BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                  AB 148
                                                                  Page  1

          CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
          AB 148 (V. Manuel Pérez)
          As Amended  June 15, 2014
          Majority vote
           
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          |ASSEMBLY:  |78-0 |(January 29,    |SENATE: |32-0 |(June 26,      |
          |           |     |2014)           |        |     |2014)          |
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           Original Committee Reference:    NAT. RES.  

           SUMMARY  :  Makes technical and clarifying changes to provisions  
          of law enacted last year related to a feasibility study on  
          restoration of the Salton Sea.  

           The Senate amendments  :

          1)Clarify the Salton Sea Authority (SSA) may lead a feasibility  
            study in coordination and under contract with the Secretary of  
            Resources (Secretary).

          2)Clarify that legislative intent in restoring the Salton Sea is  
            to protect and provide long-term conservation of fish and  
            wildlife dependent on the Salton Sea ecosystem.


           EXISTING LAW  :

          1)Requires the Secretary, in consultation and coordination with  
            the SSA, to lead Salton Sea restoration efforts.

          2)Authorizes the SSA to lead a funding and feasibility study in  
            consultation with the Natural Resources Agency.

          3)Requires the Secretary to seek input from the SSA with regard  
            to specified components of restoration of the Salton Sea.

           AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY  , this bill provided that the SSA may  
          undertake a feasibility study in consultation with the  
          Secretary.  This bill also revised a statement of legislative  
          intent regarding restoration of the Salton Sea to refer to the  
          Legislature's intent to protect, rather than permanently  
          protect, fish and wildlife dependent on the Salton Sea  
          ecosystem.  








                                                                  AB 148
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          This bill additionally clarifies that nothing in specific  
          provisions of existing law authorizing the Secretary, in  
          consultation with the SSA, to lead Salton Sea restoration  
          efforts, alters any state responsibility or authority under the  
          Quantification Settlement Agreement (QSA), and clarifies that  
          studies and evaluations undertaken for purposes of the  
          feasibility study shall not delay the planning and  
          implementation of other ongoing and planned restoration or  
          mitigation projects, including, but not limited to, the Salton  
          Sea Species Conservation Habitat Project, or other measures  
          authorized pursuant to other existing state and federal programs  
          and agreements.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :  According to the Senate Appropriations  
          Committee, pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8, negligible state costs.

           COMMENTS  :  This bill makes primarily technical and clarifying  
          amendments to provisions of existing law enacted last year by AB  
          71 (V. Manuel Pérez), Chapter 402, Statutes of 2013.  AB 71  
          required the Secretary, in consultation and coordination with  
          the SSA, to lead Salton Sea restoration efforts, and authorized  
          the SSA to lead a funding and feasibility study in consultation  
          with the Natural Resources Agency.  AB 71 filled the governance  
          void created by elimination of the Salton Sea Restoration  
          Council in the 2012 Budget Act.  According to the author, the  
          technical corrections in this bill are being taken at the  
          request of the Administration to clarify that AB 71 did not  
          alter any state responsibilities or authorities under the QSA.   
          The Senate amendments are primarily technical and clarifying. 


           Analysis Prepared by  :    Diane Colborn / W., P. & W. / (916)  
          319-2096


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