Bill Text: CA SB1197 | 2021-2022 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Water Innovation and Drought Resiliency Act of 2022.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-05-19 - May 19 hearing: Held in committee and under submission. [SB1197 Detail]
Download: California-2021-SB1197-Amended.html
|
Amended
IN
Senate
March 16, 2022 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2021–2022 REGULAR SESSION
Senate Bill
No. 1197
| Introduced by Senator Caballero |
February 17, 2022 |
An act to add Article 8 (commencing with Section 65059.4) to Chapter 1.5 of Division 1 of Title 7 of the Government Code, relating to water.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 1197, as amended, Caballero.
Water Innovation and Drought Resiliency Act of 2022.
Existing law declares that the protection of the public interest in the development of the water resources of the state is of vital concern to the people of the state and that the state shall determine in what way the water of the state, both surface and underground, should be developed for the greatest public benefit. Existing law creates the Office of Planning and Research to serve the Governor as staff for long-range planning and research and as a comprehensive state planning agency.
This bill, the Water Innovation and Drought Resiliency Act of 2022, would create the Initiative to Advance Water Innovation and Drought Resiliency at the office for the furtherance of new technologies and other innovative approaches in the water sector. The bill would require the office, as part of the initiative, to take specified measures on or before
December 31, 2024, to advance innovation in the water sector. sector and ensure a drought-resilient economy. The bill would require the office to submit to the Legislature and post on its internet website a report detailing the actions taken as part of the initiative and recommendations for further actions. The bill would make findings and declarations regarding the need for water innovation.
The bill would further create the Water Innovation and Drought Resiliency Fund, with all moneys available, upon appropriation, to the office, the Department of Water Resources, the State Water Resources Control Board, or other state agencies for the furtherance of water innovation. The bill would require the Department of Finance to develop a standardized agreement to allow for voluntary
donations to the fund by any person, educational institution, government entity, corporation or other business entity, or organization.
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NOBill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Article 8 (commencing with Section 65059.4) is added to Chapter 1.5 of Division 1 of Title 7 of the Government Code, to read:Article 8. Water Innovation and Drought Resiliency Act of 2022
65059.4.
This article shall be known, and may be cited, as the Water Innovation and Drought Resiliency Act of 2022.65059.5.
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:(a) Climate change is having a profound impact on California’s water systems. systems, including increasing periods of significant drought conditions, extreme wet years, and more severe wildfires.
(b) California’s water systems face challenges in addition to climate change, such as aging infrastructure, groundwater contamination, subsidence, and an aging workforce.
(c) Climate change and droughts also negatively impact the economy, especially the agricultural sector.
(c)
(d) A number of state agencies and departments are engaged in efforts to help water systems and the agricultural sector address specific challenges, each within their separate jurisdictions.
(d)
(e) Accordingly, solutions are often offered to address those specific agency-focused issues in silos without regard
to the role focusing on the importance of technology and other water innovations necessary to meet those statewide needs.
(e)
(f) Today, California lacks a robust strategy to encourage the development and adoption of water technologies and other water innovations. innovations, including how those innovations can help create a drought-resilient
economy.
(f)
(g) Other utility-based markets, like energy, benefit from the state’s innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem.
(g)
(h) Similarly, water utilities, ratepayers, and ecosystems
ecosystems, and the agricultural sector stand to benefit from faster development and broader adoption of water innovation and technology.
(h)
(i) California’s water technology adoption remains nascent, creating the potential for a growth industry as water users and the agricultural sector increasingly turn to technology to meet their needs.
65059.6.
For purposes of this article, the following definitions apply:(a) “Department” means the Department of Water Resources.
(b) “Initiative” means the Initiative to Advance Water Innovation and Drought Resiliency.
(c) “Innovation” means new ideas, processes, technologies, or products that when implemented lead to positive effective change in water acquisition, treatment, use, or any other aspect of water resources management, or reducing the negative effects of water resources management on the natural or human environments.
(d) “State board” means the State Water Resources Control Board.
65059.7.
In partnership with the state board and other relevant agencies, the Initiative to Advance Water Innovation and Drought Resiliency is established at the office for the furtherance of new technologies and other innovative approaches in the water65059.8.
(a) The office, as part of the initiative, shall do all of the following on or before December 31, 2024, to advance innovation in the water(1) Establish an interagency team to increase collaboration among state agencies on innovative approaches. approaches and drought resiliency.
(2) Engage affected stakeholders, including water agencies, academia, vendors, commercial and agriculture users, and environmental and environmental justice organizations.
(3) Review regulations that may limit or inhibit innovation or innovation, the adoption of new technologies and other water innovations, or planning for a drought-resilient future, including, but not limited to, in disadvantaged communities, and make recommendations for streamlining or revising those regulations.
(4)Develop a list of new technologies and other water innovations and publish that information on a public internet website.
(4) Develop recommendations for innovative approaches and technologies that will protect the state’s economy from fluctuations brought on by drought conditions, including regional and local water supply options, incorporating any relevant elements of state plans and efforts that address impacts of drought on the state’s economy, and the role of innovation in securing a sustainable water future.
(5) Review opportunities for a pilot program that would issue grants to water agencies and the agricultural sector for evaluating new technologies and other water innovations in their water systems.
systems or operations.
(6) Review investment trends for innovation and make recommendations for increasing investment.
(b) (1) The office shall submit a report to the Legislature in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code no later than July 1, 2025, detailing the actions taken as part of the initiative and recommendations for further actions.
(2) The office shall post a copy of the final report on its internet website.
(3) The requirement for submitting a report imposed
under paragraph (1) is inoperative on July 1, 2029, pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code.
(b)
(c) The office may partner with an existing nonprofit organization, with a new nonprofit organization that the department creates, organized under Section 501(c)(3) of Title 26 of the United States Code, or with another state agency to review, develop, or publish, or any combination thereof, any responsibilities of the office described in subdivision (a).
(c)
(d) A state agency may disseminate, manage, or publish information separately from the initiative.
65059.9.
(a) The Water Innovation and Drought Resiliency Fund is hereby created. All moneys in the fund are available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to the office, the department, the state board, or other state agencies for the furtherance of water innovation as described in this article.(b) The Department of Finance shall develop a standardized agreement to allow for voluntary donations to the fund by any person, educational institution, government entity, corporation or other business entity, or organization.
