BILL NUMBER: AB 1874 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 26, 2014
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Gonzalez
FEBRUARY 19, 2014
An act to add Sections 10546.1, 10546.2, and 10546.3 to
10534.5 and 10536.5 to, and to add Chapter 7
(commencing with Section 10551) to Part 2.2 of Division 6 of,
the Water Code, relating to water.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 1874, as amended, Gonzalez. Integrated regional water
management plans: funding.
Existing law, the Integrated Regional Water Management Planning
Act of 2002, authorizes a regional water management group to prepare
and adopt an integrated regional water management plan with specified
components relating to water supply and water quality. Existing
law authorizes the Department of Water Resources to award grants to
eligible projects consistent with an adopted integrated regional
water management plan.
This bill would require the Department of Water Resources
to develop, by October 1, 2015, department to develop
a streamlined application process for the funding of
regional projects and programs certain regional water
management groups . The bill would require the
Department of Water Resources to promptly review and pay invoices
associated with grants for regional projects and programs. The bill
would require the Department of Finance to review the Department of
Water Resources' contracting procedures for the distribution of
grants for regional projects and programs and to report its findings
to the Legislature require, in order to receive
integrated regional water management funds through this streamlined
application process, the specified regional water management group to
file with the department a streamlined application form that
includes in formation relating to projects to be funded by
integrated regional water management grant funds. The bill would
require the department, upon appropriation of integrated regional
water management funds, to award integrated regional water management
grant funds for approved applications, proportionately consistent
with any applicable statutory formula. The bill would require the
recipient regional water management group, within 90 days, to provide
the department with a list of integrated regional water management
projects to be funded by the integrated regional water
management grant funds, including a description, budget, and schedule
for each project, and would require the department, within 60 days
of receiving the project information, to distribute the funding to
the regional water management group. The bill would require a
regional water management group to quarterly report expenditures and
activities for each project to the department and would require the
department, at least once every 2 years, to audit each funding area
and regional water management group that receives integrated regional
water management funds from the department .
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 10534.5 is added to the
Water Code , to read:
10534.5. "Funding area" means a hydrologic region, as identified
by the California Water Plan, as updated.
SEC. 2. Section 10536.5 is added to the
Water Code , to read:
10536.5. "Planning region" means an integrated regional water
management region, as identified by the California Water Plan, as
updated.
SEC. 3. Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 10551)
is added to Part 2.2 of Division 6 of the Water Code
, to read:
CHAPTER 7. STREAMLINED APPLICATIONS
10551. A streamlined application process, as specified under this
chapter, for the funding of integrated regional water management
plans shall be available to the following regional water management
groups:
(a) A regional water management group that represents a funding
area that is made up of a single planning region.
(b) If a funding area covers more than one planning region, a
regional water management group that represents all planning regions
within the funding area, if those regions have reached a written
agreement concerning the proportional allocation of integrated
regional water management funds to the individual planning regions
within the funding area.
10552. To receive integrated regional water management funds
through the streamlined application process, a regional water
management group described in Section 10551 shall complete, and file
with the department, a streamlined application form. The streamlined
application form shall be developed by the department and shall
require a regional water management group to do all of the following:
(a) Specify the amount of funding that the regional water
management group is requesting. In instances where the funding area
covers more than one planning region, the combined total of all the
applications from within the funding area shall be consistent with
the written agreement described in subdivision (b) of Section 10551.
(b) Describe the types of projects to be funded by the integrated
regional water management grant funds and demonstrate how the
projects will provide multiple benefits.
(c) Demonstrate how the projects comply with applicable statutory
requirements governing the award of integrated regional water
management grant funds.
(d) If more than one planning region is within the funding area,
provide documentation showing that all planning regions within the
funding area have reached a written agreement concerning the
allocation of integrated regional water management funds within the
funding area.
(e) Identify the recipient public agency that will receive the
integrated regional water management grant funds.
10553. If the department approves a streamlined application
pursuant to Section 10552 of a regional water management group
described in Section 10551, the department, upon appropriation of
integrated regional water management funds to the department, shall
award integrated regional water management grant funds,
proportionately consistent with any applicable statutory formula, to
the regional water management group.
10554. (a) Within 90 days of an integrated regional water
management grant award pursuant to this chapter, the regional water
management group shall provide the department with a list of projects
to be funded by the integrated regional water management funds. The
list shall specify how the projects are consistent with the adopted
integrated regional water management plan and shall include all of
the following information:
(1) Descriptive information concerning each project identified.
(2) The budget of each project.
(3) Anticipated schedule for each project.
(b) Within 60 days of receiving the project information pursuant
to subdivision (a), the department shall distribute the funding to
the regional water management group.
10555. The regional water management group shall report
expenditures and activities for each project to the department
quarterly, in a format to be determined by the department.
10556. The department, at least once every two years, or more
frequently at its own discretion, shall audit expenditures, invoices,
and reimbursements for each funding area and regional water
management group that receives integrated regional water management
grant funds from the department.
SECTION 1. Section 10546.1 is added to the
Water Code, to read:
10546.1. On or before October 1, 2015, the department shall
develop a streamlined application process for the funding of regional
projects and programs. A regional project or program applicant may
apply to the department for funding through the streamlined
application process if one of the following applies:
(a) All regional water management groups within the hydrologic
region or subregion have reached an agreement on how the funding
which is being applied for will be divided.
(b) The proposed regional program or project was selected based on
an integrated regional water management plan's comprehensive local
project selection process and that integrated regional water
management plan is consistent with the current integrated regional
water management guidelines developed by the department pursuant to
Section 10541.
(c) The regional project or program applicant demonstrates that it
is undertaking all reasonable and feasible efforts to take into
account the water needs of disadvantaged communities in its
hydrologic region or subregion.
(d) With respect to hydrologic regions and subregions that receive
water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, the proposed project or
program will help reduce dependence on the Sacramento-San Joaquin
Delta for water supply.
SEC. 2. Section 10546.2 is added to the Water
Code, to read:
10546.2. (a) The Department of Finance shall review the
department's contracting procedures for the distribution of grants
for regional projects or programs for the three years prior to the
enactment of this section, and, in its review, shall consider all of
the following:
(1) The maximum, minimum, and average processing time for
contracts and amendments for regional projects or programs funded by
the department.
(2) The maximum, minimum, and average processing time from
reviewing a regional project or program invoice and approval to
payment of the project or program invoice.
(3) Recommendations for streamlining administrative processes,
including all of the following:
(A) Delegating increased responsibility to the regional project or
program applicant with respect to project or program oversight and
review of invoices.
(B) Minimizing the need for contract amendments.
(C) Ensuring timely processing of contracts and amendments.
(D) Ensuring statewide consistency in contract management.
(4) Any other information the Department of Finance deems relevant
to maximize efficiency in processing grant distributions.
(b) The Department of Finance shall report its findings under
subdivision (a) to the Legislature by ____.
(c) (1) The requirement for submitting a report imposed under
subdivision (b) is inoperative on ____, pursuant to Section 10231.5
of the Government Code.
(2) A report to be submitted pursuant to subdivision (b) shall be
submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.
SEC. 3. Section 10546.3 is added to the Water
Code, to read:
10546.3. The department shall promptly review and pay invoices
associated with grants for regional projects and programs.