California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly BillNo. 639


Introduced by Assembly Member Dahle

February 24, 2015


An act to amend Section 13201 of the Water Code, relating to water quality.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 639, as introduced, Dahle. Water quality: organization and membership of regional boards.

Existing law requires the State Water Resources Control Board and the 9 California regional water quality control boards to prescribe waste discharge requirements in accordance with the federal national pollutant discharge elimination system permit program established by the federal Clean Water Act and the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act (state act). The state act requires regional boards to consist of 7 members appointed by the Governor, 6 of them on the basis of demonstrated interest or proven ability in the field of water quality and one as a public member not specifically associated with any enumerated qualification.

This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to these provisions.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

P1    1

SECTION 1.  

Section 13201 of the Water Code is amended to
2read:

3

13201.  

(a) There is a regional board for each of the regions
4described in Section 13200. Each board shall consist of seven
P2    1members appointed by the Governor, each of whom shall represent,
2and act on behalf of, all the people and shall reside or have a
3principal place of business within the region.

4(b) Except as specified in subdivision (c), each member shall
5be appointed on the basis of his or her demonstrated interest or
6proven ability in the field of water quality, including water
7pollution control, water resource management, water use, or water
8protection. The Governor shall consider appointments from the
9public and nonpublic sectors. In regard to appointments from the
10nonpublic sector, the Governor shall consider including members
11from key economic sectors in a given region, such as agriculture,
12industry, commercial activities, forestry, and fisheries.

13(c) At least one member shall be appointed as a public member
14who is not required to meet the criteria established pursuant to
15subdivision (b).

16(d) All persons appointed to a regional board shall be subject
17to Senate confirmation, but shall not be required to appear before
18any committee of the Senate for purposes ofbegin delete suchend deletebegin insert theend insert confirmation
19unless specifically requested to appear by the Senate Committee
20on Rules.

21(e) Insofar as practicable, appointments shall be made inbegin delete suchend delete
22begin insert aend insert manner as to result in representation on the board from all parts
23of the region.

24(f) Insofar as practicable, appointments shall be made in a
25manner as to result in representation on the board from diverse
26experiential backgrounds.

27(g) Each member shall be appointed on the basis of his or her
28ability to attend substantially all meetings of the board and to
29actively discharge all duties and responsibilities of a member of
30the board.

31(h) The reduction in the number of members of each regional
32board required bybegin insert Chapter 39 ofend insert thebegin delete act that added this subdivisionend delete
33begin insert Statutes of 2012end insert shall be achieved according to the ordinary
34expiration of the terms of incumbents and other vacancies.
35Notwithstanding Sectionbegin delete 13202end deletebegin insert 13202,end insert the Governor shall not fill
36a vacancy onbegin delete anyend deletebegin insert aend insert regional board until the number of members
37serving on that regional board falls below seven members.begin delete Whenend delete
38begin insert Ifend insert the numbers of members serving on the regional board falls
P3    1below seven members, the Governor shall appoint or reappoint
2individuals pursuant to this section.



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