BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 501
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Date of Hearing: January 21, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Jimmy Gomez, Chair
AB
501 (Levine) - As Amended April 22, 2015
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| |Judiciary | |10 - 0 |
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: NoReimbursable:
No
SUMMARY:
This bill requires a person conducting Delta research, and whose
research is funded in whole or in part by state funds, to share
findings, data, samples, collections, and other supporting
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material created and gathered in the course of the research.
Additionally, this bill:
1)Requires a state agency that funds or participates in Delta
research to implement appropriate policies to disseminate and
share Delta research results, including requiring the grantee
to share research data, collections, and findings with other
researchers.
2)Provides that a researcher who fails to comply with the
sharing and dissemination requirements, as specified, is not
eligible for state-funding until he or she complies.
3)Permits the Delta Independent Science Board (ISB) to adopt
guidelines to provide adjustments to, or exemptions from, the
requirements of this bill if necessary to safeguard the rights
of individuals or the validity or integrity of research.
FISCAL EFFECT:
1)One-time increased costs to the Delta Stewardship Council of
up to $1 million to develop an online data submittal and
retrieval system. Ongoing annual costs of up to $800,000
depending on how delta research is defined (GF or special
fund).
2)Increased one-time costs in the range of $150,000 to $200,000
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for the Delta Independent Science Board to adopt guidelines
(GF or special fund).
3)Increased ongoing annual costs, likely of over $150,000 for
ISB to provide adjustments and exemptions from the
requirements of the bill (GF or special fund).
The ISB is a part-time board with limited staff. This bill
would significantly expand their duties.
4)Unknown, potentially significant, increased costs for state
agencies, such as the Department of Water Resources,
Department of Fish and Wildlife, and State Water Resources
Control Board to comply with the requirements of the bill (GF
or special).
COMMENTS:
1)Rationale. The Delta Stewardship Council held an
Environmental Data Summit last June to explore challenges
identified in the Delta Science Plan which resulted in the
release of
Enhancing the Vision for Managing California's Environmental
Information. This document provides a list of recommendations
including the need for sharable data to help inform Delta
policy
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According to the author, there are over 100 different state,
federal, local, and non-governmental entities conducting
scientific analyses in the Delta. This bill will foster
communication and transparency among Delta researchers and
provide the Delta Science Program with open access to research
data.
2)Background. The Delta Stewardship Council is charged with
achieving the state's "coequal goals" of providing a more
reliable water supply for California and protecting,
restoring, and enhancing the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta
ecosystem.
In furtherance of these goals, the Delta Science Program seeks
independent research to help lawmakers and state agencies
develop scientifically-based water and environmental policies
for the Delta. According to the Council's Web site, the
science program has funded 40 research grants totaling more
than $25 million.
Analysis Prepared by:Jennifer Galehouse / APPR. / (916)
319-2081
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