S. 4103 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the Senate, Mar 16, 2026
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryProtects California's giant sequoia trees
This bill sets up a formal program to help giant sequoia trees in California survive wildfires, insects, and drought. It creates a Giant Sequoia Lands Coalition that will assess the health of these ancient trees and track restoration efforts. The bill also lets the Department of Interior and Forest Service respond quickly to protect the trees during what it declares an emergency period lasting seven years, and it establishes funding and programs to support replanting and rehabilitation of the groves.
How it affects you
If you live near giant sequoia groves in California or care about preserving these trees, this bill directs resources toward their protection and recovery. For most Americans, the main effect is indirect—the bill works to maintain these trees for future generations to experience. The bill doesn't directly change anything in your daily life unless you're involved in forest management or conservation work in California.
Read the official summary (Introduced in Senate, Mar 16, 2026)
Save Our Sequoias Act
This bill provides for the conservation of giant sequoia trees ( Sequoiadendron giganteum ) in California.
Specifically, it provides statutory authority for the Giant Sequoia Lands Coalition and outlines the coalition's duties. The coalition must submit a Giant Sequoia Health and Resiliency Assessment and annually update it. The information from the assessment must be made available so the information can be integrated into certain other plans. The coalition must also create and maintain a website that contains the assessment, educational materials, searchable information about individual giant sequoia groves, and a searchable database to track the status and costs of reforestation and rehabilitation activities. Finally, the coalition must also have an annual public meeting.
In addition, the bill declares an emergency on certain public lands and allows officials to carry out protection plans during the emergency to respond to the threat of wildfires, insects, and drought. The emergency expires after seven years.
The Department of the Interior must develop and implement a Giant Sequoia Reforestation and Rehabilitation Strategy. Interior and the Forest Service must develop and implement a strategy for monitoring insects in giant sequoia groves with a high-risk or previous history of insect infestations. They must also enter into public-private partnerships to deploy technology to assist in monitoring infestations.
Finally, the bill establishes a variety of programs and funds to support the conservation of giant sequoias.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
2nd SessionS. 4103
A BILL
Save Our Sequoias Act
Sponsor: Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) · Introduced Mar 16, 2026 · Environmental Protection · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Sep 16, 2026: “Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held.”
Sections
Sections · 12
- Sec. 1Short title; table of contentsNo change
- Sec. 2DefinitionsNo change
- Sec. 3Shared stewardship agreement for giant sequoiasNo change
- Sec. 4Giant Sequoia Lands CoalitionNo change
- Sec. 5Giant Sequoia Health and Resiliency AssessmentNo change
- Sec. 6Giant sequoia emergency responseNo change
- Sec. 7Giant Sequoia Reforestation and Rehabilitation StrategyNo change
- Sec. 8Giant Sequoia Strike TeamsNo change
- Sec. 9Giant sequoia collaborative restoration grantsNo change
- Sec. 10Giant sequoia insect monitoring and technologyNo change
- Sec. 11Stewardship contracting for giant sequoiasNo change
- Sec. 12Giant Sequoia Emergency Protection Program and FundNo change