Farm Labor
Pests and Pesticides
General Agriculture
Water Resources
Farm Labor
SB 46 (Solis-D) Employees
Provides that a person engaged in business as a processor or as a shipper of strawberries, who contracts to have growing or harvesting operations, or both, performed by another person as a grower or producer, as defined, is civilly liable with respect to these operations for employee wages, hours, working conditions, and employment safety violations committed by the grower or producer, and is subject to the same civil penalties assessed against the grower or producer.
(Died in Senate Judiciary Committee)
Similar legislation was SB 1967 (Solis-D), which died on the Senate Inactive File.
SB 302 (Costa-D) Farmworker housing
Makes technical changes in the farmworker housing tax credit, and conforms the definition of eligible costs to the definition used by the Internal Revenue Service for the low-income housing.
Chapter 371, Statutes of 1998
SB 604* (Watson-D) Food Assistance Program
Takes various actions to preserve food stamps and other benefits for legal immigrants. Specifies that farm workers entering into California from other states are not considered new applicants for aid and, therefore, ineligible. Presumptively qualifies special agricultural workers for food stamps.
(Died in Senate Appropriations Committee)
SB 1967 (Solis-D) Employees
Establishes civil liability and penalties for persons engaged in business as processors and/or shippers of strawberries when a grower or producer commits employment safety violations.
(Died on Senate Inactive File)
Similar legislation was SB 46 (Solis-D), which died in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
AB 148* (Frusetta-R) Income and bank corporation taxes: agricultural workers
Provides a tax credit equal to 25% of the qualified expenses paid or incurred by a taxpayer for preventive health care provided to employees who are qualified farmworkers. Specifies that this credit applies for the 1997 through 1999 tax years.
(Died in Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee)
AB 2399 (Poochigian-R) Farm labor contractors: license renewal
Provides for the issuance of biennial licenses to farm labor contractors and a biennial license fee of $700. Adds, as a condition for license renewal without an examination, that the applicant must have successfully completed an eight-hour course approved by the State Labor Commissioner on the duties and responsibilities of a farm labor contractor and any changes in the statutes and regulations pertaining to farm labor contractors.
(Failed passage in Assembly Labor and Employment Committee)
AB 2520* (Prenter-R) Income and bank and corporation taxes: agricultural workers
Authorizes a tax credit against those taxes for each taxable and income year beginning on or after January 1, 1998, and before January 1, 2001, in an amount equal to 25% of the qualified expenses, as defined, paid or incurred by a taxpayer during the taxable or income year, not to exceed $50,000, for preventive health care provided to the taxpayer's employees who are farmworkers and who meet specified criteria.
(Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee)
AB 2653* (Ducheny-D) Farmworker housing
Requires the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to establish or develop a proposal for creating a nonprofit regional foundation to provide below-market rate, financing, receive tax-favored donations, and provide other assistance for the development and rehabilitation of housing for agricultural employees. Requires HCD to submit a report to the Legislature on the conclusions and recommendations of HCD and the nonprofit regional foundation. Sunsets January 1, 2000.
(Died in Senate Local Government Committee)
AB 2780* (Gallegos-D) Seasonal and immigrant workers: health issues
Reinstates the Seasonal Agricultural and Migrant Worker Advisory Committee to advise the State Department of Health Services on the level of resources, priorities, criteria, and guidelines necessary to implement the existing health program.
Chapter 310, Statutes of 1998
Pests and Pesticides
SB 1649 (Senate Local Government Committee) Vector control
Changes, among other things, the definition of vector control as originally specified by Proposition 218 to include pest abatement for livestock and crops.
Chapter 876, Statutes of 1998
SB 1704 (Monteith-R) Pesticides
Allows the State Department of Pesticide Regulation to refund money collected under limited circumstances, makes ineligible those who apply or reapply for a license previously revoked, and specifies the timing under which civil actions or penalties can be brought for various violations.
(Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee)
Similar legislation was AB 2757 (Assembly Agriculture Committee), which died in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
SB 1831 (Kelley-R) Pesticides: purpose of law: compliance
Authorizes the Director of the State Department of Pesticide Regulation to develop and implement a compliance assistance program, the cost of which is to be reimbursed by fees from persons using the program, which is to consist of onsite visits to those business entities that are regulated under laws governing the use of pesticides and agricultural chemicals, as specified.
(Died in Assembly Agriculture Committee)
SB 1942 (Sher-D) School districts: integrated pest management practices
Requires the State Department of Education to contract for the development of an integrated pest management guidebook on pest management practices that will be made available to school districts. Appropriates $110,000 from the General Fund.
Vetoed by the Governor.
AB 505 (Ashburn-R) Pest control activities
Makes changes to existing law relating to the suspension of pest control license registrations and provides that the licensee shall have the right to request a hearing before the county agricultural commissioner within 25 days after receiving notice of the proposed action.
(Died in Assembly Agriculture Committee)
AB 1134 (Machado-D) Structural pest control
Requires the registration of structural pest control devices with the California Structural Pest Control Board (SPCB), and requires each person paying a specified pest control license fee to pay, until January 1, 2002, an additional fee of 25 cents for each "Inspection Report" stamp and "Notice of Work Completed" stamp purchased from the SPCB. Specifies that these funds are to be deposited in the Structural Pest Control Device Fund. Prohibits structural pest control licensees from using false, misleading, or deceptive advertising, as specified.
Chapter 651, Statutes of 1998
AB 1948 (Shelley-D) School Pesticide Right to Know Act of 1998
Proposes the School Pesticide Right to Know Act of 1998, and requires school administrators to provide the following notifications to parents or guardians:
- Annual written notification to parents of any pesticide product intended for use at a school or day care facility.
- 24-hour notice prior to the application of any pesticide at the school or day care facility, if requested by the parent.
- Pesticide applications to be posted with warning signs.
Imposition of these requirements upon school districts and local governmental entities operating day-care facilities impose a state-mandated local program.
(Died in Senate Appropriations Committee)
AB 1998 (Thomson-D) Agricultural chemical reduction pilot demonstration projects
Establishes, within the University of California (UC), a program of pilot demonstration projects designed to provide extension services, training, and financial incentives for participating farmers to implement biologically integrated farming systems. Establishes a program advisory review board to consult with UC to carry out the duties related to the program. Provides for a contract for a pilot demonstration project for a period of up to five years, and prohibits the commencement of new pilot demonstration projects on or after December 31, 2005. Specifies that these provisions do not apply to UC unless the Regents, by resolution, make them applicable.
Chapter 434, Statutes of 1998
AB 2252 (House-R) Plant quarantine and pest control
Authorizes the State Department of Food and Agriculture (DFA) to:
- Perform analytical services that are needed by agricultural and other businesses to assure compliance with quarantine or quality requirements imposed on California suppliers by other states or countries.
- Provide accreditation services to private entities to perform work in support of the issuance of certificates affirming compliance with analytical, diagnostic certification, inspection, testing, treatment, and other import requirements.
- Establish a schedule of charges to cover the costs of providing those services, and continuously appropriates any revenue collected pursuant to these provisions to DFA to carry out its duties under the bill.
Chapter 436, Statutes of 1998
AB 2283* (Assembly Agriculture Committee) Pest control
Enacts the Pest Exclusion Funding Act and provides that the development of a pest exclusion work plan for allocation of the funding appropriated in a specified item of the Budget Act of 1998, which shall be the joint and mutual responsibility of the State Department of Food and Agriculture (DFA) and the county agricultural commissioners. Requires DFA to develop criteria for the development of the work plans and for allocating the funds, as specified.
Chapter 870, Statutes of 1998
AB 2308 (House-R) Pesticide regulation
Makes it a misdemeanor for any person to knowingly prevent, delay, or refuse to permit any audit, inspection, investigation, sampling, or testing, authorized by the Director of the State Department of Pesticide Regulation or the county agricultural commissioner, during business hours or any other reasonable time, if necessary, to ensure immediate compliance.
(Died in Assembly Agriculture Committee)
AB 2617 (Figueroa-D) Toxic air contaminants: methyl bromide
Bans the use of pesticide products containing methyl bromide as an active ingredient after January 1, 2001. Requires the Director of the State Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) to adopt, after submitting to the Air Toxics Scientific Review Panel and the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment for review, health-based exposure limits and control measures for methyl bromide.
Requires the scientific review panel and the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment to make recommendations concerning certain matters, not later than April 1, 1999, and requires the Director of DPR to adopt control measures necessary to reduce the exposure to methyl bromide below specified levels by May 1, 1999. Requires a notice of proposed application of methyl bromide to be given to schools, hospitals, licensed daycare facilities and occupants of residential housing within certain specified warning zones of the proposed application site.
(Died in Assembly Rules Committee)
AB 2757 (Assembly Agriculture Committee) Department of Pesticide Regulation: refunds
Authorizes the Director of the State Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) to refund certain payments made to DPR, and requires actions against violators of pesticide laws to be brought within four years or within one year of a completed county investigation, as specified.
(Died in Assembly Agriculture Committee)
General Agriculture
SB 38* (Johannessen-R) Taxation: credits and exemptions: agricultural equipment
Expands the Manufacturer's Investment Credit by creating a similar investment credit for agricultural production and agricultural services, and provides a partial sales tax exemption for start-up businesses, as specified.
(Failed passage in Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee)
Similar legislation was AB 138* (Poochigian-R) which died in Assembly Appropriations Committee.
SB 175* (Kelley-R) Dairy products
Conforms state dairy product fat-content labeling requirements to recent changes in the federal labeling requirements, as specified.
Chapter 232, Statutes of 1998
SB 352 (Ayala-D) Milk: certification
Abolishes statutes permitting county milk commissioners and, instead, requires the state to be the certifying agent for the production and sale of what is typically unpasteurized milk.
(Died in Senate Appropriations Committee)
SB 369 (Kopp-I) Point-of-sale station accuracy
Requires the Secretary of the State Department of Food and Agriculture (DFA) to adopt regulations for point-of-sale stations to verify that the accuracy of advertised prices, price representations, and computations are correct in the use of point-of-sale equipment. Prohibits anyone from operating a point-of-sale station without first registering with DFA.
(Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee)
SB 1182* (Costa-D) Agricultural land: farmland security zones
Allows landowners to petition county boards of supervisors to create Farmland Security Zones which enable landowners who have Williamson Act contracts to rescind their traditional 10-year contract to enter into 20-year contracts.
Chapter 353, Statutes of 1998
SB 1222 (Costa-D) California Fertilizer Research and Education Commission
Creates the California Fertilizer Research and Education Commission as a separate industry-based entity focusing on fertilizer-related research and education, as opposed to inspection and enforcement, as specified.
(Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee)
SB 1334 (Costa-D) Agricultural products: disparaging statements
Requires the State Department of Food and Agriculture to contract with an accredited postsecondary educational institution to perform a study and report to the Legislature by September 1, 1998, regarding disparaging statements about California agricultural products and the impact those statements have made over the past 10 years to the producers and marketers of their products, their employees, and the state's economy. Makes related findings, such as the importance of agriculture to the state's economy.
(Died on Assembly Inactive File)
SB 1359 (Costa-D) Environmental quality: agricultural resources
Specifies that a project that may cause a substantial, or potentially substantial, adverse change to an agricultural resource, meaning land and water used for agricultural production or for operations incidental to agricultural production, is a project that may have a significant effect on the environment.
(Died in Senate Environmental Quality Committee)
SB 1402* (McPherson-R) Income and bank and corporation taxes: irrigation
Allows a 15% credit for the cost of purchasing and installing a water conserving irrigation system on agricultural land in California. Specifies that the credit will become operative for tax years beginning 1998 through 2003. Provides that the irrigation system must be certified to provide water conservation or savings of at least 10% in comparison with the amount used on the land in the prior year.
(Failed passage in Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee)
Similar legislation was AB 1081* (House-R) which died in Assembly Appropriations Committee.
SB 1460 (Maddy-R) State fairs
Allows the State Department of Food and Agriculture to have additional oversight capability over state funded fairs and expositions.
Chapter 181, Statutes of 1998
SB 1581* (Maddy-R) Crime prevention
Among other things, authorizes the development of the San Joaquin Valley Agricultural and Rural Crime Prevention Program, consisting of eight specified counties. Becomes effective only if this bill and SB 1580 are both chaptered. Sunsets on January 1, 2004.
(Died in Senate Appropriations Committee after being referred to Senate Rule 29.10)
SB 1711 (Monteith-R) Agricultural policy: vehicle weight limitations
Provides that existing weight limitations may be exceeded by 2.5% by a vehicle transporting agricultural products from a field to the point of first processing. Prohibits requiring a load of agricultural products being transported from field to the point of first processing by a vehicle that does not exceed the total gross vehicle weight limitations by more than 2.5%, but less than 5%, to be reloaded and prohibits requiring any portion of the load to be removed.
(Died in Senate Transportation Committee)
SB 1738 (Kelley-R) Renderers: transportation
Extends administration fees for licensed renderers and collection centers until the year 2005. Creates a sunset for licensed transporters of inedible kitchen grease until 2005. Adds haulers of inedible kitchen grease to the list the California Highway Patrol may stop for inspection of evidence of rightful ownership and authority to take possession of a vehicle if there is reasonable belief that the driver is not in legal possession. Adds the current Food and Agriculture Code criminal provision pertaining to receivers and transporters of inedible kitchen grease into the Vehicle Code.
Chapter 394, Statutes of 1998
SB 1835 (Johnston-D) Land use: Williamson Act contracts
Incorporates into the statutes governing Williamson Act contracts the existing provisions under the Cortese-Knox Act that require Local Agency Formation Commission Organizations (LAFCO's) to determine whether a city may protest and exercise its opinion not to succeed the county's Williamson Act contract. Requires a city to record a certificate of contract termination, as specified, if it exercises its opinion not to succeed a contract to make other minor adjustments to Williamson Act procedures. Becomes effective if this bill and SB 2227 (Monteith-R) are both enacted.
Chapter 690, Statutes of 1998
SB 1943 (Sher-D) Fertilizer materials
Requires the State Department of Toxic Substances Control to report on the distribution and sale in California of fertilizers that are manufactured from recycled hazardous waste.
(Failed passage on Senate Floor)
SB 1961 (Kopp-I) California Avocado Commission
Provides that the combined assessment rate of both the California Avocado Commission and any marketing order shall not exceed 4% of gross crop value. Requires assessment rate changes to be approved by a two thirds majority of all growers, and mandates producer elections every three years. Creates a cap on reserve levels to no more than 35% of the Commission's annual budget expense.
(Failed passage in Senate Agriculture and Water Resources Committee)
SB 2054 (Thompson-D) Employment of minors: agricultural packing plants
Extends, until January 1, 2002, the sunset for Lake County agricultural packing plants to employ minors 16 and 17 years of age up to 60 hours per week during nonschool periods.
Chapter 237, Statutes of 1998
SB 2080 (O'Connell-D) Land and water conservation
Authorizes a tax credit equaling 55% of the fair market value of any property rights contributed to a nonprofit organization, a local government, or the state in order to preserve agricultural lands, open space, and wildlife habitat provided that the property is approved by the Secretary of the State Resources Agency.
(Failed passage in Assembly Appropriations Committee)
Similar legislation was SB 87 (O'Connell) which died in Senate Appropriations Committee.
SB 2227 (Monteith-R) Local agency formation
Clarifies the Cortese-Knox Act to create explicit procedures for local agency formation commissions to determine if an annexing city can "not succeed" to the county's Williamson Act contract. Becomes operative only if SB 1835 (Johnston) becomes effective on or before January 1, 1999.
Chapter 590, Statutes of 1998
SCA 9 (Haynes-R) Property taxation: exemption: agricultural land
Exempts privately-owned agricultural and open-space land used to propagate a sustaining breeding, migrating, or wintering population of indigenous wild animals in at least three of the following ways: habitat control, erosion control, predator control, providing habitat for endangered species, providing supplemental water supplies, providing supplemental food supplies, providing shelters, or being the subject of a census count to determine animal population, as specified.
(Died in Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee)
SCA 27 (Monteith-R) Property taxation: agricultural land
Permits the Legislature to exempt agricultural and natural resource land from school bond property taxes, except for the portion of the land on which a residential unit is situated. Provides that if the land is subsequently converted for other uses, the land is "subject to 150% taxation" for repayment of school bond principal and interest.
(Died in Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee)
SJR 42 (Thompson-D) Organic food
Urges the President and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDFA) to redraft regulations proposed by the USDFA concerning organic food to reflect the recommendations of the National Organic Standards Board and ensure compatibility with the California Organic Foods Act of 1990.
Resolution Chapter 36, Statutes of 1998
SJR 44 (Monteith-R) Methyl bromide
Requests the President and Congress of the United States to reconsider the 2001 ban on the use of methyl bromide.
(Died in Senate Agriculture and Water Resources Committee)
AB 196* (Thomson-D) Taxes: credits: agricultural donations
Provides for a 20% tax credit of the value of agricultural products donated to a nonprofit organization between 1998 and 2001. Requires the State Department of Social Services to report to the Legislature, by June 30, 2000, on the amount of food donated to such organizations before and after the credit was established.
(Died in Senate Appropriations Committee)
AB 623 (Machado-D) California Rice Commission
Establishes the California Rice Commission, authorized to engage in research and market expansion activities. Prescribes the membership and specifies the powers, duties, and responsibilities of the California Rice Commission. Sunsets January 1, 2004.
Chapter 567, Statutes of 1998
AB 803* (Machado-D) Taxes: exemptions: cellulose casings
Provides a sales and use tax exemption for cellulose casings used in the production of processed meat products, provided the casings are later incorporated into tax-exempt animal feed.
(Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee)
AB 1030 (Frusetta-R) Agricultural commodities: labeling
Requires a retailer of a perishable agricultural commodity imported into California any country outside of the U.S. to inform consumers of the country of origin of the perishable agricultural commodity. Makes any retailer who violates its provisions liable for a civil penalty.
(Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee)
AB 1058 (Cardoza-D) Milk marketing
Deletes a sunset date in existing law that requires Grade A producers to annually declare any plans to leave the California milk pooling program for the succeeding 12 months.
Chapter 33, Statutes of 1998
AB 1513* (Cardoza-D) Income and bank and corporation taxes: credit: agricultural
Provides a $30-per-ton tax credit for transporting agricultural prunings to a biomass conversion facility.
(Died in Senate Appropriations Committee)
AB 1525 (Ashburn-R) Marketing orders: butter and cheese
Permits, upon approval by producers in a referendum, any marketing order for fluid milk to contain in its advertising and sales promotion plan provisions to allocate funds for promotions of cheese or butter products made with California milk, as specified. Requires the State Department of Food and Agriculture to issue a report to the Governor and the Legislature by December 31, 2001, regarding the effectiveness of the promotion plan. Sunsets January 1, 2003.
Chapter 912, Statutes of 1998
AB 1540 (Morrow-R) Equine activities: limitation of liability
Provides that an equine activity sponsor, an equine professional, or any other person shall not be liable for any injury, or the death of a participant or equine resulting from the inherent risks of equine activities. Defines various terms for these purposes, and exempts various specified acts.
(Failed passage in Assembly Judiciary Committee)
AB 1699 (Ortiz-D) Air pollution: rice straw burning
Directs the California Air Resources Board (ARB) to establish a fine particulate matter daily monitoring and forecasting program in the Sacramento Valley region for air pollution caused by rice straw burning. Requires the ARB and local air pollution control officers in the Sacramento Valley Air Basin to provide daily notices via the Internet and the local media on rice straw burning statistics. Requires the State Department of Food and Agriculture, State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, the California Integrated Waste Management Board, and the ARB to report to the Legislature, by September 1, 1999, on recommendations for ensuring cost-effective alternatives uses for rice straw.
(Died on Assembly Inactive File)
AB 1836 (Ackerman-R) Weights and measures
Prohibits the Secretary of the State Department of Food and Agriculture from adopting the retroactive portion of a specific national standard relating to vehicle tank meters user requirements.
(Died in Assembly Consumer Protection, Governmental Efficiency, and Economic Development Committee)
AB 1875 (Prenter-R) Agriculture
Authorizes the San Joaquin Valley Cotton Board to consider for approval a cotton variety that demonstrates a substantially greater yield or any other substantially superior economic benefit in comparison to the existing Acala or Pima quality standard. Reduces the minimum period of time required for the San Joaquin Valley Cotton Board to test unapproved cotton varieties from three years to two, prior to approval and release of the variety. Deletes the sunset date on the Curly Top Virus Control Program.
Chapter 708, Statutes of 1998
AB 1879 (Prenter-R) Animals
Makes minor technical changes to clean up and clarify existing law relating to meat and poultry inspection programs.
Chapter 680, Statutes of 1998
AB 1998 (Thomson-D) Agricultural chemical reduction pilot projects
Establishes within the University of California a program of pilot demonstration projects designed to provide extension services, training, and financial incentives for participating farmers to implement biologically integrated farming systems. Establishes a program advisory review board to consult with the University to carry out the duties related to the program. Provides for a contract for a pilot demonstration project for a period of up to five years, and prohibits the commencement of new projects on or after December 31, 2005. These provisions do not apply to the University of California unless the Regents, by resolution, make them applicable.
Chapter 434, Statutes of 1998
AB 2033 (Cardoza-D) Marketing orders and commissions
Requires the State Department of Food and Agriculture (DFA), rather than the Secretary of DFA, to notify all handlers of a commodity to file with DFA a report containing specified information regarding the persons that may be directly affected by any proposed marketing order for any commodity, as specified.
(Died in Assembly Agriculture Committee)
AB 2218 (Woods-R) California Walnut Commission
Changes the conditions under which the California Walnut Commission may exist and how a referendum vote is to be approved.
Chapter 289, Statutes of 1998
AB 2341 (Assembly Agriculture Committee) Agriculture: California Seed Law
Extends, until July 1, 2004, provisions of the Food and Agriculture Code authorizing the annual subventions paid to county agricultural commissioners for enforcement of the California Seed Law. Authorizes the Secretary of the State Department of Food and Agriculture to designate as a seed potato certification agency, any person or agency that the secretary finds is qualified to certify seed potatoes, as specified. Also increases the number of Seed Advisory Board members from seven to eleven and eliminates the alternate member positions.
Chapter 573, Statutes of 1998
AB 2345 (Frusetta-R) Vandalism to agricultural equipment: livestock
Specifies that, unless a greater penalty is otherwise presented by statute, any person convicted of an act of vandalism to agricultural equipment, water tanks, or pumps is punishable by a fine of $5,000 or by imprisonment, as specified.
(Failed passage in Senate Public Safety Committee)
AB 2361 (House-R) District agricultural associations: salaries
Allows the board of directors of a district agricultural association (DAA), after a review by the State Department of Food and Agriculture and the State Department of Personnel Administration, to establish and adjust the salaries for the secretary, manager and treasurer of the DAA.
(Failed passage in Assembly Appropriations Committee)
AB 2376 (Battin-R) Department of Food and Agriculture
Appropriates an unspecified amount from a unspecified fund to the Regents of the University of California to study and assess the economic impact that fees and regulations imposed by the State Department of Food and Agriculture have on producers and consumers of agricultural products.
(Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee)
AB 2426 (Strom-Martin-D) Combination vehicles: access limits: exception
Exempts specified transporters of livestock from vehicle access and length limitations when operating on specified segments of State Highway Route 101 in Mendocino and Humboldt counties. Sunsets the exemption on July 1, 2000. Requires the California Highway Patrol, in conjunction with the State Department of Transportation, to conduct a study of the safety effects of the truck exemptions and report to the Legislature by July 1, 2000.
Chapter 711, Statutes of 1998
AB 2652 (Cardoza-D) Agricultural burning: San Joaquin Valley Air Basin
Permits the San Joaquin Valley authorized Unified Air Pollution Control District, in consultation with the State Air Resources Board, to develop guidelines to allocate the amount of agricultural burning that may be authorized on any day in the San Joaquin Valley without regard to whether or not the day is designated a nonburning day.
(Died in Assembly Natural Resources Committee)
AB 2758 (Assembly Agriculture Committee) Onion and garlic standards: inspectors
Removes the January 1, 1999, sunset on operations of the Garlic and Onion Dehydrator Advisory Committee. Provides that the Committee shall cease to exist in the event the industry establishes a marketing order, to prevent double assessments.
Chapter 674, Statutes of 1998
AB 2759 (Assembly Agriculture Committee) Eggs
Exempts military and out-of-state egg sales from "sell by" posting requirements, and prevents eggs returned from groceries, institutions, and warehouses from being reprocessed for retail shell egg sales. Requires intrastate eggs to be labeled with the day of the year on which the eggs were packed.
Chapter 257, Statutes of 1998
AB 2760 (Assembly Agriculture Committee) California Sheep Commission
Makes technical changes to the California Sheep Commission law to reflect the industry's evolution since the original law was signed by the Governor in 1985.
Chapter 575, Statutes of 1998
AB 2761 (Assembly Agriculture Committee) Marketing
Permits mandatory councils and commissions to be recognized by the United States Department of Agriculture for the purpose of regulating the handling of agricultural commodities.
Chapter 399, Statutes of 1998
AB 2769 (Assembly Agriculture Committee) Special assessments: fruit trees
Extends, for five years, the sunset provisions of a 1% assessment on specified trees and grapevines sold by nursery dealers by changing the date to January 1, 2004. Changes the reference of "director" to "secretary", relative to the head of the State Department of Food and Agriculture.
Chapter 576, Statutes of 1998
ACR 167 (Machado-D) California Pear Day
Declares August 12, 1998, as California Pear Day.
Resolution Chapter 86, Statutes of 1998
ACR 168 (Cardoza-D) June is Dairy Month
Proclaims the month of June 1998 as "June is Dairy Month".
Resolution Chapter 76, Statutes of 1998
AJR 54 (Aguiar-R) Livestock and Dairy Indemnity Programs
Memorializes the President and Congress of the United States to reauthorize the federal programs that might assist dairy farmers in coping with recent flood-related losses.
(Died in Senate Agriculture and Water Resources Committee)
HR 55 (Cardoza-D) California Agriculture Week
Honors the many men and women of agriculture for their dedication and productivity by declaring the week of March 15 through March 21, 1998, as California Agriculture Week, and Friday, March 20, 1998, as National Agriculture Day.
Adopted by the Assembly
Water Resources
SB 2* (Thompson-D) Parks and resources improvement: bond act
Upon passage by the voters in the November 1998 election, authorizes the sale of $849,500,000 in general obligation bonds to finance a program for the acquisition, development, improvement, rehabilitation, restoration, enhancement, and protection of park, recreational, cultural, historical, fish and wildlife, and coastal resources.
(Failed passage on Assembly Floor)
SB 133 (Kelley-R) County water authorities: indebtedness: letters of credit
Permits the San Diego County Water Authority to arrange for letters of credit to provide an additional source of repayment of indebtedness and to borrow for any purpose for which short-term debt could be issued.
Chapter 812, Statutes of 1998
SB 312 (Costa-D) Safe Drinking Water, Clean Water, and Flood Prevention Act
Enacts the Safe Drinking Water, Clean Water, and Flood Prevention Act, allowing the use of unspecified General Obligation Bonds.
(Died in Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee)
SB 328 (Greene-D) Flood protection
Adopts and authorizes the Natomas and North Sacramento ("North Area Local Project") flood control project sponsored by the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency, which has already been approved by the Reclamation Board.
Vetoed by the Governor
SB 360 (Rainey-R) Drinking water: water treatment devices
Requires the State Department of Health Services to include consumers, public entities, and other persons affected by the operation of water treatment services when adopting regulations and promoting consumer safety.
(Died in Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee)
SB 480 (Alpert-D) County water authorities: board of directors
Revises the voting privileges authorized for members of the board of directors of the San Diego County Water Authority from an assessment based to a financial contribution based entitlement.
(Died at Assembly Desk)
SB 677 (Peace-D) County water authorities: insurance
Amends existing law prohibiting any officer or employee, firm, or corporation acting or purporting to act on behalf of any officer or employee, from negotiating or procuring any surety bond or contract of insurance, by additionally exempting the construction, renovation, or expansion of any water storage or conveyance facility undertaken by a county water authority pursuant to any agreements for that facility between the authority and one of its member agencies, from the above prohibition.
(Died in Assembly Local Government Committee)
SB 701 (Rainey-R) Reclamation District No. 799
Requires Reclamation District No. 799's Board of Trustees, prior to the 1999 and 2002 District elections, to classify the trustee seats and conduct elections based on the percentage of District land in agricultural use.
(Died in Senate Local Government Committee)
SB 1011 (Costa-D) Water projects
Establishes the Bay-Delta Multipurpose Water Management Program and appropriates $50,000,000 from the General Fund to the Secretary of the State Resources Agency for purposes of carrying out the program in accordance with procedures established by CALFED, as specified.
(Died in Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee)
Similar legislation was SB 312 (Costa-D), which died in Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee; AB 254 (Machado-D), which failed passage on the Senate Floor; and AB 2027 (Machado-D), which died on Senate Third Reading File.
SB 1033 (Sher-D) Public water systems: public health goals: perchlorate
Requires the State Department of Health Services to adopt a drinking water standard for perchlorate by January 1, 2000, and report to the Legislature on the extent of perchlorate contamination in public water systems.
Vetoed by the Governor
Similar legislation was AB 2392 (Margette-R), which died in Senate Environmental Quality Committee.
SB 1075 (Johnston-D) Delta Protection Commission
Extends the sunset date of the Delta Protection Commission (DPC) from 1999 to 2010 and grants the DPC new authority to administer joint habitat restoration or enhancement programs, such as those associated with CALFED.
Chapter 584, Statutes of 1998
SB 1188 (Hayden-D) Los Angeles River
States legislative intent to conserve, protect, enhance, and restore to their natural state, the Los Angeles River and its tributaries, while providing for increased wildlife habitat, open space, recreational opportunities, and flood control, encourage increased recreation opportunities, community development, open space, and wildlife habitat in the Los Angeles River corridor, consistent with essential flood control purposes, and to foster greater partnership and coordination among public agencies and private entities to restore the river for those purposes.
(Died at Assembly Desk)
Similar legislation was AB 1281 (House-R), which died in Senate Natural Resources and Wildlife Committee.
SB 1248* (Vincent-D) Income and bank and corporation taxes: credit: levees
Provides individuals and non-corporate businesses a credit against tax of 50% of the cost of construction, restoration or rehabilitation of levees on private property in California, as specified.
(Died in Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee)
SB 1266 (Knight-R) State Water Resources Development System
Authorizes a redevelopment agency to make payments from tax increment funds to an affected taxing entity that is a state water supply contractor, as specified.
(Failed passage on Senate Floor)
SB 1316 (Costa-D) San Joaquin River Conservancy: membership
Removes the requirement that one member of the San Joaquin River Conservancy governing board be the executive director of the Wildlife Conservation Board. The Conservancy's board would be reduced from nine voting members to eight. Requires the executive director of the Wildlife Conservation Board to be an ex-officio, nonvoting member of the Conservancy's governing board, thereby increasing the number of ex-officio, nonvoting members from four to five.
(Died in Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee)
SB 1327 (Knight-R) Liability: hazardous recreational activities
Provides that bicycling or walking on or next to the bicycle path located alongside the California Aqueduct to be a hazardous recreational activity.
(Died in Senate Judiciary Committee)
SB 1335 (Polanco-D) Water conveyance facilities: use
Requires the use of the water conveyance facility by a bona fide transferor to be made without reducing service reliability for other users of the water conveyance facility. Adds to the definition of "fair compensation" a prorated share of previously committed capital expenditures, to be charged on the same basis as customers receiving comparable service. Makes a technical, correcting reference to the definition of "bona fide transferor".
(Died in Senate Agriculture and Water Resources Committee)
SB 1436* (Thompson-D) Water districts
Among other things, authorizes the Redwood Valley County Water District to make not more than 135 new three-quarter-inch equivalent domestic service connections if (a) the district has a contract, agreement, or independent water right to divert water from Lake Mendocino or another adequate source of water supply, (b) Redwood Valley is an allowed place of use under the contract, agreement, or independent water right, (c) the State Department of Health Services has determined that the water source provides an adequate physical supply of water, and (d) the connection will relieve hardships. Broadens the existing authorization of the Camp Meeker Recreation and Park District to exercise certain powers of a county water district to also exercise those powers with respect to sewer facilities.
Chapter 259, Statutes of 1998
SB 1446 (Kelley-R) Flood control: habitat restoration
Authorizes a flood control project on the Santa Ana River at Norco Bluffs and a habitat restoration project at Gunnerson Pond. Authorizes the State Department of Water Resources (DWR) to pay half of the nonfederal capital costs of the recreation and fish and wildlife enhancement features of each project. Requires the DWR to approve any modification or amendment to the projects' plans that may increase the costs to the state and specifies that project authorization does not commit the state to fund either project.
(Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee)
SB 1453 (Alpert-D) Water quality: nonpoint source pollution
Makes legislative findings and declarations regarding nonpoint source pollution. Requires the State Water Resources Control Board and the California Coastal Commission to work cooperatively to develop and implement a specific strategy to address nonpoint source pollution as it impacts coastal waters, as specified.
Vetoed by the Governor
SB 1574* (Senate Budget And Fiscal Review Committee) State government: dredging projects
Appropriates $17,426,000 to the State Department of Water Resources for local assistance, on a one-time basis for the following dredging projects: Crescent City Harbor, Humboldt Harbor and Bay, Los Angeles Harbor, Oakland Harbor, Port of Long Beach, Richmond Harbor, San Francisco Bay to Stockton, Santa Monica Breakwater, Silver Strand Shoreline/Imperial Beach. These were all items vetoed by the Governor from the 1998 Budget.
Chapter 1051, Statutes of 1998 - Item veto
SB 1580* (Maddy-R) State government administration
States legislative intent to make necessary statutory changes to implement the Budget Act of 1998 relative to state government administration. Among other things, appropriates $2.5 million from the General Fund to be deposited in the State Water Pollution Cleanup and Abatement Account in the State Water Quality Control Fund to fund planning and implementation of a flood control program to protect the Agricultural Preserve of San Bernardino County. Becomes operative only if SB 1581 (Maddy) is enacted.
(Died in Senate Appropriations Committee)
SB 1617 (Haynes-R) Department of Boating and Waterways: Lake Elsinore
Appropriates $3,500,000 from the Harbors and Watercraft Revolving Fund to the State Department of Boating and Waterways for the purpose of cleaning up Lake Elsinore.
(Failed passage in Senate Natural Resources and Wildlife Committee)
SB 1635 (McPherson-R) Flood control: San Lorenzo River
Authorizes a flood control project on the San Lorenzo River in Santa Cruz County and authorizes the State Department of Water Resources (DWR) to pay half of the nonfederal capital costs of the recreation and fish and wildlife enhancement features of the project. Requires the DWR to approve any modification or amendment to the project plans that may increase costs to the state, and specifies that state funding for the project is contingent on an annual Budget Act appropriation or inclusion in a general obligation bond act.
(Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee)
SB 1649 (Senate Local Government Committee) Local Government Omnibus Act of 1998: water districts
Among other things, redefines the boundaries of Water Reclamation District #800 for a more accurate representation. Permits the San Bernardino County Flood Control District to have the same change order limit as cities, counties, and special districts, thereby allowing that district the same level of flexibility in dealing with contract cost overruns. Makes other changes.
Chapter 876, Statutes of 1998
SB 1675 (Hayden-D) Santa Monica Bay Restoration Project
Makes legislative findings and declarations regarding Santa Monica Bay and the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Project (SMBRP), and establishes additional specific policies and duties of SMBRP.
(Died on Assembly Inactive File)
SB 1765 (Peace-D) Colorado River Management Program
Appropriates $235,000,000 from the General Fund to the Colorado River Management Account to line the remaining portions of the Coachella Branch of the All American Canal and to finance and arrange for the installation of recharge, extraction, and distribution facilitates for groundwater conjunctive use programs necessary to implement the California 4.4 Plan, as specified. Appropriates $300,000 from the General Fund to the Salton Sea Authority to conduct a study relating to the All American Canal.
Chapter 813, Statutes of 1998
Similar legislation was AB 254 (Machado-D) which failed passage on the Senate Floor.
SB 1805 (Kelley-R) Irrigation districts: compensation
Gives board members of irrigation districts, other than those over 500,000 acres, which provide electric power the authority to increase their salaries, as specified.
Chapter 143, Statutes of 1998
SB 1833 (Kelley-R) Colorado River: water transfers
States that it is the policy of the state to support and encourage the efficient use of the state entitlement to water from the Colorado River and to satisfy a portion of projected increases in urban southern California water demands by facilitating, to the greatest extent possible, the voluntary transfer of conserved water from the Imperial Irrigation District to the San Diego Water Authority.
(Died in Assembly Water, Parks and Widlife Committee)
SB 1852 (Kelley-R) Water quality: disposal systems
Requires the Colorado River Basin Regional Water Quality Control Board to prohibit the use of septic disposal systems on parcels of less than one-half acre that overlie the Mission Creek Aquifer or the Desert Hot Springs Aquifer in Riverside County.
Chapter 437, Statutes of 1998
SB 1854* (Senate Agriculture And Water Resources Committee) Water projects
Makes various changes to sections of code governing the operations of municipal water agencies.
Vetoed by the Governor
SB 1860 (Costa-D) Local Agency Public Construction Act: competitive bidding
Raises the competitive bid threshold requirement for certain specified special district contracts for construction, repair or improvement projects, as specified.
Chapter 142, Statutes of 1998
SB 1875 (Hayden-D) Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Prohibits the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWDSC) from using public funds on contracts to conduct political research on elected officials who vote on the MWDSC policies, or on parties that may have matters pending before the Board of Directors. Requires the MWDSC to establish and operate an Office of Ethics. Requires the Office of Ethics to adopt rules on specified subject and that seek to avoid potential ethical abuses relating to enumerated matters. Requires the MWDSC to place increased emphasis on various environmentally sound, cost-effective water conservation programs.
Vetoed by the Governor
SB 1885 (Ayala-D) Metropolitan water districts
Repeals on January 1, 2001, the current law relative to additional representative appointments to the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. It, instead, authorizes each member public agency to appoint additional representatives not exceeding one additional representative for each 5% of the assessed valuation of property taxable for district purposes within the entire district that is within the boundaries of the member agency. This decreases the Metropolitan Water District Board from 51 members to 38.
Chapter 781, Statutes of 1998
Similar legislation was SB 926 (Ayala-D), which died in Senate Local Government Committee, and AB 928 (Thompson-R), which died in Assembly Local Government Committee.
SB 1926 (Mountjoy-R) Water contamination: liability
Provides that the manufacturer of methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) or a product that contains MTBE offered for sale for use in California is jointly liable with the owner and operator of any facility, pipeline, storage tank, or other container that releases MTBE or any product containing MTBE into the groundwater or surface waters of the state to any person injured by the ingestion of MTBE, or a product containing MTBE, in drinking water for all costs of medical monitoring and treatment, as specified.
(Failed passage in Senate Environmental Quality Committee)
SB 2010 (Hayden-D) Santa Monica Mountains and Rivers Conservancy
Extends the Santa Monica Mountains Zone to include the Los Angeles River and San Gabriel River watersheds, subject to specified restrictions, renames the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, the Santa Monica Mountains and Rivers Conservancy (SMMRC) and creates a Los Angeles and San Gabriel Rivers Conservancy within the SMMRC.
(Died in Assembly Natural Resources Committee)
SB 2062 (Johnson-R) Metropolitan water districts: litigation costs
Codifies litigation fee arrangements between a multi-agency entity and its member agencies in specific instances. Binds the Metropolitan Water District to cover the litigation costs of its members when it loses a suit against them.
Failed passage in Assembly Local Government Committee)
SB 2080 (O'Connell-D) Land and water conservation
Authorizes a tax credit equaling 55% of the fair market value of any property rights contributed to a nonprofit organization, a local government, or the state in order to preserve agricultural lands, open space, and wildlife habitat provided that the property is approved by the Secretary of the State Resources Agency. Becomes operative only if SB 1771 (Johnston-D) is enacted.
(Failed passage in Assembly Appropriations Committee)
Similar legislation was SB 87 (O'Connell-D), which died in Senate Appropriations Committee.
SB 2103 (Haynes-R) Recycled water
Establishes a process to increase the use of available recycled water, in lieu of higher quality potable water.
Chapter 753, Statutes of 1998
SB 2136* (McPherson-R) Resources: water pollution
Expressly allows the placement of a vehicle on privately-owned property along a streambank by the property owner or tenant for the purpose of preventing erosion of the streambank, as specified.
(Died on Senate Third Reading File)
SB 2193 (Knight-R) Drinking water
Requires the State Resources Agency, or any department or board within the agency, to comply with certain requirements ( i.e., hold hearings, be consistent with county public health ordinances, receive written approval from county health services directors and other state agencies, conduct external peer review, deposit sufficient funds to cover local costs) if the entity proposes treatment for the eradication of an aquatic nuisance species in a drinking water supply.
(Died in Senate Environmental Quality Committee)
SB 2198 (Sher-D) Pollution: prevention and cleanup
Increases funding for two-and-a-half years, between June 30, 1999, and January 1, 2002, to provide financial assistance to public water systems to pay costs to deal with groundwater and surface water that has been contaminated by methyl tertiary-butyl ether or other oxygenates. Appropriates $5 million.
Chapter 997, Statutes of 1998
SB 2201 (Monteith-R) Recreational water use: Modesto Reservoir
Prohibits, until January 1, 2004, any recreational use in which there is bodily contact with the water unless certain conditions are met relating to water treatment and the operation of the reservoir. Requires the Modesto Irrigation District to file a report wilth the Legislature by January 1, 2002, on the estimated levels of recreational uses of the reservoir on a monthly basis and other criteria relating to toxic pollutants.
Chapter 70, Statutes of 1998
SCR 64 (Alpert-D) International Year of the Ocean
Expresses legislative intent to join with the United Nations and other government agencies and organizations in designating 1998 as the International Year of the Ocean, and asks CalEPA and the State Resources Agency to take actions to promote activities that support the International Year of the Ocean.
Resolution Chapter 109, Statutes of 1998
SCR 103 (McPherson-R) Clean Water Day
Designates August 15, 1998, as Clean Water Day.
Resolution Chapter 103, Statutes of 1998
SB 5X (Greene-D) Flood protection
Appropriates unspecified sum from the General Fund to the State Department of Water Resources for capital outlay for the purpose of undertaking flood protection activities in the Sacramento region, as specified.
(Died in Senate Agriculture and Water Resources Committee)
SB 7X (Johannessen-R) Streambed alterations
Expands the existing exemptions to streambed alteration requirements by "any project", not just "routine maintenance and operation", from streambed alteration requirements if the project is the type listed and the project returns the facility to its original condition or capacity.
(Died in Senate Rules Committee)
Similar legislation was SB 8X (Johannessen-R), which became Chapter 9X, Statutes of 1997-98, First Extraordinary Session.
SB 8X (Johannessen-R) Streambed alterations
Exempts from streambed alteration agreements work conducted outside the existing right-of-way provided the work is in the vicinity above or below the highway and the work is needed to stop ongoing and recurring mudslides, landslides or erosion that immediately threatens the roadway. Defines "emergency" for purposes of the bill.
Chapter 9, Statutes of 1997-98, First Extraordinary Session
Similar legislation is SB 7X (Johannessen-R), which died in Senate Rules Committee.
SB 9X* (Johnston-D) Cosumnes River: levees
Appropriates $2.5 million from the General Fund for the repair of private levees on the Cosumnes River.
(Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee)
SB 10X (Johannessen-R) Water Project: Colusa Basin and Port of Sacramento
Appropriates $1 million from the General Fund for the flood protection and watershed management plan for the Colusa Basin Drainage District for the construction of control facilities, and appropriates $1 million from the General Fund to the Port of Sacramento for its channel deepening project.
Vetoed by the Governor
AB 97* (Frusetta-R) Water: flood control subventions
Appropriates $170 million from the General Fund to the State Department of Water Resources to provide flood control subventions to local entities that have incurred costs to build legislatively-authorized flood protection projects.
(Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee)
Similar legislation is AB 3X* (Frusetta-R), which died in the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee.
AB 184 (Richter-R) Conveyance levees
Requires levees that protect municipalities and cities from inundation by surface waters, that are managed to protect rivers, streams, drainage basins or channels, and for the purpose of providing water to other parts of the state to be designated as conveyance levees under the jurisdiction of the Division of Safety of Dams in the State Department of Water Resources.
(Failed passage in Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee)
AB 254 (Machado-D) Safe Drinking Water, Clean Water, and Flood Prevention Act
Enacts the Safe Drinking Water, Clean Water, and Flood Protection Act which would authorize, for the purposes of financing a safe drinking water, flood protection, and water quality program, the issuance of State General Obligation Bonds. Provides for the use of bond funds from, and funds repaid to the state pursuant to loan contracts executed pursuant to the Safe, Clean, Reliable Water Supply Act (Proposition 204), for additional loans under programs established by this act. Requires the Secretary of State to submit the bond act to the voters at the November 3, 1998, general election.
(Failed passage on Senate Floor)
AB 291 (Machado-D) CALFED Bay Delta Program
Prohibits a public agency, including a state or local agency, from expending any funds for the development of an isolated transmission facility that is recommended by the CALFED Bay Delta Program, until the Legislature, by statute, specifically approves that option.
(Failed passage in Senate Agriculture and Water Resources Committee)
Provisions within this bill were also included in AB 1656* (Ducheny-D), Chapter 324, Statutes of 1998, the 1998-99 Budget Bill.
AB 540 (Ducheny-D) County water authorities: board of directors
Authorizes any meeting of the San Diego County Water Authority board of directors to be adjourned or recessed by vote of the director or directors present, regardless of the number of directors present or the number of votes represented at the meeting, and also authorizes any meeting of the board to be continued by such a vote.
Chapter 214, Statutes of 1998
AB 609 (Margett-R) Recycled water
Authorizes an entity responsible for groundwater replenishment to request a recycled water producer or wholesaler to enter into an agreement to provide recycled water for groundwater replenishment. Authorizes recycled water producers, retail water suppliers and entities responsible for groundwater replenishment to cooperate in joint technical economic and environmental studies to determine the feasibility of providing recycled water for groundwater replenishment.
Chapter 164, Statutes of 1998
AB 612 (Margett-R) Liability
Provides that neither a public agency that operates flood control and water conservation activities, as specified, nor its employees shall be liable for an injury caused by the condition of streambeds or adjacent groundwater recharge spreading grounds under prescribed conditions.
(Died in Assembly Judiciary Committee)
AB 624 (Margett-R) Yuba River Flood Control Project
Appropriates $9,000,000 from the General Fund to the State Department of Water Resources (DWR) for the purpose of performing, or contracting, any technical engineering, environmental planning, economic, or other studies necessary to be undertaken to complete the environmental and engineering feasibility studies required by state and federal law in connection with the construction of a flood control project on the Yuba River. Requires DWR to provide to the Legislature recommendations concerning a range of flood control strategies relating to the Yuba River.
(Died in Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee)
AB 667 (Lempert-D) Coastal resources: wetlands mitigation and restoration
Establishes the California Coastal Wetlands Mitigation and Restoration Act of 1998, which requires the State Resources Agency, in cooperation with other responsible federal, state, and local agencies, to adopt regulations that establish standards and criteria for a mitigation bank site qualification process in the coastal zone as the evaluation of wetlands acreage and habitat values created at bank sites and the operation of bank sites. Permits, until January 1, 2010, any person who desires to establish a bank site to apply to the agency and any other appropriate state agency for a determination that the proposed bank site and the proposed operator qualify under the standards and criteria established by the agency. Prescribes procedures and requirements for the approval of a bank site. Requires the agency, on or before January 1, 2000, and annually thereafter, to report to the Legislature a description and evaluation of each bank site approved by the agency, including specified information and recommendations. Requires the State Coastal Conservancy, on or before January 1, 2000, in cooperation with acknowledged wetlands scientists, joint ventures, government agencies, and other interested parties, to prepare and complete a study to determine the amount of wetlands restoration potential that exists in the coastal zone, as prescribed.
(Died in Senate Agriculture and Water Resources Committee)
AB 766 (Oller-R) Finnon Lake Dam: repairs
Requires the State Department of Water Resources (DWR) to complete, by January 1, 1999, the necessary repairs in a manner that maintains the current size of Finnon Lake pursuant to regulations of the DWR. Requires the DWR to conduct a cost analysis and develop a repair plan.
(Died in Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee)
AB 921* (Wayne-D) Recycled water
Prohibits the State Department of Health Services (DHS) from issuing or amending a public water system permit for the use of a reservoir as a supply source that is directly augmented with recycled water unless DHS performs an engineering evaluation (to evaluate the proposed treatment technology and find that the technology will ensure the recycled water meets or exceeds all applicable primary and secondary drinking water standards and poses no significant threat to public health) and holds at least three noticed public hearings in the area where the water will be used. DHS must make the engineering report available not less than 10 days prior to the first hearing date.
Chapter 295, Statutes of 1998
AB 926 (Thompson-R) Lake Elsinore
Appropriates $350,000 from the Harbors and Watercraft Revolving Fund to the City of Lake Elsinore for the purpose of carrying out cleanup operations and aeration of Lake Elsinore. Specifies that $50,000 of those funds shall be used to determine the sources of nutrient onloading and offloading.
(Died in Senate Appropriations Committee)
AB 1180* (Battin-R) Public water systems
Enacts the California Safe Drinking Water Bond Act of 1998, which, if adopted, authorizes for the purposes of financing a safe drinking water program, the issuance, pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law, of bonds in the amount of $100,000,000. Provides for the submission of this bond act to the voters at the November 3, 1998, statewide general election.
(Died in Senate Agriculture and Water Resources Committee)
AB 1182 (Keeley-D) PUC: California-American Water Company
Requires the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to prepare a long-term contingency plan described in PUC Decision 98-08-036, in consultation with the California-American Water Company (Cal-Am), the State Department of Water Resources (DWR), and other affected interests in the event the Carmel River Dam Project is not complemented.
Chapter 797, Statutes of 1998
Similar legislation was AB 1822 (Keely-D), which died in Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee.
AB 1241 (Keeley-D) Marine resources
Enacts the California Marine Life Management Act of 1998, setting forth a plan for the management of marine life resources. Enacts the Nearshore Fisheries Management Act.
Chapter 1052, Statutes of 1998
AB 1281 (Havice-D) Flood control: Los Angeles County Drainage Area
Adopts and authorizes the project for flood control in the Los Angeles County Drainage Area, and authorizes the State Department of Water Resources to pay 50% of the nonfederal capital costs of the recreation and fish and wildlife enhancement features of the project. Requires the Los Angeles County Flood Control District to give assurances to the Secretary of the Army that the local cooperation required by federal law will be furnished in connection with the project and to carry out the project.
(Died in Senate Natural Resources and Wildlife Committee)
Similar legislation was SB 1188 (Hayden-D), which died at the Assembly Desk.
AB 1282 (Bustamante-D) Fees or charges: water
Provides that a levy imposed to provide groundwater or surface water services or supplies that is calculated on a parcel or per acre basis shall be deemed a fee or charge.
(Died in Assembly Local Government Committee)
AB 1741 (Scott-D) Mutual water companies
Amends the Corporations Code related to "lost shares" of mutual water companies by providing that, until July 1, 2001, certain shares of stock that were issued by a mutual water company formed on or before May 14, 1983, that have not been rendered appurtenant to real property within the water company's service area, that remain on the company's share registry, and whose owners cannot be located, shall be deemed canceled.
Chapter 298, Statutes of 1998
AB 1775 (Runner-R) Water districts: Castaic Lake Water Agency
Allows the board of directors of the Castaic Lake Water Agency to appoint a vice president and to adopt multi-year capital budgets.
Chapter 170, Statutes of 1998
AB 1812 (Machado-D) Flood control: Stockton Metropolitan Area: water quality
Authorizes the state to pay a portion of the costs of a flood protection project for the Stockton metropolitan area and a portion of the cost of constructing necessary house laterals in San Luis Obispo County. Appropriates $30,052,000.
Chapter 1057, Statutes of 1998 - item vetoed
The Governor item-vetoed the San Luis Obispo portion of the bill and reduced the appropriation for the Stockton project, which reduced the bill's monies to $12,625,000.
AB 1834 (Thompson-R) Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Establishes a process to require the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) to mitigate any adverse impacts to the Domenigoni groundwater basin downstream from the MWD's proposed Eastside Reservoir.
(Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee)
AB 1840 (Wildman-D) Los Angeles River Parkway
Extends the Santa Monica Mountains Zone to include the Los Angeles River corridor, and requires public works projects that affect the Los Angeles River Parkway to be consistent with the Los Angeles River Master Plan.
(Died in Senate Natural Resources and Wildlife Committee)
Similar legislation was SB 2010 (Hayden-D), which died in Assembly Natural Resources Committee.
AB 1862 (Migden-D) Water quality
Establishes mandatory minimum fines for violations of water quality laws, and requires the assessment of civil administrative penalties at a level that recovers the economic benefits denied from the acts constituting the violation. Allows the State Water Resources Control Board or a Regional Board to require a Pollution Prevention Plan with an application for waste discharge requirements for an industrial or municipal point source.
(Died in Senate Judiciary Committee)
AB 2019 (Kuehl-D) Storm water discharge
Enacts the Storm Water Enforcement Act of 1998 to improve enforcement of storm water run-off permit requirements.
Chapter 998, Statutes of 1998
AB 2023 (Gallegos-D) Flood control and water conservation: liability
Expands the limited liability protection for certain public water districts to cover irrigation district activities relative to water flows through unlined flood control channels when they are used to provide water to spreading grounds for water basin recharge. Los Angeles County Department of Public Works is the only agency which fits the bill's description.
Chapter 659, Statutes of 1998
AB 2027 (Machado-D) Water-transfer clearinghouse
Requires the California Water Commission (CWC) to appoint a task force to review third-party impacts of water transfers and to investigate the establishment of a water-transfer clearinghouse. Requires the task force to report to the Legislature and the Governor regarding those matters by December 1, 1999. Appropriates $1,500,000 from the General Fund to the CWC for these purposes. Sunsets January 1, 2000.
(Died on Senate Third Reading File)
This bill was part of a package of water proposals that included funding in the State Budget for feasibility studies for new surface storage, a general obligation bond to finance a variety of other water programs and projects. Included in the group of bills were SB 312 (Costa-D), which died in Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee; SB 1011 (Costa-D), which died in Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee; and AB 254 (Machado-D), which failed passage on the Senate Floor.
AB 2045 (Ashburn-R) Water districts
Redefines the definition of legal representative of a landowner and revises the qualifications of a person to become a member of the board of directors of a water district, a drainage district, and a flood control and water conservation district.
Chapter 288, Statutes of 1998
AB 2105 (Machado-D) Department of Water Resources: disaster operations
Authorizes and provides funding to the State Department of Water Resources (DWR) to encourage local flood control agencies to develop flood-fighting plans by outlining specified flood-fighting strategies, reviewing these plans for consistency and technical appropriateness, and acting as a central depository for locally developed plans. Authorizes the DWR to utilize flood-fighting plans for responding to the threatened failure, or the failure, of a levee or other flood control structure. Creates the State Department of Water Resources Emergency Subaccount within the Disaster Response-Emergency Operations Account, and provides for the transfer from the General Fund of $5,000,000 to the subaccount to pay for specified work undertaken in times of stress and disaster.
Vetoed by the Governor
Related legislation was AB 1738 (Alquist-D), which was vetoed by the Governor and AB 13X, First Extraordinary Session* (Baca-D), which died in the Senate.
AB 2135 (Frusetta-R) San Benito County Water District
Changes the San Benito County Water District's statutory assessment dates that groundwater charges are assessed to be consistent with other assessment dates for other charges by the district to allow for all of the district's water charges to be assessed at the same time.
Chapter 219, Statutes of 1998
AB 2240 (House-R) Irrigation districts: regular meetings
Allows the board of the Tri-Dam Project to meet at the Tri-Dam office, not exceeding four times per year, and specifies that irrigation districts must comply with the Ralph M. Brown Act.
Chapter 83, Statutes of 1998
AB 2299 (Escutia-D) Urban water infrastructure restoration
Authorizes the State Department of Health Services to enter into contracts for loans to eligible public and private entities and for grants to eligible public agencies, for eligible urban water infrastructure projects in economically disadvantaged areas, as specified.
(Failed passage in Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee)
AB 2302 (Runner-R) Water quality: waste discharge requirements
Requires a regional water board, in prescribing any effluent limitation, to make detailed findings setting forth facts to support a specified determination, as prescribed. Requires the regional board to include those findings in the related waste discharge requirements or in a separate document issued together with those requirements.
(Died in Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee)
AB 2339 (Sweeney-D) Water quality
Requires implementation of cleanup plans developed under the Bay Protection and Toxic Cleanup ("Toxic Hot Spots") Program and makes other changes to the program.
Vetoed by the Governor
AB 2340 (Frusetta-R) Streambed alterations
Exempts specified projects and activities that impact streams, rivers, and lakes from the requirements designed to protect fish and wildlife which depends on these habitats.
(Failed passage in Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee)
AB 2344 (Honda-D) Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency
Deletes language specifying that the agencies that appoint board members of the Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency may do so from a list prepared by the Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau and by the Monterey County Farm Bureau.
(Failed passage in Assembly Local Government Committee)
AB 2383 (Thompson-R) California Safe Drinking Water Bond Law of 1976: refunds
Appropriates $1.4 million from the General Fund to the State Department of Water Resources (DWR) for the purpose of repaying refunds for overpayments, plus interest to specified water suppliers who were granted loans by the DWR under the California Safe Drinking Water Bond Law of 1976.
Vetoed by the Governor
AB 2404 (Shelley-D) Marine resources: Sea Life Conservation Act
Requires the State Department of Fish and Game to prepare or contract for a study report that identifies necessary modifications to existing marine managed areas. Requires the Fish and Game Commission, by July 1, 2001, to adopt a plan to redesign and manage the marine managed area system based on recommendations in the study report.
Vetoed by the Governor
AB 2439 (Bowen-D) Water supplies: discharges
Bans, on and after January 1, 2002, the retail sale of any new two-stroke marine engine that discharges unburned fuel or oil as a function of its design.
(Died on Assembly Inactive File)
AB 2573 (Machado-D) State Water Resources Control Board: judicial review
Provides that a state court should not dismiss an action involving review of State Water Resources Control Board decisions for want of an indispensable party solely because the United States is named as a party, yet declines to appear in the action.
Chapter 345, Statutes of 1998
AB 2626 (Baldwin-R) Metropolitan water districts: public contracts
Requires the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California to award specified contracts at an open and public meeting of the board.
(Failed passage in Assembly Local Government Committee)
AB 2628 (Pringle-R) The California Water Plan
Makes legislative findings and declarations and expands the reporting requirements by the State Department of Water Resources when preparing the California Water Plan, as specified.
(Died in Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee)
AB 2666 (Perata-D) Recycled water: grants
Appropriates $1 million from the General Fund to the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) for the purpose of awarding grants and for entering into contracts to conduct, or assist in the financing of, water recycling studies, investigations, and research and development. Requires the SWRCB to convene a prescribed committee to make recommendations with regard to the grant awards. The bill will not become operative if AB 254 (Machado-D) or SB 312 (Costa-D) is approved by the voters at the November 1998 General Election and becomes operative by January 1, 1999.
(Died in Senate Appropriations Committee)
AB 2710* (Kuehl-D) California Plan for Water Reliability Bond Act of 1998
Enacts the California Plan for Water Reliability Bond Act of 1998 which, if adopted, authorizes, for purposes of financing a water storage program, the issuance, pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Act, of bonds in the amount of $225,000,000. Requires the Secretary of State to submit the bond act to the voters at the November 3, 1998, General Election.
(Died in Senate Agriculture and Water Resources Committee)
AB 2784* (Strom-Martin-D) Local Flood Control Projects: Budget trailer bill
Appropriates $44 million a year for 1999-2000, 2000-2001, and 2001-2002 fiscal years from the General Fund to the State Department of Water Resources on a pro rated allocation toward payment of the state-owed share of approved local flood control projects. When combined with the $40 million appropriated in the Budget Act, these funds will fully pay all current claims. Requires that in order for a local flood control project to be eligible for state cost sharing it must be approved by the Legislature prior to seeking congressional approval for federal funds.
Chapter 326, Statutes of 1998
AB 2785* (Richter-R) Lake Davis claims
Appropriates $9,176,000 from the General Fund to a special account in the Special Deposit Fund created by the bill to compensate certain claimants, including the City of Portola and Plumas County, with respect to the Lake Davis Northern Pike Eradication Project. The bill specifies the applicable procedures for processing those claims, and the processing of individual claims by the Office of the Attorney General.
Chapter 937, Statutes of 1998
AB 2794* (Assembly Budget Committee) Budget Act of 1998: augmentations
Appropriates $1,750,000 to the State Water Resources Control Board to fund the City of San Diego Recycled Water for Industry Project, the Resource Conservation District of Greater San Diego County's non-point source water pollution education project, and for the development of a coastal non-point water pollution control program in accordance with SB 1453 (Alpert). Appropriates $1 million to the State Department of Water Resources for the Colusa Basin Drainage District, Flood Control Project. Appropriates $200,000 to the California State University for startup costs for the Reuben S. Ayala Water Resources Institute at CSU, San Bernardino.
Chapter 1050, Statutes of 1998 - Item veto
All were item-vetoed from the bill.
ACR 121 (Wayne-D) Water resources: conservation
Designates the Month of May of each year Water Awareness Month.
Resolution Chapter 38, Statutes of 1998
AB 3X* (Frusetta-R) Water: flood control subventions
Enacts the Frusetta-Morrissey Flood Prevention Act of 1997, which appropriates $170,000,000 from the General Fund to the State Department of Water Resources for expenditure in the 1997-98 fiscal year, for the purpose of flood control subventions to local entities that have incurred costs in constructing specified local flood protection projects. Makes related legislative findings and declarations.