BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
Senator Tom Torlakson, Chairman
2175 (Laird)
Hearing Date: 8/7/08 Amended: 8/4/08
Consultant: Miriam Barcellona IngenitoPolicy Vote: NR&W 6-2
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AB 2175 (Laird)
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BILL SUMMARY: AB 2175 would (1) until December 31, 2009, delete
the requirement that the California Water Commission be
presented with and approve the Department of Water Resources'
(DWR's) regulations related to the model water efficient
landscape ordinance; (2) add a new part to the Water Code
pertaining to water conservation that would include legislative
findings and declarations, definitions, provisions pertaining to
urban water conservation, provisions pertaining to agricultural
water conservation, quantifying agricultural water use
efficiently, and general provisions; (3) starting January 1,
2016, amend the eligibility for water management grants or loans
made to urban water suppliers and awarded or administered by
DWR, State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB), or the
California Bay-Delta Authority, or its successor agency on the
implementation of conservation provisions required in this bill;
and (4) repeal the existing Agricultural Water Management
Planning Act and establish a new act by the same name.
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Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
Major Provisions 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 Fund
DWR implementation $65 $1,300 $90 General
SWRCB: water rights hearings costs incurred in 2015-16 at
earliest Special*
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*Water Rights Fund
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STAFF COMMENTS: Suspense File.
DWR estimates it would require an additional five and a half
position years and $1.3 million in the first year and about
$90,000 ongoing thereafter as a result of AB 2175.
Specifically, DWR estimates it would need to develop criteria
for certification of compliance with specified demand management
measures and certify over 300 agencies; consider agency
applications for adjustments to target percentages and
adjustments to base years; develop standardized forms for
submittal of water use and savings information; update best
management practices, develop methodology for quantifying
agricultural efficiency; develop preliminary conservation
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AB 2175 (Laird)
report; and prepare various legislative reports.
SWRCB has not yet completed its analysis of the August 4th
amendments but preliminarily estimates its costs would be
between $130,000 and $260,000 assuming two to four additional
water rights hearings a year occur to determine if there has
been a waste or unreasonable use of water and determine weather
a water right should be adjusted. Currently, SWRCB conducts five
to six water rights hearings per year at a cost up to $64,000
per hearing.
Staff notes that the author's amendments adopted August 4, 2008
significantly rewrite AB 2175; should the bill be considered
favorably, staff recommends it be re-referred to Rules Committee
for subsequent referral back to policy committee, if it deems it
appropriate.