Agriculture and Water Resources

Farm Labor
Pests and Pesticides
General Agriculture
Water Resources

Farm Labor

SB 75 (Burton-D) Agricultural labor relations

Amends provisions of existing law relating to mandatory mediation and conciliation procedures for agricultural workers and employers.

Chapter 870, Statutes of 2003

SB 477 (Florez-D) Housing: farm labor strategy

Requires the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to develop a strategy for the development of farm labor housing and to establish a task force to assist in the development of the strategy. Requires HCD to report to the Legislature by July 1, 2004, on its strategy.

(In Senate Housing and Community Development Committee)

SB 800 (Florez-D) Farm labor contractors: toll-free number: directory

Among other things, directs the State Department of Industrial Relations to establish a toll-free number so that alleged illegal actions by the farm labor contractors can be anonymously reported.

(In Senate Labor and Industrial Relations Committee)

SB 1X* (Poochigian-R) State economy: suspension of statutes

Provides that various statutes enacted in the 2001-02 Regular Session of the Legislature, relating to workers' compensation, labor standards, and agricultural labor relations, shall not become operative until the date the Governor issues a proclamation declaring that the California economy has fully recovered from the recession that began in 2000.

(In Senate Labor and Industrial Relations Committee)

AB 32 (Salinas-D) Housing: farmworker housing

Authorizes local public agencies or nonprofit organizations that construct farmworker housing using public funds to lease that housing to agricultural employers who agree to rent the housing units to their employees on the same terms as would the local entity. Extends the State Department of Housing and Community Development's authority to enter into a memorandum of understanding with a nonprofit corporation to administer the Farmworker Family Wellness Program through January 1, 2008.

(On Senate Inactive File)

AB 62 (Bermudez-D) Vehicles: special interest license plates

Requires the State Department of Motor Vehicles to design and issue commemorative reflectorized license plates jointly honoring Martin Luther King, Jr. and Cesar Chavez and to deposit revenues generated by the issuance of these plates into the new Martin Luther King, Jr./Cesar Chavez License Plate Account to fund the establishment of Extended Opportunity Programs and Services through the California Community Colleges.

(In Senate Rules Committee)

AB 339* (Aghazarian-R) Farmworker housing tax credits

Revises and recasts the existing tax credit for farmworker housing under the provisions providing for the credit for low-income housing, thereby allowing a credit for the entire amount of eligible costs for constructing or rehabilitating farmworker housing.

(In Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee)

AB 363* (Garcia-R) Income and corporation tax credits: health care

Among other things, authorizes a tax credit against those taxes for each taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 2004, for qualified taxpayers who provide health care coverage for their agricultural employees and their dependents.

(In Assembly Health Committee)

AB 868 (Parra-D) Migrant farm labor centers

Authorizes the operation of a migrant farm labor center for an extended period beyond 180 days if the local entity operating the center makes specified determinations and if specified conditions are met.

(In Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee)

AB 923* (Firebaugh-D) State taxes: health care

Repeals selected agricultural sales and use tax exemptions, and instead uses the revenue gained by the state as a result of the exemption repeal to offer franchise and income tax credits to agricultural employers who provide health insurance to their agricultural employees, as well as selected agricultural sales and use tax exemptions.

(On Senate Third Reading File)

AB 1462 (Salinas-D) Farmworker housing

Allows the State Department of Housing and Community Development to waive part of the matching fund requirement for grants or loans of not more than $500,000 under the Joe Serna, Jr. Farmworker Housing Grant Program, under specified conditions.

(On Senate Inactive File)

AB 1722 (Assembly Labor And Employment Committee) State Agricultural Labor Relations Board

Requires the Governor to appoint to the Agricultural Labor Relations Board (ALRB) two legal advisors for each board member upon recommendation of that board member, to serve at the pleasure of the recommending board member and to receive a salary to be fixed by the ALRB with the approval of the State Department of Personnel Administration.

(In Assembly Labor and Employment Committee)

AB 1756* (Assembly Budget Committee) State government

A budget trailer bill that enacts the statutory language necessary for general government issues. Among other things, provides that housing bond funds may be used to fund projects of the Joe Serna, Jr. Farmworker Housing Grant Program and the Cal Home Program that would otherwise be delayed, if their funding was disencumbered. This allows bond funds to displace General Fund expenditures for housing projects that have been approved, but for which funds have not been disbursed. Provides that the State Department of Housing and Community Development may not increase any rent charged at a migrant farm labor center during the 2003-04 fiscal year. Authorizes the use of $4.1 million of Proposition 46 bond funds for the rehabilitation of the Planada Migrant Center.

Chapter 228, Statutes of 2003

Pests and Pesticides

SB 533 (Romero-D) Pesticides

States findings of the Legislature relative to the use of pesticides.

(In Senate Environmental Quality Committee)

SB 633* (Ashburn-R) Pest control: Pierce's disease

Creates the Table Grape Pest and Disease Control District Law, which among other things, allows for the creation of Table Grape Pierce's Disease Pest Abatement Districts within local counties.

Chapter 244, Statutes of 2003

SB 642 (Hollingsworth-R) Pest control

Requires that if the Secretary of the State Department of Food and Agriculture (DFA) expends funds to study commodity treatment and processing protocols for crops to meet standards for transport out of a quarantine area, primary consideration shall be given to crops that are most at risk from the imposition of a quarantine and for which treatment protocols do not currently exist. Provides the DFA the discretion to consult with individuals from the agricultural and academic communities when developing these protocols.

Chapter 414, Statutes of 2003

SB 925 (McPherson-R) Invasive species

Extends the submission deadline for the Interagency Aquatic Invasive Species Council to submit its plan on invasive species to the Legislature from January 1, 2004 to March 1, 2004.

(In Senate Natural Resources and Wildlife Committee)

SB 1049 (Senate Budget And Fiscal Review Committee) Resources

Used as a budget trailer bill to provide for new and increased fees in the areas of natural resources and environmental protection, to provide support for various state departments. Specifically increases the pesticide mill assessment from 17.5 mills ($0.0175) to 21 mills ($0.021) per dollar of the initial point of sale of pesticides in the state. Assesses a fee for licensing and certification not to exceed the cost of carrying out the activities of the program.

Chapter 741, Statutes of 2003

SB 1050* (Senate Budget And Fiscal Review Committee) Budget Act of 2003

Used as a budget trailer bill to appropriate $10 million from the General Fund (GF) to the State Department of Forestry and Fire Protection for support of the department's activities and $11.4 million from the GF to the State Department of Pesticide Regulation for support of the department's activities.

(Senate refused to concur in Assembly amendments)

AB 1006 (Chu-D) The Healthy Schools Act of 2003

Prohibits all public schools from using the most highly toxic pesticides, as listed, on school property. Provides that its provisions do not apply to antimicrobial pesticide, products deployed in self-contained bait or trap or as a crack and crevice treatment, or activities undertaken by participants in agricultural vocational education, as specified.

(In Senate Agriculture and Water Resources Committee)

AB 1076 (Maldonado-R) Regulations: low volume pesticide applications

Requires the Director of the State Department of Pesticide Regulation to adopt regulations regarding low volume pesticide applications, as defined, pursuant to federal laws, regulations, and opinions on the subject.

(In Senate Environmental Quality Committee)

AB 1085 (Assembly Agriculture Committee) Agriculture: pest control: curly top virus

Clarifies that the Secretary of the State Department of Food and Agriculture has the authority to include or preclude any agricultural crops that may or may not be susceptible to curly top virus from the assessment to fund the Curly Top Virus Control Program.

Chapter 685, Statutes of 2003

AB 1406 (Wolk-D) Mosquito abatement: West Nile Virus

Creates, until January 1, 2007, the West Nile Virus Disease Control and Demonstration Program administered by the State Department of Fish and Game to reduce mosquito production from early and late flooding of privately-owned wetlands in the Central Valley.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 1724 (Assembly Agriculture Committee) Pesticides

Clarifies existing law requirements for operating as a pest control business, clarifies the existing process through which violations of pesticide laws are prosecuted, and establishes penalties for violation of specified structural fumigation laws.

Chapter 366, Statutes of 2003

AB 1725 (Assembly Agriculture Committee) Pest control: pesticide invoices

Requires all initial and subsequent sales invoices for pesticides sold in this state that are labeled for agricultural use to show that the assessment fee will be paid.

(In Senate Agriculture and Water Resources Committee)

ACR 52 (Maddox-R) Mosquito and Vector Control & West Nile Virus Awareness Week

Designates the week of April 28 through May 4, 2003 as Mosquito and Vector Control and West Nile Virus Awareness Week.

Resolution Chapter 15, Statutes of 2003

General Agriculture

SB 127 (Chesbro-D) Vehicles: limitations of access

Extends, by three years, to January 1, 2007, the sunset on provisions that allow longer livestock trucks to move their cargo on certain stretches of Highway 101 in the north coast region, and requires the State Department of the California Highway Patrol to continue its comprehensive study on the traffic safety impacts of allowing longer trucks on those stretches of Highway 101, with the additional study due to the Legislature by January 1, 2006.

Chapter 188, Statutes of 2003

SB 486 (Machado-D) Agriculture: State Department of Food and Agriculture Fund

Authorizes the State Department of Food and Agriculture (DFA) to hold up to $200,000 of a specified $1 million annual appropriation until the fourth quarter of the fiscal year for small emergency projects and authorizes DFA to submit a deficiency request for major emergency projects, even if DFA still has the $200,000 reserve.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 565* (Florez-D) Agriculture: San Joaquin Valley Cotton District

Increases the maximum assessment from $4.00 per bale to $6.00 per bale on undelinted cottonseed.

Chapter 236, Statutes of 2003

SB 603 (Speier-D) Dairy products

Establishes a Consumer Dairy Price Program within the State Department of Food and Agriculture for reporting the retail price of milk, butter, and solid cheese.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 622 (Morrow-R) Agriculture disasters: deductions for net operating losses

Requires the standardized emergency management system to include in its framework for responding to and managing emergencies the guidance document developed as part of the state emergency plan that specifies the response of the state and its political subdivisions to agriculture related disasters. Allows deduction for up to 15 years for 100 percent of any net operating loss that is incurred in San Diego County by an agriculture related trade or business, attributable to the Mexican fruit fly quarantine and not covered by insurance.

(In Senate Governmental Organization Committee)

SB 643 (Aanestad-R) Agricultural Land Protection Act

Enacts the Agricultural Land Protection Act which requires any land designated for habitat and conservation purposes to be maintained in a manner that prevents impacts to adjacent agricultural land, and makes the public liable for "damage attributed to wildlife that becomes an economic problem."

(Failed passage in Senate Natural Resources and Wildlife Committee; reconsideration granted)

SB 658 (Florez-D) Producer's liens

Removes the restriction requiring the farm product or processed form to be in the possession of the processor in order for a lien to be attached.

(In Senate Agriculture and Water Resources Committee)

SB 703 (Florez-D) Electricity rates: agricultural irrigation pumps

Declares the intent of the Legislature to establish cost-effective agricultural and water pumping electricity rate schedules that are competitive with diesel rates to prevent additional conversions of agricultural irrigation pumps to diesel-driven engines.

(On Senate Third Reading File)

SB 705 (Florez-D) San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District

Provides for the phase out of the burning of agricultural waste in the San Joaquin Valley.

Chapter 481, Statutes of 2003

SB 707 (Florez-D) Environmental quality: large dairy cow farms

Requires a more rigorous environmental review procedure for the construction of a large dairy cow farm within three miles of a city, school site, or an unincorporated community of over 5,000 people.

(On Assembly Inactive File)

SB 799 (Denham-R) Vehicles: registration: exemption: retriever units

Exempts retriever units (hay trucks) from the vehicle registration requirements if certain operational and equipment requirements are met.

Vetoed by the Governor

SB 898 (Burton-D) Open-space and agricultural land

Makes legislative findings and declarations concerning the importance of enacting legislation that provides long-term protection for and preservation of California's agricultural lands.

(In Assembly Local Government Committee)

SB 934 (Machado-D) Farmers' markets: nonprofit agricultural cooperatives

Authorizes farmers who are producer members of nonprofit agricultural cooperatives to transport California-grown fresh fruits and vegetables to a retail outlet operated by the nonprofit agricultural cooperative, as specified. Extends the Secretary of the State Department of Food and Agriculture's authority regulating retail outlets operated by nonprofit agricultural cooperatives, as specified.

(In Senate Agriculture and Water Resources Committee)

SB 1036 (Machado-D) Milk: forward price contract

Requires the Secretary of the State Department of Food and Agriculture to establish, by April 1, 2004, a pilot program authorizing milk producers and cooperative associations to voluntarily enter into forward price contracts with milk handlers, as specified.

(Failed passage in Senate Agriculture and Water Resources Committee; reconsideration granted)

AB 105* (Wiggins-D) Agriculture and Water Omnibus Act of 2003

Repeals the California Environmental Quality Improvement Revolving Loan Program, repeals the Coastal Farmland Preservation Program, and declares the Legislature's intent to appropriate a total of $48 million of Proposition 40 bond funds to both the State Department of Conservation for grants under the California Farmland Conservancy Program Act and the Wildlife Conservation Board for the purposes of protecting grazing lands and grasslands. Also provides, among other things, certain specified local agencies with safe drinking water grants funded through the California Safe Drinking Water Fund.

(In Assembly awaiting concurrence)

AB 185 (Jerome Horton-D) Cooperative agreements: inspector aides

Prohibits, beginning in the 2004-05 fiscal year, the Secretary of the State Department of Food and Agriculture (DFA) from entering into cooperative agreements with Los Angeles County unless all agricultural inspector aides performing work under cooperative agreements are afforded protections as permanent employee status under their county's personnel authority and that the contract does not increase the cost to DFA above the agreement's cost in the 2003-04 fiscal year.

Chapter 832, Statutes of 2003

AB 248 (Nunez-D) Advisory boards: nursery stock

Extends, indefinitely, existing law governing the Fruit Tree, Nut Tree, and Grapevine Improvement Advisory Board and allows members of the Board to serve fixed terms of up to two years and prohibits the Secretary of the State Department of Food and Agriculture from reappointing more than eight of the 11 members within a two-year period.

Chapter 722, Statutes of 2003

AB 288* (Aghazarian-R) Taxation: agriculture: irrigation

Provides for an election to expense as a deduction any costs paid or incurred for the construction or purchase of water filter systems and equipment used to prevent contaminated agricultural water from entering public waterways or underground aquifers.

(In Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee)

AB 315 (Salinas-D) California Seed Law: funding

Extends funding to counties for related seed law activities until July 1, 2009, and deletes the 30 percent funding reference.

Chapter 349, Statutes of 2003

AB 317 (Salinas-D) Food and agriculture: tomatoes

Includes cherry tomatoes in the definition of tomato for purposes of inclusion in California Tomato Commission research and marketing activities, subject to referendum.

Chapter 350, Statutes of 2003

AB 329 (Parra-D) Animal nutrition

Establishes a licensure program for ruminant nutritionists, authorizes the Secretary of the State Department of Food and Agriculture to adopt regulations to implement the program by 2005, and provides that a portion of tonnage tax is to be used for research and education regarding commercial feed.

(In Senate Agriculture and Water Resources Committee)

AB 347* (Kehoe-D) District agricultural associations

Authorizes the Board of Directors of the 22nd District Agricultural Association (Del Mar Fair) to approve a recruitment and retention differential for exempt and excluded employees up to 35 percent.

(On Senate Inactive File)

AB 387 (Aghazarian-R) Hazardous materials: farms: business plans and inventories

Exempts farmers with small amounts of certain hazardous materials on the farm from provisions that require businesses handling hazardous materials to implement an emergency plan to respond to a release or threatened release of any of those materials.

(In Assembly Environmental Quality Committee)

AB 732 (Hancock-D) Crimes

Creates a crime for confining a pregnant pig or a calf in an enclosure or tethering them on a farm in a specified manner, or feeding a calf a type of diet causing anemia or impairing the development of their rumen.

(In Assembly Agriculture Committee)

AB 776 (Matthews-D) Agriculture

Creates, within the State Department of Food and Agriculture, the Milk and Dairy Food Safety Branch, and also provides that the division within the State Department of Food and Agriculture formerly known as the Milk and Dairy Foods Control Branch shall be renamed the Milk and Dairy Food Safety Branch. Makes other technical and clarifying changes.

Chapter 726, Statutes of 2003

Similar legislation was SB 1026 (Machado-D), which is in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

AB 815 (Wiggins-D) Horses: agricultural animals

Classifies horses as agricultural animals for purposes of eligibility for grants under the federal Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQUIP), states that it is the intent of the bill to make California horse owners eligible for EQUIP grants, and not to affect any existing law pertaining to horse slaughter, consumption, taxation, trail use, public land access, transportation, zoning, or insurance compensation in case of negligence or death caused by another party.

(In Senate Agriculture and Water Resources Committee)

AB 869 (Parra-D) Food and agriculture violations

Allows the State Department of Food and Agriculture or individual county agricultural commissioners to levy, in lieu of civil prosecution, a civil penalty against persons who violate provisions related to fruit, nut or vegetable standards.

(Failed passage in Senate Agriculture and Water Resources Committee; reconsideration granted)

AB 887 (Assembly Agriculture Committee) Agriculture: grape rootstock

Permits the California Grape Rootstock Improvement Commission to establish different assessment rates for rootstock cuttings, rooted rootstock cuttings, and grafted grape rootstock that do not exceed the maximum assessment level.

Chapter 179, Statutes of 2003

AB 923* (Firebaugh-D) State taxes: health care

Repeals selected agricultural sales and use tax exemptions, uses the revenue gained by the state as a result of the exemption repeal to offer franchise and income tax credits to agricultural employers who provide health insurance to their agricultural employees, as well as selected agricultural sales and use tax exemptions.

(On Senate Third Reading File)

AB 989* (La Malfa-R) Tax credit: rice straw

Eliminates the existing limit ($400,000) on the cumulative amount of this tax credit.

(In Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee)

AB 1069 (Assembly Agriculture Committee) Eggs

Creates a new inspection system for out-of-state egg handlers and producers, as well as creating and enhancing various penalties for noncompliance.

Chapter 283, Statutes of 2003

AB 1071 (Assembly Agriculture Committee) Commercial feed: inspection tonnage tax

Authorizes, until January 1, 2010, the Secretary of the State Department of Food and Agriculture to designate a specified amount of the tonnage taxes collected to provide funding for research and education regarding the safe manufacture, distribution, and use of commercial feed.

(In Assembly Agriculture Committee)

AB 1080 (Assembly Agriculture Committee) California Seed Law: violation of federal plant law

Provides that a violation of specific provisions of the United States Plant Variety Protection Act is a violation of the California Seed Law.

Chapter 282, Statutes of 2003

AB 1304 (Assembly Agriculture Committee) Cooperative bargaining associations: conciliation

Modifies the structure of the conciliation process available to help resolve disputes between farmers' collective bargaining associations and processors of their goods.

Chapter 145, Statutes of 2003

AB 1335 (Matthews-D) Organic products

Defines "product" as animal food and food for human consumption, as specified, with respect to the law regulating organic products, and removes cosmetic products from regulation under this law. States legislative intent to permit the Director of the State Department of Health Services to develop proposed standards to regulate the use of the term "organic" in connection with the sale of cosmetics and to petition the United States food and Drug Administration to adopt those standards. Makes other technical changes.

(In Senate Rules Committee)

AB 1492 (Laird-D) Agricultural land conservation

Creates a new procedure within the Williamson Act that identified breaches of contract and provides a method for removing land from the restrictions of a contract that is an alternative remedy to canceling the contract, includes due process procedures, includes a method for a landowner to obtain from the city or county a determination that a proposed building will not be a breach, and extends the sunset on Williamson Act lot-line adjustments from January 1, 2004 to January 1, 2008.

Chapter 694, Statutes of 2003

AB 1672 (Cogdill-R) Renewable energy: biomass

Provides that a person with a valid permit for agricultural burning, that diverts that agricultural material from an air pollution control district's inventory of burn acreage to a qualified agricultural biomass facility qualifies for emission reduction credits issued by the district pursuant to the methodology adopted by the State Air Resources Board. Changes the definition of eligible customer-generators to include residential, small commercial, commercial, industrial, or agricultural customers of an electric service provider that use biomass electricity generating facilities.

(In Assembly Natural Resources Committee)

AB 1726 (Assembly Agriculture Committee) Agriculture: certified farmers' markets

Imposes a large penalty charge on those operators of farmers' markets who fail to pay the required fee, as specified.

(In Assembly Agriculture Committee)

ACR 20 (Aghazarian-R) California Agriculture Week

Recognizes the important role that agriculture plays in the daily lives of every Californian, and declares March 17 through 23, 2003 as California Agriculture Week, and recognizes March 20, 2003 as National Agriculture Day in acknowledgement of the future progress and prosperity of the state's economy and for the advancement of greater appreciation of farmers and ranchers across California.

(In Assembly Rules Committee)

ACR 33 (Nation-D) Day of the Horse

Designates December 13, 2003, as the Day of the Horse.

Resolution Chapter 27, Statutes of 2003

ACR 69 (Nakanishi-R) San Jose State University Processed Food Institute

Memorializes the State Department of Food and Agriculture and the State Department of Health Services to, whenever possible, support and collaborate with the San Jose State University Processed Food Institute.

Resolution Chapter 139, Statutes of 2003

HR 18 (Matthews-D) Relative to National Agriculture Week

Honors the men and women of California agriculture for their dedication and productivity by observing the week of March 16 to 22, 2003 as National Agriculture Week, and March 21, 2003 as National Agriculture Day.

Adopted by the Assembly

HR 27 (Parra-D) Relative to the California Future Farmers of America

Congratulates the Future Farmers of America (FFA) on its 75th anniversary, and commends the FFA on the positive difference it has made in the lives of those students participating in its programs, and extends best wishes for its continued success in the future.

Adopted by the Assembly

Water Resources

SB 10 (Poochigian-R) Irrigation districts: assessment sale

Repeals existing law authorizing an irrigation district to assign a certificate of sale for delinquent assessments.

Chapter 120, Statutes of 2003

SB 21 (Machado-D) Water

Makes a number of legislative findings, declarations and definitions and clarifies the administration of various chapters of the Water Security, Clean Drinking Water, Coastal and Beach Protection Act of 2002 (Proposition 50), including guidelines for administering grants and loans and keeping the Legislature informed about expenditures and guidelines.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 34 (Soto-D) Inland Empire Water Quality Authority

Enacts the Inland Empire Water Quality Authority Act which, among other things, states the intent of the Legislature to establish the Inland Empire Water Quality Authority.

(In Senate Rules Committee)

SB 56 (Hollingsworth-R) Murrieta Creek Flood Control Project

Adopts and authorizes the upstream and downstream portions of the Murrieta Creek Flood Control Project in Riverside County, in accordance with federal law, and with the state's participation. Requires the Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District to carry out the project and give assurances of local cooperation to the Secretary of the Army. States the intent of the Legislature that no funds be appropriated for state cooperation in the project before July 1, 2013.

Chapter 730, Statutes of 2003

SB 68 (Alpert-D) Water quality: San Diego Bay

Establishes the 21-member San Diego Bay Advisory Committee for Ecological Assessment (Committee) and requires the Committee to prepare a report relating to the water quality and regulation of the San Diego Bay. Also requires the report to be submitted on or before December 31, 2005, to the Legislature, the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board, the State Water Resources Control Board, and the California Coastal Commission.

Chapter 497, Statutes of 2003

SB 149 (McPherson-R) Monterey Peninsula Water Management District

Makes structural and procedural changes at the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District to make it easier to develop, finance, and construct district projects, including projects designed to increase the available water supply in the district to better enable new development within district boundaries.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 181 (Machado-D) Drinking water: requirements: notice

Establishes procedures for a Public Water System to notify and record the status of compliance with drinking water directives of the State Department of Health Services for individual properties in a service area.

Chapter 167, Statutes of 2003

SB 196 (Kuehl-D) California regional water quality control boards

Revises the make-up of each of the California regional water quality control boards.

Chapter 272, Statutes of 2003

SB 214 (Morrow-R) Waste discharge requirements

Requires the State Water Resources Control Board and the regional boards to prescribe and enforce waste discharge requirements for municipal separate storm sewer systems that conform to the "maximum extent practicable" standard set forth in the Clean Water Act.

(In Senate Environmental Quality Committee)

SB 277 (Ducheny-D) Water: Salton Sea

Enacts the Salton Sea Restoration Act which, among other things, establishes the Salton Sea Restoration Fund to be administered by the Director of the State Department of Fish and Game. Requires the fund to be expended, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for various purposes relating to the restoration of the Salton sea. This bill is one of three bills necessary to implement the Quantification Settlement Agreement (QSA). The other bills are SB 317 (Kuehl-D) and SB 654 (Machado-D). The three bills are contingent upon enactment of each of the others, so that none of the bills will become operative unless the other bills become operative by January 1, 2004. The bills are also contingent upon execution of the QSA by October 12, 2003.

Chapter 611, Statutes of 2003

Similar legislation is SB 117 (Machado-D) and SB 994 (Hollingsworth-R), which are at the Assembly Desk.

SB 311 (Sher-D) Environmental health: drinking water

Changes the requirements for conducting an external scientific peer review for risk assessments regarding California drinking water standards.

(On Assembly Inactive File)

SB 312 (Machado-D) Urban Landscape Water Conservation Act of 2003

Renames the "Water Conservation in Landscaping Act" to the "Urban Landscape Water Conservation Act of 2003" and (1) makes a number of legislative findings and declarations, (2) requires the State Department of Water Resources (DWR) to establish a new model water efficient landscape ordinance, (3) creates a funding priority for agencies that have adopted and enforced either the state or an equivalent local landscape ordinance, (4) requires dedicated water meters for landscapes for billing purposes, and (5) requires DWR to issue an unspecified amount in competitive grants for weather-sensitive irrigation controller pilot projects from unspecified funds.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 317 (Kuehl-D) Resources

Enacts a narrow, regional waiver of the state's fully protected species statutes in order to accommodate a proposed water transfer from Imperial Irrigation District to San Diego, and requires that additional transfers of water to the State Department of Water Resources that are then resold to the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California serve as a basis for funding the eventual restoration of the Salton Sea.

Chapter 612, Statutes of 2003

Similar legislation is SB 117 (Machado-D) and SB 994 (Hollingsworth-R), which are at the Assembly Desk.

SB 318 (Alpert-D) Urban water suppliers: desalinated water

Requires an urban water supplier to add to the list of required elements contained in their urban water management plan a description of the opportunities for development of desalinated water, including ocean, brackish, and groundwater, as a long term supply.

(On Assembly Inactive File)

SB 334 (Romero-D) San Gabriel Basin Water Quality Authority

Reduces the current pumping right assessment cap from $13 to $10 under the San Gabriel Basin Water Quality Authority (Authority), deletes the consultation requirement for a report regarding the Authority's progress, and extends the sunset from July 1, 2005 to July 1, 2010.

Chapter 192, Statutes of 2003

SB 456 (Ortiz-D) Sacramento Suburban Water District: board: finances

Sets the compensation of a member of the board of directors of the Sacramento Suburban Water District (SSWD) at $1,000 per year, commencing January 1, 2004, and provides that, commencing on that date, each member of the board shall be provided with appropriate health benefits only for the duration of his/her service on the board of, or an employee of, the SSWD, or a previously existing water district that was subsumed into that district, has misused funds of any of those districts, that person shall be required to repay the district the full amount of funds found to have been misused, plus interest within 30 days of the finding. Authorizes the SSWD to establish a schedule of fees to be charged for any late repayments of those funds. States the intent of the Legislature that penalties be established, including the dismissal of any employee or board member, against whom an administrative or judicial finding is made.

(In Senate Local Government Committee)

SB 472 (Florez-D) Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Plan

Requires the California Water Institute to offer a revised water quality control plan for adoption by the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (CVRWQCB) with specified participants serving on an advisory committee. Requires the submission of a revised plan for approval and adoption by July 1, 2005. If adopted, requires the plan to be submitted to the State Water Resources Control Board for approval. Extends the expiration date for any waste discharge permit approved by the CVRWQCB that is in force between January 1, 2004 and July 1, 2005. Requires the Trustees of the California State University to adopt a resolution to implement the applicable provisions relative to the California Water Institute and requires local sources to contribute $350,000 for the development of a revised plan. Appropriates $1,050,000 from the General Fund to the California Water Institute.

(In Senate Environmental Quality Committee)

SB 475 (Florez-D) Public freshwater bathing areas

Requires the State Department of Health Services (DHS) to develop minimum standards for sanitation of high-use or priority freshwater bathing areas, as defined. Imposes various duties on DHS and local health officers and environmental directors, as specified. Requires local agencies to notify the public by posting a notice at public beaches stating that beach inspections to ensure compliance with health and sanitation standards are not being conducted.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 479 (Machado-D) Water transfers

Authorizes the State Water Resources Control Board, in addition to any current requirements, to approve a petition for a long-term transfer of water only if it additionally determines that the proposed transfer will not cause substantial, negative, third party impacts.

(In Senate Agriculture and Water Resources Committee)

SB 518 (Escutia-D) Water

Requires public agencies required to carry out certain provisions of Proposition 50 to consider adopting criteria that includes a preference for projects that benefit those areas with the highest population density and that face water supply shortages because their domestic water wells are located within 500 feet of groundwater recharge areas and projects that benefit severely economically disadvantaged areas, or economically disadvantaged areas that will enhance environmental justice, if those projects are otherwise eligible for assistance in accordance with applicable requirements of the Water Security, Clean Drinking Water, Coastal and Beach Protection Act of 2002. Exempts a project that benefits a severely economically disadvantaged area from any matching fund requirements established by certain administering agencies and prohibits those agencies from imposing a matching fund requirement that exceeds five percent of the amount of the grant awarded for a project that benefits an economically disadvantaged area.

(In Senate Agriculture and Water Resources Committee)

SB 529 (Morrow-R) Irrigation districts: electric power facilities: sale

Requires a water district that owns, operates, and maintains facilities for the generation, transmission, distribution, and retail sale of electric power, to give the notice to the California Debt and Investment Advisory Commission, at least 30 days prior to the proposed sale date, of the proposed sale of any evidence of indebtedness issued to providing financing of any works of the district.

(In Senate Local Government Committee)

SB 543 (Machado-D) Water rights: groundwater cleanup operations

Permits the water produced from a groundwater cleanup operation to be used, transferred, assigned, or conveyed for beneficial use by the operator of that operation only if a written agreement for the allocation of treated water has been entered into between the operator and every injured public water system that has given notice to the operator of its claim that it is an injured public water system, as specified.

(In Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee)

SB 563 (Ackerman-R) Water Quality Information Clearinghouse

Appropriates $15,000,000 made available by Proposition 50 to the State Water Resources Control Board for allocation to the University of California (UC) to finance the establishment of a Water Quality Information Clearinghouse to facilitate the restoration and protection of the water quality and environment of coastal waters, estuaries, bays and near shore waters, and groundwater in accordance with a certain provision of that act. Becomes operative only if the Regents of the UC certify to the State Controller that the funds appropriated by the bill will be used to establish the clearinghouse.

(In Senate Agriculture and Water Resources Committee)

SB 564 (Ackerman-R) Orange County: water-efficient landscape management

Appropriates $15 million from bond funds made available by Proposition 50 to Orange County to fund new water-efficient landscape management technologies.

(In Senate Agriculture and Water Resources Committee)

SB 654 (Machado-D) Water: Salton Sea: Colorado River

One of the three bills necessary to implement the Colorado River Quantification Settlement Agreement. This bill, among other things, authorizes the State Department of Fish and Game to enter into a joint powers agreement for the purpose of providing for the payment of costs for environmental mitigation requirements.

Chapter 613, Statutes of 2003

Similar legislation is SB 117 (Machado-D) and SB 994 (Hollingsworth-R), which are at the Assembly Desk.

SB 750* (Machado-D) Water

Enacts the Safe Drinking Water, Water Quality, Flood Protection, and Water Supply Reliability Act of 2004 which, if adopted, will authorize, the issuance of bonds in the amount of $5 billion for purposes of financing a safe drinking water, water quality, flood protection, and water supply reliability program.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 794 (Battin-R) Proposition 50: Saltceder eradication

Appropriates $1.5 million made available by Proposition 50 to the State Water Resources Control Board for allocation, upon a certain determination by the board, to eligible local public entities for the purposes of carrying out exotic Saltceder eradication programs in the counties of Riverside, San Diego, and Imperial.

(In Senate Agriculture and Water Resources Committee)

SB 833 (Machado-D) Eastern Water Alliance Joint Powers Agency

Authorizes the Eastern Water Alliance Joint Powers Agency (JPA) to grant funds to a member public agency for purposes of assisting that member public agency in acquiring water under specified conditions and to be granted funds by the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors. Authorizes the JPA to impose an annual plan implementation charge on landowners within its boundaries, and makes other changes to relevant sections of the Water Code.

Chapter 740, Statutes of 2003

SB 840 (Chesbro-D) Flood control

Adopts and authorizes the Middle Creek Ecosystem Flood Control and Habitat Restoration Project. Authorizes the State Department of Water Resources to pay 50 percent of the nonfederal capital costs of the habitat restoration, recreation, and fish and wildlife enhancement features. Requires the Lake County Flood Control and Water Conservation District to give prescribed assurances to the Secretary of the Army, and requires the district to carry out the plans and project.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 909 (Machado-D) Public water systems: mutual water companies: grant funds

Provides that a public water system regulated by the State Public Utilities Commission or a mutual water company is eligible for grant funding from the sale of any general obligation bond authorized by the voters, for the purposes stated in the authorizing bond act, unless not included or excluded by express provisions of the bond act, subject to certain conditions.

(In Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee)

SB 922 (Soto-D) Contaminated drinking water supplies

Provides that a cleanup and abatement order issued by the State Water Resources Control Board or a regional board may require the provision of, or payment for, uninterrupted replacement water service to each affected public water supplier or private well owner. Requires a regional board or the state board to request a water replacement plan from the discharger prior to the provision of the replacement water in certain cases. Provides for mediation of replacement water claims.

(In Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee)

SB 923 (Sher-D) Water quality: waivers

Authorizes the State Water Resources Control Board or a regional water quality control board to waive waste discharge requirements if certain conditions are met.

Chapter 801, Statutes of 2003

SB 1000 (Aanestad-R) Beneficial use: extension of time

Declares that nonuse of water as a result of conservation efforts constitutes good cause to extend the period specified in a permit for application of appropriated water to beneficial use. Requires the State Water Resources Control Board to extend the time for application of the water to beneficial use for a period of time sufficient to enable the permittee to perfect its appropriation if the petition to extend the time to apply water to beneficial use includes a description of future increased water requirements that are anticipated to be satisfied with water diverted under the permit, and other requirements are met.

(In Senate Agriculture and Water Resources Committee)

SB 1002* (Sher-D) Santa Clara Valley Water District

Classifies the Santa Clara Valley Water District (SCVWD) as a local agency for purposes of clarifying SCVWD's jurisdiction in regulating the storage of hazardous substances in underground storage tanks in Santa Clara County.

Chapter 341, Statutes of 2003

SB 1004 (Soto-D) Resources

Authorizes the State Water Resources Control Board and regional water quality control boards to order persons who discharge waste into the waters of the state (responsible parties) to provide replacement water to water suppliers and private well owners whose supplies are contaminated and requires notice of perchlorate storage.

Chapter 614, Statutes of 2003

SJR 8 (Battin-R) Saltcedar eradication

Memorializes the President and the Congress of the United States to take necessary action to immediately implement a project to eradicate saltcedar along the Colorado River within this state and other states through which the Colorado River and its tributaries pass, in order to protect that water source from depletion and contamination by saltcedar.

Resolution Chapter 75, Statutes of 2003

SB 4X* (Senate Budget And Fiscal Review Committee) Budget Act of 2003

Requires each person for whom waste discharge requirements have been prescribed, or for whom a waiver has been granted, to submit an annual accounting to a fee schedule established by the State Water Resources Control Board, as specified.

(In Assembly Budget Committee)

AB 58 (Bates-R) State Water Pollution Cleanup and Abatement Account

Continuously appropriates 75 percent of those funds from the State Water Pollution Cleanup and Abatement Account collected by a regional water quality control board to that regional board to carry out the act and 25 percent of those funds to the State Water Resources Control Board to carry out the act.

(In Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee)

AB 63* (Cogdill-R) Taxation: irrigation system improvements

Authorizes a nonrefundable 25 percent credit for the cost paid or incurred to purchase and install a qualified irrigation system improvement.

(In Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee)

AB 66 (Leslie-R) Riparian habitat: Adopt-A-Riverway Program

Establishes an adopt-a-riverway program within the State Department of Food and Agriculture that is funded by contributions and that focuses mainly on voluntary efforts to remove noxious and invasive weeds.

Chapter 675, Statutes of 2003

AB 83 (Corbett-D) Bottled water

Creates a new program requiring bottled water and water vending machines to meet new licensure requirements similar to those imposed on public water systems regarding emergency notification plans, consumer confidence reports, specified labeling requirements and annual inspections. Transfers existing provisions relating to the licensure and regulation of bottled water from the Sherman, Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Law to the Safe Drinking Water Act, and authorizes the State Department of Health Services to revise the annual license fee schedule for persons engaged in activities relating to bottled water and water vending machines to cover the costs of this legislation.

(Failed passage on the Senate Floor; reconsideration granted)

AB 107 (Corbett-D) Water

Requires that the funds made available by Proposition 50 are to be appropriated to the State Department of Health Services (DHS). Requires DHS to establish criteria for awarding the grants, in consultation with the Office of Emergency Services, the state Office of Homeland Security and public water agencies. Requires DHS to include in the criteria a funding preference, to the extent consistent with the act, for projects that meet certain requirements. Requires the Secretary of the State Resources Agency to make certain findings related to the administration of those grants in years 2004, 2005, and 2006.

(In Senate Agriculture and Water Resources Committee)

AB 120 (Wyland-R) Proposition 50: Caulerpa taxifolia eradication

Appropriates $1,100,000 from bond funds made available by Proposition 50 to the State Water Resources Control Board for the purposes of making a grant, subject to a certain determination by the state board, to the Southern California Caulerpa Action Team to eradicate Caulerpa taxifolia, or its clones or derivatives, in the Agua Hedionda Lagoon.

(In Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee)

AB 142 (Kehoe-D) San Diego River Conservancy: real property

Amends the land procurement procedures for the San Diego River Conservancy and specifically adds language specifying that the San Diego River Conservancy must acquire property pursuant to the Public Acquisition Law.

Chapter 92, Statutes of 2003

AB 148 (Dymally-D) Municipal water districts

Prohibits the Central Basin Municipal Water District and the West Basin Municipal Water District from issuing bonds, certificates of participation, financing leases, installment sales or purchase agreements, or other evidence of indebtedness, without the approval of a majority of the voters participating in a district wide election.

(In Assembly Rules Committee)

AB 157 (Salinas-D) Pajaro River Watershed Flood Prevention Authority

Authorizes the Pajaro River Watershed Flood Prevention Authority to appoint one alternate for the board member representing that appointing authority to act in the place, and perform all the duties, of that board member if the board member is absent, unable to act, or has vacated his or her office, until the vacancy is filled.

(In Assembly Local Government Committee)

AB 306 (Kehoe-D) Water meters

Requires urban water purveyors (suppliers) meeting the definition of "urban water supplier" under existing law to install service meters by January 1, 2008 on all residential and nonagricultural water service connections constructed prior to January 1, 1992.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 314 (Kehoe-D) Desalination

Declares that it is the policy of the state that desalination projects developed for or by public water entities be given the same opportunities for state assistance and funding as other water supply, and reliability projects. Makes various legislative findings.

Chapter 206, Statutes of 2003

AB 334 (Goldberg-D) Water softening and conditioning appliances

Reduces the restrictions on a local agency's ability to limit or prohibit the use of residential self-generating water softeners.

Chapter 172, Statutes of 2003

AB 386 (Aghazarian-R) Drinking water: local primacy agencies

Requires the State Department of Health Services to meet and confer with representatives of the California Conference of Directors of Environmental Health or the local primacy agencies, or both, for purposes of identifying and providing adequate funding to local primacy agencies, prior to passing on any new mandates or expanding any existing mandate.

(In Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee)

AB 404 (Garcia-R) Imperial County Air Pollution Control District

Authorizes the Imperial County Air Pollution Control District to require a transferee of water to undertake reasonable measures, including studies, to mitigate the air quality impacts associated with the water transfer, and to require the transferee to pay an annual fee based on an estimate of the actual costs incurred by the district in connection with the development of the mitigation measures and related air quality analysis with regard to the transfer, as specified.

(In Assembly Natural Resources Committee)

AB 426 (Richman-R) State Water Project: solar panels

Requires the State Department of Water Resources to establish a program to lease space above the state water project to private entities for the purpose of installing solar panels to generate electricity.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 430 (Dutra-D) Bay area regional water system

Requires a state agency that has authority to issue a permit, license, or other approval for certain specified projects to approve or disapprove the project application within 60 days.

(In Senate Environmental Quality Committee)

AB 450 (Maze-R) Friant Water Users Authority

Requires the Friant Water Users Authority to undertake a study regarding the feasibility, costs, benefits, and environmental impacts of creating additional water storage on the east side of the San Joaquin Valley between the City of Chowchilla and the City of Arvin. Appropriates $175,000 from the General Fund to the authority for the purposes of undertaking the study. Requires the authority to submit a report to the Legislature with regard to the study.

(Failed passage in Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee; reconsideration granted)

AB 514 (Kehoe-D) Water meters

Requires certain urban water suppliers that receive water from the federal Central Valley Project under a water service contract or subcontract, on or before January 1, 2013, to install water meters on all service connections to residential and nonagricultural commercial buildings constructed prior to March 1, 1992, that are located in their service areas, and requires these urban water suppliers, on and after January 1, 2013, or according to the terms of the Central Valley Project water contract in operation, to charge customers for water based on the actual volume of deliveries, as measured by a water meter, as specified.

Chapter 680, Statutes of 2003

AB 536 (Calderon-D) Water replenishment districts

Requires a water replenishment district, before building, leasing, purchasing, or contracting for a capital improvement project, to determine the feasibility of such a project by ordering or preparing and reviewing a written cost-benefit analysis based upon reasonable assumptions.

(In Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee)

AB 607 (Plescia-R) Landscape water conservation

Enacts the Landscape Water Conservation Rate Structure Act, and permits a city or county located wholly within the boundaries of one or more water districts that have adopted a landscape water conservation rate structure consistent with this Act to exempt itself from the Water Conservation in Landscape Act.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 611 (Negrete McLeod-D) Waste discharges: dental amalgam

Establishes a process to encourage and require effective diversion of dental amalgam waste containing mercury generated by dentist offices from the public sewer system, publicly-owned treatment works, and the state's surface waters.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 635 (Wiggins-D) Salmon and steelhead salmon: effect of reduced waterflow

Adds specificity to an existing requirement that the State Department of Fish and Game study the effect of reduced water flows at the mouths of certain North Coast rivers.

Chapter 681, Statutes of 2003

AB 650 (Plescia-R) San Diego County Water Authority's easements

Allows the San Diego County Water Authority to impose nuisance abatement liens on those properties that obstruct its rights-of-ways.

Chapter 863, Statutes of 2003

AB 740* (Pavley-D) Clean Air, Clean Water, and Coastal Protection Act of 2004

Enacts the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Coastal Protection Act of 2004 which, if adopted, will authorize the issuance of bonds in the amount of $2.9 billion for purposes of financing an air and water quality and coastal protection program.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 742 (Canciamilla-D) Streambed alteration

Adds the routine maintenance and operation of hydroelectric facilities to the list of activities that do not require the notice and agreement as described in current law.

(In Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee)

AB 760 (Maldonado-R) Water quality: civil liability

Authorizes, beginning January 1, 2003, the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) or a regional water board to require a publicly-owned treatment works that serves a relatively small population to apply the amount it is assessed for a violation of state water quality laws or federal Clean Water Act provisions, toward funding a project to correct the violation instead of as a mandatory penalty payment to the SWRCB or regional board.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 817 (Pacheco-R) Proposition 50: water pollution and conservation

Appropriates $15 million from bond funds made available by Proposition 50 to the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) to finance the creation, coordination, and implementation of a statewide education and outreach program related to water quality and conservation. Prescribes the use of those funds, including the development of educational materials and a public awareness program about water conservation and the reduction of water pollution. Authorizes the SWRCB to develop regulations to implement these provisions and requires the SWRCB to provide quarterly reports to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, the appropriate policy and fiscal committee of the Legislature, and the Governor on the use of the funds until January 1, 2004.

(In Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee)

AB 826 (Jackson-D) The Perchlorate Contamination Prevention Act

Establishes the Perchlorate Contamination Prevention Act, which (1) requires the State Department of Toxic Substances Control, by December 31, 2005, to develop regulations specifying the best management practices for managing perchlorate materials, and (2) once funding becomes available, requires the California Environmental Protection Agency to establish a statewide database of business plans and inventories submitted by facilities handling perchlorate materials to the certified unified program agencies. Provides for the implementation of this bill in the event that AB 1640 (Laird-D) is also enacted, and clarifies local and state agency jurisdiction as well as reporting requirements.

Chapter 608, Statutes of 2003

AB 859 (Nakano-D) Ballona Wetlands

Reappropriates $25 million in state general obligation bond proceeds to the State Coastal Conservancy for the acquisition, protection, and restoration of the Ballona Wetlands, which are immediately south of Marina del Rey in Los Angeles County.

Chapter 761, Statutes of 2003

AB 860 (Bates-R) Electrical corporations: desalination plants

Excludes from the definition of "electrical corporation", until December 31, 2009, a corporation or person owning an undivided interest in an electrical generating facility selling electricity to one other corporation or person located on the real property on which the electricity is generated for the purpose of operating a seawater desalination plant producing water for sale to a wholesale water corporation, water supplier, or local public agency.

(In Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee)

AB 866 (Pavley-D) Water quality

Provides that water conservation, water use efficiency, and water supply reliability projects and an enforceable waste discharge program, as described, are eligible for grants from the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) under the Integrated Watershed Management Program created by Proposition 50. Clarifies that money designated for the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Plan in Proposition 50 shall be made available to the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission, the entity responsible for implementing the Plan. Requires SWRCB, subject to the appropriation of funds from those Proposition 50 bond proceeds, to fund the development of one or more integrated coastal watershed management plans designed to provide for the integration of project funding within one or more coastal regions.

Chapter 493, Statutes of 2003

AB 877 (Maddox-R) Urban runoff

Declares that urban runoff that has been discharged from a municipal storm sewer system into a natural coastal creek, if not otherwise diverted for beneficial use in accordance with law, is unappropriated water that is subject to appropriation.

(In Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee)

AB 888 (McCarthy-R) Water shortage emergencies

Requires a public water supplier to adopt restrictions for the greatest public benefit with particular regard to agriculture, in addition to other described water uses in current law.

(In Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee)

AB 897 (Jackson-D) Water quality

Makes a number of changes to the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Act to conform to provisions of the federal Clean Water Act. Makes a number of amendments that clarify and streamline administrative processes by the State Water Resources Control Board and the regional water quality control boards.

Chapter 683, Statutes of 2003

AB 1015 (Laird-D) Land use: water supply

Requires the land use element of the general plan to include, by July 1, 2006, a statement of sources of water supply and potential sources, as specified. Deletes obsolete provisions. Authorizes the use of designated fees to cover the costs of the water supply component of the land use element of the general plan.

(On Assembly Inactive File)

AB 1020 (Laird-D) Public water systems: civil actions: contaminants

Provides that a public water system may bring a civil action against a person responsible for contaminants in drinking water to recover the costs associated with the investigation or remediation of the water within four years of incurring those costs.

(On Senate Third Reading File)

AB 1054 (Spitzer-R) Water quality: bond appropriation

Appropriates $20 million from Proposition 50 funds to Orange County for clean beaches, watershed protection, and water quality projects to protect beaches, coastal waters, rivers, lakes, and streams from contaminants, pollution, and other environmental threats, including, but not limited to, storm drain-to-sewer diversions, storm drain filters or screens, and regional education programs.

(In Assembly Natural Resources Committee)

AB 1107 (Liu-D) Groundwater: uniform data standards

Requires an interagency task force, already created by the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) and currently required to identify actions needed to establish a groundwater monitoring program, to develop uniform groundwater data standards. Requires the SWRCB, the State Department of Water Resources, the State Department of Health Services, the State Department of Pesticide Regulation, the State Department of Toxic Substances Control, and the State Department of Food and Agriculture to adopt these uniform groundwater standards as part of their data collection, data management, and data transfer activities.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 1125 (Houston-R) Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District

Clarifies and streamlines the relationship between Zone 7 and the Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District.

Chapter 284, Statutes of 2003

AB 1157 (Canciamilla-D) Public utilities: water and gas rates

Requires that the State Public Utilities Commission (PUC) issue a final decision in an application by a water corporation with greater than 10,000 service connections, without regard to when the application is filed or was previously filed. Requires the PUC to issue a final decision in a general rate case application by a gas corporation with less than 250,000 service connections, so that the rate becomes effective on the first day of the first test year in the application. Authorizes the applicant to file a tariff implementing interim rates that may be increased by an amount equal to the rate of inflation as compared to existing rates if the PUC decision is not effective in accordance with this requirement. Requires the PUC to establish a schedule to require every gas corporation with less than 250,000 service connections to file an application pursuant to the rate case plan for general rate increase every three years. Provides that its provisions may be waived at any time by mutual consent of the executive director of the PUC and the gas corporation.

(In Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee)

AB 1159 (Liu-D) Groundwater data

Enacts the Groundwater Data Standards Act of 2003 which, among other things, requires the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB), in consultation with a technical work group to be convened by the state board and other responsible agencies, to determine what constitutes core groundwater data, define structures and standards for core groundwater data, identify groundwater data collection standards, evaluate existing structures and standards for groundwater data, and user and custodian requirements, and propose standards for the storage and transfer of core groundwater data for comment by the public and the scientific community. Requires the SWRCB, in consultation with the technical work group, to prepare and submit to the Governor and the Legislature a report that includes recommendations for groundwater database standards and for the collection and transfer of groundwater data.

(In Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee)

AB 1168 (Berg-D) Wild and scenic rivers: Albion and Gualala Rivers

Adds described segments of the lower reaches of the Albion River and the Gualala River to the California Wild and Scenic River System and classifies those segments as recreational.

Chapter 117, Statutes of 2003

AB 1170 (Canciamilla-D) Proposition 50: cultural and historical preservation

Provides that an unspecified allocation from Proposition 50 funds shall be made to the City of Martinez for the John Muir Festival Center.

(In Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 1248 (Aghazarian-R) Waste discharge requirements

Requires the State Water Resources Control Board or the regional water quality control board, as appropriate, to provide notice and a period of at least 30 days for public comment prior to adopting waste discharge requirements, water reclamation requirements, or certain described orders.

Chapter 690, Statutes of 2003

AB 1300 (Laird-D) Proposition 50: expenditures: annual report

Requires the Secretary of the State Resources Agency to prepare an annual report that summarizes the expenditures made pursuant to the act and requires the Secretary to make the information available to the public through the Internet.

(In Senate Agriculture and Water Resources Committee)

AB 1353 (Matthews-D) Waste discharge requirements: exemption

Exempts a person who stores liquid wastewater in a holding tank and periodically transports the liquid wastewater to an authorized disposal facility from waste discharge requirements and restricts the $50.00 fee they have to pay.

(In Senate Environmental Quality Committee)

AB 1375 (Daucher-R) Municipal separate storm sewer systems

Require the State Water Resources Control Board and the regional boards to prescribe and enforce waste discharge requirements for municipal separate storm sewer systems in conformance with the maximum extent practicable standard set forth in the Clean Water Act. Defines the term "maximum extent practicable" standard for purposes of those provisions. Requires that permits for discharges from a municipal separate storm sewer system conform to the maximum extent practicable standard.

(In Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee)

AB 1385 (Haynes-R) County water authorities

Requires that, in order for the San Diego County Water Authority's board of directors to act on any item other than consent items, a single vote must be taken that satisfies both the weighted vote requirement in current law and a majority vote requirement. Specifies that a majority vote is obtained on the basis of one vote per member agency present at the board meeting. Requires agencies with more than one representative on the board to determine by ordinance how to allocate its single vote, and to deliver a copy of the ordinance to the secretary of the board.

(In Assembly Local Government Committee)

AB 1405 (Wolk-D) California Watershed Protection and Restoration Act

Enacts the California Watershed Protection and Restoration Act to establish the criteria by which the state recognizes watershed restoration efforts undertaken voluntarily by local watershed partnerships.

Chapter 693, Statutes of 2003

AB 1427 (Maddox-R) Biosolids: study

Requires the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) in consultation with the State Department of Food and Agriculture (DFA) and the State Department of Health Services (DHS) the regulated industry, local jurisdictions, representatives of public water systems, and other stakeholders, to conduct a study, utilizing existing scientific data, existing research, and specified documents to determine the feasibility of establishing a statewide policy on biosolids treatment, disposal, and recycling. Requires the agency on or before December 31, 2005, to submit that study to the Legislature. Requires the Orange County Sanitation District to pay the CalEPA, including the boards, offices, and departments within the agency, DFA and DHS, for the costs of conducting the study required by this bill.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 1522 (Parra-D) Water rights: permits

Expands the authority of the regional water quality control board's executive officers to include the ability to issue National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits without regional board actions, and makes technical corrections to and deletes obsolete provisions of the Water Code.

(In Senate Agriculture and Water Resources Committee)

AB 1541 (Montanez-D) Waste discharge requirements: penalties

Makes the failure to file specified water quality monitoring reports subject to a mandatory administrative penalty of $3,000 for each 30-day period the report is late.

Chapter 609, Statutes of 2003

AB 1546 (Simitian-D) Vehicle fee for congestion and stormwater management

Allows a fee of $4 to be added to the annual vehicle registration charge in San Mateo County if the fee is approved by the City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo. Specifies that fee revenues will be used for management of traffic congestion and stormwater pollution.

(In Senate Appropriations Committee)

AB 1659 (Shirley Horton-R) Gray water recycling irrigation systems

Requires the State Department of Water Resources to prepare a proposal for a reduced fee schedule for application to persons or entities that apply to a water district for a residential water service connection on or after an unspecified date, if the applicant agrees to install land use a gray water recycling irrigation system.

(In Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee)

AB 1695 (Ridley-Thomas-D) Metropolitan water districts: civil service

Requires the board of a metropolitan water district to prescribe a system of civil service that, with certain exceptions, includes every officer and employee of the district, as specified.

(In Assembly Local Government Committee)

AB 1703 (Assembly Environmental Safety And Toxic Materials Committee) Water trades

Requires the State Department of Water Resources (DWR), no later than January 1, 2006, to require any entity that trades war to report their water trading activities to DWR. Requires DWR to provide an online format for collecting certain information for each trading transaction.

(In Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee)

AB 1747* (Assembly Budget Committee) Public resources

Used as a omnibus natural resources trailer bill to make necessary changes to various natural resource departments and programs in order to implement the budget act. Among other things, establishes guidelines and criteria for various elements and programs established by Proposition 50. Requires the State Department of Water Resources (DWR) to spend no less than $20 million from the Integrated Regional Water Management Account in competitive grants for groundwater management and recharge projects. Allows DWR to evenly split these grant funds between northern and southern California and have DWR give preference for those projects in southern California that are located outside of the Metropolitan Water District service area, and are located within one mile of established residential and commercial development. Exempts all Proposition 50 and Proposition 40 expenditures from the Office of Administrative Law review process.

Chapter 240, Statutes of 2003

AB 1748 (Assembly Budget Committee) Public resources

Provides for procedures for public review of state agency acquisition of conservation lands. Requires the Secretary of the State Resources Agency to delegate his or her responsibilities for the administration of the river parkway programs financed by Proposition 50 or by funds appropriated in the Budget Act of 2003 for the river parkway program, conducted under Proposition 40, except funds allocated to the urban streams program, as specified. Requires the Secretary of the State Resources Agency to delegate his or her responsibilities for the administration of a grant program for acquisition of land or water resources the Sierra Nevada-Cascade mountain region and allows the wildlife conservation board to provide grants, as specified.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 1756* (Assembly Budget Committee) State government

Enacts the statutory language of the State Budget concerning general government issues. As it relates to water this bill establishes the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Fund for the deposit of moneys received from Proposition 65 violations. The money will be allocated to expenditures implementing Proposition 65.

Chapter 228, Statutes of 2003

ACA 10 (Harman-R) Local government: property-related fees

Excludes fees and charges for storm water and urban runoff management from these voter approval requirements for the imposition or increase of property-related charges and fees.

(On Assembly Inactive File)

ACR 99 (Liu-D) Groundwater Awareness Month

Declares May as Groundwater Awareness Month, and states the commitment of the Legislature to supporting efforts to protect and improve the management of this precious and limited resource, while preserving existing water rights.

Resolution Chapter 59, Statutes of 2003

Index (in Bill Order)