would prohibit the use of existing infrastructure for new federal drilling leases and bolster state authority over leases. The legislation passed the California Senate on August 26 and will now head to Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk to be signed into law.
The bill comes as the Trump administration has proposed selling off California’s entire coast for offshore oil and gas drilling. California banned drilling in state waters more than three decades ago, and no new leases have been issued in the state’s federal waters since 1984. The administration is now trying to use existing oil and gas infrastructure for new drilling.
The federal government has also initiated a review that could potentially weaken the authority of the California Coastal Commission, which reviews projects that impact the coast, including offshore drilling.
The bill is co-authored by Senators Catherine Blakespear (D-Encinitas), John Laird (D-Santa Cruz), and Henry Stern (D-Los Angeles), along with Assemblymembers Dawn Addis (D-Morro Bay) and Damon Connolly (D-San Rafael).
Oceana is a co-sponsor of AB 1448, along with the Center for Biological Diversity and Environmental Defense Center.
“California is leading the way to end offshore drilling’s legacy of destruction,” said Oceana Campaign Director Joseph Gordon. “The overwhelming support for this crucial bill in both the California Senate and Assembly demonstrates the state’s enduring commitment to protecting its coast from new offshore drilling and spilling. The Trump administration’s threats to California’s waters loom like a deadly storm. Any day now, the federal government could unveil its plan to expand oil drilling across the entire California coastline. Decades of toxic spills — from Santa Barbara to Refugio Beach — have made the stakes painfully clear, and this bill will help stop future disasters by preventing new drilling from using old, dangerous infrastructure. Oceana urges Governor Newsom to immediately sign this legislation into law and protect the state’s iconic coastline for future generations.”
“The Central Coast of California has suffered the consequences of offshore drilling for more than a century—oil poisoning the ocean, dead animals washing up on the beach, businesses closed, and lives disrupted,” said Linda Krop, Chief Counsel for the Environmental Defense Center in Santa Barbara. “As the existing platforms age far beyond their intended lifespans, and as the current federal administration attempts to override environmental and safety laws and enable dangerous projects like the Sable pipeline, the threat of another major spill on our coast is becoming even more dire. It’s time to move past this destructive industry and make it clear that California will not stand for new drilling in our waters.”
“As the federal government rushes to violate the more than 40 year old, bipartisan, consensus against new offshore oil drilling, California needs to be prepared to respond,” said Asm. Gregg Hart. “AB 1448 puts clear safeguards in place to ensure that state infrastructure cannot be used to support new federal offshore oil development. I’m proud to have carried this critical legislation and to see it now heading to the Governor’s desk. I urge Governor Newsom to send a clear message that California will stand firm in protecting our coast.”
“This bill helps ensure California’s coast remains protected for future generations by preventing state infrastructure from being used to support the expansion of new federal offshore oil drilling,” said Sen. John Laird. “I’m proud to coauthor legislation that reinforces California’s longstanding commitment to protecting our coast. From the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary to our fishing, tourism, and recreation economies, protecting our coast means protecting the communities, jobs, and natural resources that define the Central Coast.”
“AB 1448 is essential in helping to protect California’s coast from efforts to expand offshore oil drilling,” said Sen. Catherine S. Blakespear. “As a Senator who represents over 60 miles of Southern California coastline and Chair of the Senate Environmental Quality Committee, I am committed to protecting our state’s coastal waters and beaches against oil drilling, oil spills and pollution and contamination of any kind.”
The action is consistent with new polling released in July by the Public Policy Institute of California, which found that 63% of Californians oppose allowing more oil drilling off the coast. To learn more about AB 1448, visit here.
