Bill Text: CA SB513 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Amended

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

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Bill Title: State Water Resources Control Board: grants: interim relief: private water wells.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2019-09-27 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 373, Statutes of 2019. [SB513 Detail]

Download: California-2019-SB513-Amended.html

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Amended  IN  Senate  March 27, 2019

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill

No. 513

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Introduced by Senator Hurtado

February 21, 2019

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An act to amend Section 8687.7 of, and to add Section Sections 8687.10 and 8687.11 to, the Government Code, and to add Section 13194 to the Water Code, relating to emergencies.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 513, as amended, Hurtado. California Disaster Assistance Act.

Existing

(1) Existing law, the California Disaster Assistance Act, authorizes the Office of Emergency Services to establish a model process that would be made available to assist a community in recovering from an emergency proclaimed by the Governor and would provide that the process may consider, among other things, the role of the office to facilitate the use of temporary services, including, but not limited to, the provision of potable water.

This bill would authorize that process to consider the provision of potable water and domestic water, including, for wells that have gone dry. The bill would also authorize the office, if consistent with the terms of an appropriation, to use funds appropriated for purposes of the California Disaster Assistance Act to provide grants to install emergency water tank systems for wells that have gone dry at any time.

(2) Existing law requires the State Water Resources Control Board to annually determine state needs for water quality research and to recommend projects to be conducted.

This bill would also authorize the office to coordinate with the board to assume provision of interim relief measures described below in the absence of an emergency proclamation.

This bill would authorize the board to provide grants to eligible applicants to be used to provide interim relief to households in which a private water well has gone dry, or has been destroyed, due to drought, wildfire, or other natural disaster, subject to appropriation of funds for that purpose by the Legislature. The bill would specify that the relief may include the provision of domestic water storage tanks, hauled water, and bottled water. The bill would require the state board to undertake relief measures only on an interim basis.

Digest Key

Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

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Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

 Section 8687.7 of the Government Code is amended to read:

8687.7.

 (a) As used in this section, the following terms have the following meanings:

(1) “Agency” or “office” means the Office of Emergency Services.

(2) “Community” means a geographic area impacted by an emergency proclaimed by the Governor that includes the jurisdiction of one or more local agencies.

(3) “Community recovery partners” means local, state, and federal agencies, private nonprofit organizations, nongovernmental agencies, faith-based organizations, and other private entities.

(b) The office may establish a model process that would be made available to assist a community in recovering from an emergency proclaimed by the Governor. The model process may include the following:

(1) The role of the office in the community recovery process.

(2) Procedures for the office to have representation onsite as soon as practicable after the Governor proclaims a state of emergency.

(3) The role of the office to facilitate the use of temporary services, including, but not limited to, direct assistance to individuals, families, and businesses, crisis counseling, disaster unemployment assistance, food and clothing vouchers, communications systems, replacement of personal identification documents, provision of potable and domestic water, including for wells that have gone dry, housing, farm service assistance, tax relief, insurance, and legal services.

(4) The role of the office to facilitate the establishment of temporary structures, including local assistance centers, showers and bathroom facilities, and temporary administrative offices.

(5) Measures to encourage the participation of nongovernmental organizations in the community recovery process to supplement recovery activities undertaken by federal or local agencies.

(6) The office may refer the model process to the standardized Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) Advisory Board, or any other advisory board it deems appropriate, for review and modifications.

(7) It is the intent of the Legislature that the model process assists and complements local procedures. The model process should allow the office to offer additional assistance when that assistance is needed but not available through local agencies.

SEC. 2.

 Section 8687.10 is added to the Government Code, to read:

8687.10.

 The office may, if consistent with the terms of the prior appropriation, use funds appropriated for purposes of this act to provide grants to install emergency water tank systems for wells that have gone dry at any time.

SEC. 3.

 Section 8687.11 is added to the Government Code, to read:

8687.11.

 Due to the persistent concerns regarding the effects of certain types of disasters, such as drought, the office may coordinate with the State Water Resources Control Board to assume provision of interim relief measures with the board pursuant to Section 13194 of the Water Code, such as water tanks and hauled water, in the absence of an emergency proclamation.

SEC. 4.

 Section 13194 is added to the Water Code, immediately following Section 13193.9, to read:

13194.

 (a) (1) Subject to appropriation by the Legislature, the state board may provide grants to eligible applicants to be used to provide interim relief to households in which a private water well has gone dry, or has been destroyed, due to drought, wildfire, or other natural disaster. Eligible applicants who receive funds pursuant to this section shall administer and implement that funding consistent with this section.

(2) For purposes of this subdivision:

(A) “Eligible applicant” means a county, local public agency, or nonprofit organization.

(B) “Interim relief” includes, but is not limited to, the provision of domestic water storage tanks, hauled water, and bottled water.

(b) The state board shall undertake relief measures pursuant to this section on an interim basis. The state board shall pursue other permanent solutions for private water wells that have gone dry or been destroyed, due to drought, wildfire, or other natural disaster.

(c) The state board shall not use more than 10 percent of the funds appropriated for these purposes for administrative expenses.