BILL ANALYSIS ------------------------------------------------------------ |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 1260| |Office of Senate Floor Analyses | | |1020 N Street, Suite 524 | | |(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) | | |327-4478 | | ------------------------------------------------------------ THIRD READING Bill No: AB 1260 Author: Fuller (R) Amended: 8/5/10 in Senate Vote: 21 PRIOR VOTES NOT RELEVANT SENATE N.R. & W. COMMITTEE : Votes not available SUBJECT : California Water Commission: terms of office SOURCE : Author DIGEST : This bill extends the term of any member of the California Water Commission, whose appointment has been confirmed by the Senate and who is serving a term that is unexpired as of January 1, 2011 to May 14, 2014. ANALYSIS : Existing law 1. Under current law, the California Water Commission (Commission) consists of nine members who are appointed by the Governor subject to the confirmation of the Senate. Commissioner serve staggered four-year terms. The law governing terms is a bit convoluted. The terms of the seven members that were in office on January 1, 1958, CONTINUED AB 1260 Page 2 expires as follows: one member on January 15, 1958, two members on January 15, 1959, and two members on January 15, 1960. The terms of the two members added to the Commission after January 1, 218959, expiries as follows: one ember son January 15, 1962 and one member on January 15, 1963. Thereafter, the successors to the embers of the Commission are required to be appointed for terms of four years. This means that the terms of the nine current Commissioners expire as follows: Date Number of Terms Expiring January 15, 2011 3 January 15, 2012 2 January 15, 2013 2 January 15, 2014 2 2. The original purpose of the Commission was to advise the Director of the Department of Water Resources (SWR) regarding the design, construction, and operation of the State Water Project (SWP). Consequently, under current law: A. For the purpose of fixing responsibility to the governor and to the Legislature, in the event of disagreement between the Director and the Commission upon such matters, the views of the Director shall prevail. B. All rules and regulations of DWR, other than those relating exclusively to the internal administration and management of the DWR, must be first presented by the Director to the Commission and become effective only upon approval thereof by the Commission. C. The Commission has the power to name all facilities of the SWP. D. The Commission must conduct an annual review of the progress of construction and operation of the SWP, and make a report on its findings DWR and to the Legislature, together with whatever recommendations it deems appropriate. CONTINUED AB 1260 Page 3 3. If the voters ratify the water bond authorized by SBx7 2 (Cogdill), $3 billion will be continuously appropriated from Chapter 8, without regard to fiscal years, to the Commission for public benefits associated with water storage projects. In implementing those bond provisions, the Commission will also: A. Be authorized to make the determinations, findings, and recommendations required of it by this the bond independent of the views of the Director. B. By December 15, 2012, develop and adopt regulations regarding methods for quantification and management of public benefits of water storage projects, including the priorities and relative environmental value of ecosystem benefits and water quality benefits. C. Be required to make specific finding regarding projects funded through Chapter 8. 4. The Commission has been dormant for the last four to five years. ON May 15, 2009, the Governor appointed nine new members to the Commission (one Commissioner's appointment, current Senator Dave Cogdill, becomes effective December 6, 2010). It is not clear from the Governor's press release announcing the appointments which appointees were appointed to which terms. This bill extends the term of any member of the Commission whose appointment has been confirmed by the Senate and who is serving a term that is unexpired as of January 1, 2011 to May 14, 2014. Commencing May 14, 2014, members of the Commission will resume being appointed under the rules governing staggering of terms. Comments AB 1265 (Caballero) would delay the placement of a water bond before the voters on the November 6, 2012 General Election, and makes conforming changes throughout the bill. CONTINUED AB 1260 Page 4 FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: No Local: No CTW:do 8/9/10 Senate Floor Analyses SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: NONE RECEIVED **** END **** CONTINUED