Bill Text: CA AB2373 | 2015-2016 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Merced Irrigation District.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2016-11-30 - From Senate committee without further action. [AB2373 Detail]

Download: California-2015-AB2373-Amended.html

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BILL NUMBER: AB 2373	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 9, 2016
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 4, 2016

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Gray

                        FEBRUARY 18, 2016

   An act relating to the Merced Irrigation District, and making an
appropriation therefor.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2373, as amended, Gray. Merced Irrigation  District
  District. 
   The Irrigation District Law provides for the formation of
irrigation districts with prescribed powers, including acting to put
to any beneficial use any water under the district's control.
   This bill would appropriate $45,000 from the General Fund to the
Merced Irrigation District for implementing  on-farm 
irrigation  system  and water use efficiency 
strategies   improvements  for small communal farms
in the County of Merced. The bill would require, on or before April
30, 2018, the Merced Irrigation District to report to the Legislature
how the appropriated funds were spent, how the funds resulted in
improvement to irrigation efficiency, and how the funds reduced
energy, fuel, and water usage. The bill would additionally require
the report, to the greatest extent possible, to evaluate the
effectiveness of expanding the program to assistance on small farms
statewide.
   This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to
the necessity of a special statute for the County of Merced.
   Vote: 2/3. Appropriation: yes. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  The Legislature finds and declares that the
implementation of irrigation and water use efficiency by farms
benefits the public as a whole, reducing greenhouse gas emissions in
the production of food and reducing the production costs of food,
helping to keep food prices affordable for all Californians.
  SEC. 2.  (a) There is hereby appropriated forty-five thousand
dollars ($45,000) from the General Fund to the Merced Irrigation
District for implementing  on-farm  irrigation  system
 and water use efficiency  strategies  
improvements  for small communal farms in the County of Merced.
For purposes of this appropriation, small communal farms may include
a farm that is operated through an informal agreement by one or more
families.  For purposes of this section, on-farm irrigation
system and water use efficiency improvements include, but are not
limited to, any of the following:  
   (1) Water pump maintenance, repair, or replacement including
installation and drilling.  
   (2) Water well casing maintenance, repair, or replacement. 

   (3) Annual maintenance checks that may include either of the
following:  
   (A) Well cover or well cap maintenance, repair, or replacement.
 
   (B) Slope and drainage construction or maintenance to counter the
effects of subsidence. 
   (b) (1) For purposes of determining the effectiveness of the
appropriation in subdivision (a) on small communal farms, and the
cumulative impact on the County of Merced as a whole, on or before
April 30, 2018, the Merced Irrigation District shall report, at a
minimum, to the Legislature all of the following:
   (A) How the appropriated funds were spent.
   (B) How the funds resulted in improvement to irrigation
efficiency.
   (C) How the funds reduced energy, fuel, and water usage.
   (2) To the greatest extent possible, the report shall evaluate the
effectiveness of expanding the program to assistance on small farms
statewide.
   (3) A report to be submitted pursuant to this subdivision shall be
submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.
  SEC. 3.  The Legislature finds and declares that a special law is
necessary and that a general law cannot be made applicable within the
meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California Constitution
because many communal farms in the County of Merced lack adequate
economic opportunities as the county is home to a disproportionate
number of disadvantaged communities with traditionally high levels of
unemployment and poverty.