BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1244
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Date of Hearing: January 21, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Jimmy Gomez, Chair
AB
1244 (Gray) - As Amended January 4, 2016
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|Policy | Water, Parks & Wildlife |Vote:| 14 - 0 |
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: NoReimbursable: No
SUMMARY:
This bill requires the State Water Resources Control Board
(SWRCB) to consult with other agencies when adopting general
conditions for small irrigation registrations. Specifically,
this bill:
AB 1244
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1)Requires SWRCB to consult with the Department of Food and
Agriculture (CDFA) and the University of California
Cooperative Extension regarding relevant agricultural issues.
2)Requires SWRCB to consult with the Department of Fish and
Wildlife (DFW) regarding potential impacts on fish and
wildlife species.
FISCAL EFFECT:
Absorbable costs for SWRCB, CDFA, DFW and the UC Cooperative
Extension.
COMMENTS:
1)Rationale. The small irrigation registration process was
created in 2011 to expedite water right use permits for ponds
that store less than 20 acre-feet annually and to reduce
permitting backlog.
According to the author, this bill modifies the small
registration process in a manner that ensures the protection
of senior water rights and environmental water needs by the
inclusion of relevant agencies.
2)Technical Amendment. This bill inadvertently restores an
obsolete provision which was removed from existing law by SB
798, Chapter 683, Statutes of 2015. The committee suggests an
amendment to delete lines 18-22 inclusive on page 2 and
provide necessary conforming changes.
AB 1244
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Analysis Prepared by:Jennifer Galehouse / APPR. / (916)
319-2081