Existing law authorizes the legislative body of a city or a county to make, by ordinance, any violation of an ordinance subject to an administrative fine or penalty and limits the maximum fine or penalty amounts for infractions, to $100 for the first violation, $200 for a 2nd violation of the same ordinance within one year of the first violation, and $500 for each additional violation of the same ordinance within one year of the first violation.
This bill would authorize the legislative body of a city or a county that is authorized by the applicable local agency formation commission to provide water service to make, by ordinance, any violation of an ordinance regarding
adopt an ordinance that prohibits water theft, as defined, subject to an administrative fine or penalty in excess of the limitations above, as specified. The bill would require the local agency to adopt an ordinance that sets forth the administrative procedures that shall govern the imposition, enforcement, collection, and administrative review by the local agency of the administrative fines or penalties for water theft and to establish a process for granting a hardship waiver to reduce the amount of the fine, as specified.