Bill Text: CA AB685 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Amended
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
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
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
BILL NUMBER: AB 685 AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 22, 2012 AMENDED IN SENATE JANUARY 13, 2012 AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 15, 2011 AMENDED IN SENATE JULY 11, 2011 AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 30, 2011 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 27, 2011 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Eng (Coauthors: Assembly Members Fong and V. Manuel Pérez) (Coauthor: Senator Wolk) 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 safe, clean, affordable, and accessible water adequate for human consumption, cooking, and sanitary purposes. The bill would require, on and after January 1, 2013,all relevant state agencies, including the Department of Water Resources, the State Water Resources Control Board,the California regional water quality control boards,and the State Department of Public Health, toadvance the implementation ofconsider this state policyupon revising existing, and uponwhen revising, adopting , or establishingnew,policies, regulations, andfundinggrant criteria when those policies, regulations, and grant criteria are pertinent to the uses of water described above. 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 safe, clean, affordable, and accessible water adequate for human consumption, cooking, and sanitary purposes.(a)(b)On and after January 1, 2013, allAll relevant state agencies, including the department, the state board,the California regional water quality control boards,and the State Department of Public Health, shalladvance the implementation ofconsider this state policyupon revising existing, and uponwhen revising, adopting , or establishingnew,policies, regulations, andfundinggrant criteriawhen those policies, regulations, and criteria are pertinent to the uses of water described in this sectionwhen those policies, regulations, and criteria are pertinent to the uses of water described in this section .(b)(c) This sectionshalldoes not expand any obligation of the state to provide water or to require thestate'sexpenditure of additional resources to develop water infrastructure beyond the obligations that may exist pursuant to subdivision(a), nor shall it infringe on any causes of action that exist independently of this section(b) .(c)(d) This section shall not apply to water supplies for new development.(d)(e)This section does not create or impose any additional dutiesThe implementation of this section shall not infringe on the rights or responsibilitiesonof any public water system.