BILL ANALYSIS Ó AB 606 Page 1 Date of Hearing: May 20, 2015 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Jimmy Gomez, Chair AB 606 (Levine) - As Amended May 12, 2015 ----------------------------------------------------------------- |Policy |Accountability and |Vote:|9 - 0 | |Committee: |Administrative Review | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------------+-------------------------------+-----+-------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------------+-------------------------------+-----+-------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: NoReimbursable: No SUMMARY: Requires the Department of General Services (DGS) and Caltrans, when replacing or installing landscaping or irrigation on state property, as applicable, to reduce water consumption and increase water efficiency, where feasible, by installing drought AB 606 Page 2 tolerant plants, replacing spray sprinklers with less use-intensive devices like drip irrigation, and implementing recycled water irrigation. FISCAL EFFECT: Negligible fiscal impact on DGS and Caltrans, as the bill's requirements apply only when replacing existing irrigation systems or landscaping newly acquired state property, and when the specified measures are deemed to be feasible. COMMENTS: Purpose. According to the author's office, this bill seeks to direct the state in a proactive manner to conserve water on state-owned lands through drought-tolerant landscaping and replacement of irrigation timers, spray sprinkler heads and the use of recycled water. This bill seeks to reduce water consumption by requiring state properties to implement drought-tolerant landscaping, with an emphasis on native plant species, and to apply the use of recycled water irrigation wherever feasible. This bill was brought to the author's office by Ms. Honda's fourth grade class at Manor Elementary in Fairfax, California. Analysis Prepared by:Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081 AB 606 Page 3