Bill Text: CA AB615 | 2015-2016 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Office of Sustainable Water Solutions: technical assistance.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Failed) 2016-11-30 - From Senate committee without further action. [AB615 Detail]
Download: California-2015-AB615-Amended.html
BILL NUMBER: AB 615 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 2, 2015
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 23, 2015
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 16, 2015
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Rendon
FEBRUARY 24, 2015
An act to amend Section 189 of, and to add Section 189.5
to, of the Water Code, relating to water.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 615, as amended, Rendon. Office of Sustainable Water Solutions:
technical assistance.
Existing law, the Water Quality, Supply, and Infrastructure
Improvement Act of 2014, approved by the voters as Proposition 1 at
the November 4, 2014, statewide general election, authorizes the
issuance of general obligation bonds in the amount of $7,545,000,000
to finance a water quality, supply, and infrastructure improvement
program. Proposition 1 makes available, upon appropriation by the
Legislature, specified amounts of bond proceeds for grants and loans
for projects that improve water quality or safe drinking water, for
water recycling and advanced treatment technology projects, and for
projects that prevent or clean up the contamination of groundwater,
including providing technical assistance services to disadvantaged
communities.
Existing law establishes the Office of Sustainable Water Solutions
within the State Water Resources Control Board with the purpose of
promoting permanent and sustainable drinking water and wastewater
treatment solutions to ensure the effective and efficient provision
of safe, clean, affordable, and reliable drinking water and
wastewater treatment services. Existing law authorizes the office to
take certain actions to further this purpose, including providing
technical assistance to disadvantaged communities and small drinking
water systems and wastewater systems.
This bill would specify the types of technical assistance services
that may be provided by the office and would authorize the
office to establish and administer at least one "Center for
Excellence" for the purpose of providing technical assistance to
disadvantaged communities. The bill would authorize, in establishing
and administering the center, the office to collaborate with the
California State University, the University of California, nonprofit
organizations, and other organizations that can help further the
purpose of the center and would require the state board to determine
the number and location of centers, if any, that are necessary to
adequately provide technical assistance to disadvantaged communities
throughout the state. The bill would specify that a center may be
funded by both public and private sources, including Proposition 1,
but would require, if bond proceeds from that proposition or any
other bond act are used, the office to separately account for those
moneys. The bill would prohibit moneys from Proposition 1 to be used
for the administration of a center. The bill would encourage the
University of California to collaborate with the office to establish
the center, develop a program similar to the center, or both.
office.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 189 of the Water Code is amended to read:
189. (a) There is hereby established the Office of Sustainable
Water Solutions within the state board, which may be administered by
the state board as a separate organizational unit or within the state
board's divisions or offices.
(b) The purpose of the office is to promote permanent and
sustainable drinking water and wastewater treatment solutions to
ensure the effective and efficient provision of safe, clean,
affordable, and reliable drinking water and wastewater treatment
services. In furtherance of this purpose, the office may take, but is
not limited to, all of the following actions:
(1) Coordinating with and providing assistance to small drinking
water systems, wastewater treatment systems, and disadvantaged
communities without drinking water or wastewater treatment systems.
(2) Promoting and facilitating regional drinking water and
wastewater projects.
(3) Promoting and facilitating regional solutions, including
consolidation of existing water districts, expansion of existing
water districts to serve communities unserved by public water systems
and wastewater treatment systems, and extension of services to
underserved communities and disadvantaged communities.
(4) Advancing the delivery of affordable, safe drinking water to
disadvantaged communities throughout the state.
(5) Providing technical assistance to disadvantaged communities
and small drinking water systems and wastewater systems. Technical
assistance services include, but are not limited to, the following:
(A) Grant application assistance.
(B) Project development and management support.
(C) Engineering services.
(D) Financial management review and support.
(E) Environmental review.
(F) Operations and management review and support.
(G) Legal assistance.
(H) Certification and training of wastewater treatment plant
operators.
(I) Facilitation of discussions within and between communities.
(J) Outreach and education in vulnerable communities.
(K) Income surveys and other assessments needed to qualify for
funding programs.
SEC. 2. Section 189.5 is added to the Water
Code, to read:
189.5. (a) The Office of Sustainable Water Solutions may
establish and administer at least one "Center For Excellence" at a
California State University campus with the purpose of providing
engineering and other types of technical assistance described in
Section 189. In establishing the center, the office may collaborate
with the California State University, the University of California,
nonprofit organizations, and other organizations that can help
further the purpose of the center. Technical assistance may be
provided by students, faculty, members of nonprofit organizations,
and other persons with relevant expertise or knowledge, as deemed
appropriate by the office.
(b) The state board shall determine the number and the location of
centers, if any, that are necessary to adequately provide technical
assistance to disadvantaged communities throughout the state.
(c) A center may be funded by both public and private sources,
including, but not limited to, bond proceeds from the Water Quality,
Supply, and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014 (Division 26.7
(commencing with Section 79700)). If bond proceeds from that act are
used, or from any other bond act, the office shall separately account
for those moneys to ensure the bond moneys are properly utilized for
their intended purposes. Bond proceeds from the Water Quality,
Supply, and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014 shall not be used
for the administration of a center but may be used to provide
technical assistance to disadvantaged communities.
(d) The University of California is encouraged to collaborate with
the office to establish the center described in this section,
develop a program similar to the center described in this section, or
both.
