BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 496|
|Office of Senate Floor Analyses | |
|(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) | |
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 496
Author: Rendon (D)
Amended: 5/28/15 in Assembly
Vote: 21
SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE: 9-0, 7/8/15
AYES: Liu, Runner, Block, Hancock, Leyva, Mendoza, Monning,
Pan, Vidak
SENATE ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMITTEE: 7-0, 7/15/15
AYES: Wieckowski, Gaines, Bates, Hill, Jackson, Leno, Pavley
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: Senate Rule 28.8
ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 80-0, 6/3/15 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT: Pupil nutrition: fresh drinking water: funding
SOURCE: Author
DIGEST: This bill requires the California Department of
Education to consult with the State Water Resources Control
Board to identify available sources of funding for school water
quality and infrastructure.
ANALYSIS: Existing federal law, the federal Safe Drinking Water
Act (SDWA), authorizes the United States Environmental
Protection Agency to set standards for drinking water quality
and to oversee the states, localities and water suppliers who
implement those standards.
AB 496
Page 2
Existing state law:
1)Requires the State Water Resources Control Board to regulate
drinking water and to enforce the federal SDWA, the state
SDWA, and other related regulations. The duties and
responsibilities related to the regulation and oversight of
drinking water were transferred from the California Department
of Public Health to the State Water Resources Control Board in
2014. (Health and Safety Code § 116270, et seq.)
The State Water Resources Control Board's Division of Drinking
Water Programs regulates over 8,000 public water systems by
inspecting the systems, issuing permits, taking enforcement
actions and implementing new requirements due to changes in
federal or state law or regulations.
2)Requires schools that receive notification from a public water
system regarding non-compliance with any primary drinking
water standard or a violation of monitoring requirements, to
notify school employees, students and parents. (HSC § 116450)
3)Requires interior and exterior drinking fountains to be
functional, accessible, and free of leaks, and with adequate
water pressure. Drinking fountain water must be clear and
without unusual taste or odor, and have no evidence of moss,
mold, or excessive staining. Drinking fountains must appear
to have been cleaned each day that the school is in session.
(Education Code § 17002)
4)Requires school districts to provide access to free, fresh
drinking water during meal times in the food service areas.
School districts may adopt a resolution stating that it is
unable to comply with this requirement and demonstrate the
reasons why it is unable to comply due to fiscal constraints
or health and safety concerns. (EC § 38086)
This bill:
1)Requires the California Department of Education (CDE) to
consult with the State Water Resources Control Board's
Division of Drinking Water Programs to identify available
sources of funding, including, but not limited to
AB 496
Page 3
a) Funding from Proposition 1, approved in the November 4,
2014, statewide General Election.
b) Funds for safe drinking water programs administered by
the CDE, the Department of Public Health, the Department of
Water Resources, and the State Water Resources Control
Board.
c) Other state funding.
d) Federal funding available to fund school water quality
and infrastructure.
2)Requires the CDE to post the information collected on the
CDE's website.
3)Authorizes the CDE to receive funds transferred from any
available state and federal source, to be allocated by the CDE
to school districts for the purpose of complying with the
requirement for schools to provide access to free, fresh
drinking water during meal time.
4)Authorizes funds received to provide access to free, fresh
drinking water to be used for water quality projects
including, but not limited to, water treatment, water
facilities restructuring, water filling stations, and
maintenance of water facilities.
5)States legislative findings and declarations relative to poor
drinking water quality at schools and limited funding to
rebuild the infrastructure of schools.
Comments
AB 496
Page 4
Funds for safe drinking water programs. This bill requires the
identification of available sources of funding, including funds
for safe drinking water programs administered by the CDE.
Information on CDE's website relative to safe drinking water
programs includes a link relative to school facilities funding
through the State Allocation Board; school facilities funds are
not currently available for safe drinking water programs, as
those funds have been fully expended and will not be replenished
until a school facilities bond is approved.
[http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/he/water.asp]
FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal
Com.:YesLocal: No
SUPPORT: (Verified8/17/15)
American Heart Association
American Stroke Association
California Equity Leaders Network
California Food Policy Advocates
California School Employees Association
California State PTA
Californians Against Waste
Clean Water Action
Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County
Community Water Center
Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability
Los Angeles Unified School District
Mission: Readiness
Santa Clara Valley Water District
School Energy Coalition
OPPOSITION: (Verified8/17/15)
None received
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT: According to the California Food
Policy Advocates, "in 2010, California enacted SB 1413, which
requires schools to provide students with access to free, fresh
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Page 5
drinking water during meal times in school food service areas.
Even when water from a local utility is safe to drink, aging
school infrastructure can cause contaminants, such as lead, to
seep into a school's water supply. It is important that the
state prioritize resources to help improve water infrastructure
in schools. By allowing CDE to receive and allocate funds from
multiple state and federal sources, AB 496 creates a one-stop
shop where school districts can find available funding for safe
drinking water programs."
ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 80-0, 6/3/15
AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Travis Allen, Baker, Bigelow, Bloom,
Bonilla, Bonta, Brough, Brown, Burke, Calderon, Campos, Chang,
Chau, Chávez, Chiu, Chu, Cooley, Cooper, Dababneh, Dahle,
Daly, Dodd, Eggman, Frazier, Beth Gaines, Gallagher, Cristina
Garcia, Eduardo Garcia, Gatto, Gipson, Gomez, Gonzalez,
Gordon, Gray, Grove, Hadley, Harper, Roger Hernández, Holden,
Irwin, Jones, Jones-Sawyer, Kim, Lackey, Levine, Linder,
Lopez, Low, Maienschein, Mathis, Mayes, McCarty, Medina,
Melendez, Mullin, Nazarian, Obernolte, O'Donnell, Olsen,
Patterson, Perea, Quirk, Rendon, Ridley-Thomas, Rodriguez,
Salas, Santiago, Steinorth, Mark Stone, Thurmond, Ting,
Wagner, Waldron, Weber, Wilk, Williams, Wood, Atkins
Prepared by:Lynn Lorber / ED. / (916) 651-4105
8/19/15 21:09:43
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