AB 1590, as introduced, Mathis. State Water Resources Control Board: appointments.
Existing law establishes the State Water Resources Control Board (state board) in the California Environmental Protection Agency, consisting of 5 members appointed by the Governor who have specialized experience relating to the regulation of water supply and water quality, as prescribed. Existing law requires that all members of the state board be appointed for terms of 4 years, and that vacancies be immediately filled by the Governor.
This bill would require that an additional 4 members be appointed to the state board by the Legislature. The bill would require that one member each be appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly, the Assembly Minority Leader, the President pro Tempore of the Senate, and the Senate Minority Leader. The bill would require that vacancies be immediately filled by the appointing power.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
Section 175 of the Water Code is amended to
2read:
(a)begin insert end insert There is in the California Environmental Protection
4Agency the State Water Resources Control Board consisting of
5begin delete five membersend deletebegin insert nine members, appointed as follows:end insert
6begin insert(1)end insertbegin insert end insertbegin insertFive membersend insert appointed by the Governor. One of the
7members appointed shall be an attorney admitted to practice law
8in this
state who is qualified in the fields of water supply and water
9rights, one shall be a registered civil engineer under the laws of
10this state who is qualified in the fields of water supply and water
11rights, one shall be a registered professional engineer under the
12laws of this state who is experienced in sanitary engineering and
13who is qualified in the field of water quality, and one shall be
14qualified in the field of water quality. One of the above-appointed
15persons, in addition to having the specified qualifications, shall be
16qualified in the field of water supply and water quality relating to
17irrigated agriculture. One member shall not be required to have
18specialized experience.
19(2) Four members appointed by the Legislature. Of the members
20appointed by the Legislature, one member each shall be appointed
21by the Speaker of the Assembly, by the Assembly Minority
Leader,
22the President pro Tempore of the Senate, and the Senate Minority
23Leader.
24(b) Each member shall represent the state at large and not any
25particular portionbegin delete thereofend deletebegin insert of the stateend insert and shall serve full time. The
26board shall, to the extent possible, be composed of members from
27different regions of the state. The appointments made by the
28Governor shall be subject to confirmation by the Senate in
29accordance with Article 2 (commencing with Section 1770) of
30Chapter 4 of Division 4 of Title 1 of the Government Code.
Section 177 of the Water Code is amended to read:
All members of the board shall be appointed for terms of
33four years. Vacancies shall be immediately filled by thebegin delete Governorend delete
34begin insert appointing powerend insert for the unexpired portion of the terms in which
35they occur.
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