Bill Text: CA AB685 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: State water policy.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)

Status: (Passed) 2012-09-25 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 524, Statutes of 2012. [AB685 Detail]

Download: California-2011-AB685-Amended.html

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BILL NUMBER: AB 685	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 27, 2011

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Eng

                        FEBRUARY 17, 2011

   An act to add Section 106.3 to the Water Code, relating to water.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 685, as amended, Eng. State water policy.
   Existing law establishes various state water policies, including
the policy that the use of water for domestic purposes is the highest
use of water.
   This bill would declare that it is the established policy of the
state that every human being has the right to clean, affordable, and
accessible water for human consumption, cooking, and sanitary
purposes, that is adequate for the health and well-being of the
individual and family. The bill would require all relevant state
agencies, including the Department of Water Resources,  the 
State Water Resources Control Board, and  the  State
Department of Public Health, to  employ all reasonable means
to implement this state policy. Those state agencies would be
required to revise, adopt, or establish policies, regulations, and
grant criteria to further this state policy, to the extent that those
actions do not affect eligibility for federal funds.  
consider this state policy when revising, adopting, or establishing
policies, regulations, and grant criteria. 
   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 106.3 is added to the Water Code, to read:
   106.3.  (a) It is hereby declared to be the established policy of
the state that every human being has the right to clean, affordable,
and accessible water for human consumption, cooking, and sanitary
purposes, that is adequate for the health and well-being of the
individual and family.
   (b) All relevant state agencies, including the department, the
state board, and the State Department of Public Health, shall
 employ all reasonable means to implement this state policy.
Those state agencies shall revise, adopt, or establish policies,
regulations, and grant criteria to further this state policy,
including establishing affordability criteria as appropriate, to the
extent that those actions do not affect eligibility for federal
funds.   consider this state policy when revising,
adopting, or establishing policies, regulations, and grant criteria.

   (c) This section does not expand any obligation of the state to
provide water or to require the expenditure of additional resources
to develop water infrastructure beyond the obligations that may exist
pursuant to subdivision (b).
   (d) This section shall apply to water supplies for individuals and
not for new development.
   (e) The implementation of this section shall not infringe on the
rights or responsibilities of any public water system.