BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1755
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CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB
1755 (Dodd)
As Amended August 1, 2016
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: |75-4 |(May 31, 2016) |SENATE: |39-0 |(August 22, |
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Original Committee Reference: W., P., & W.
SUMMARY: Requires the Department of Water Resources (DWR), in
consultation with the State Water Resources Control Board
(SWRCB), the Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), and the
California Water Quality Monitoring Council (CWQMC) to create
and maintain a statewide integrated water data platform
(Platform) by August 1, 2020. Specifically, this bill:
1)Requires the DWR, the SWRCB, and the CDFW to coordinate and
integrate existing water and ecological data from local,
state, and federal agencies.
2)Requires the DWR, in consultation with the CWQMC, the SWRCB,
and the CDFW, to develop and submit to the legislature
protocols for data sharing, documentation, quality control,
and public access by January 1, 2018.
3)Permits the DWR to partner or enter into an agreement with a
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nonprofit organization, as defined, to create, operate, or
maintain, or any combination thereof, the Platform.
4)Conditions the receipt of grant funding related to the
improvement of water or ecological data on adherence to the
protocols established.
5)Requires the DWR, in consultation with the CWQMC, the SWRCB,
and the CDFW, to create and maintain the Platform by August 1,
2020, based on a specified schedule.
6)Delegates the California Department of Technology's (CDT)
information technology (IT) role over implementation of IT
projects related to the Platform to the DWR.
7)Specifies, at a minimum, the data that will be part of the
integrated water data Platform.
8)Creates a Water Data Administration Fund. All moneys in the
fund are available, upon appropriation, to the DWR, the SWRCB,
or the CDFW, for the collection, management, and improvement
of water and ecological data.
The Senate amendments:
1)Change the date from January 1, 2018, to August 1, 2020, by
which the Platform must be available and creates a specified
schedule for the availability of the Platform.
2)Delegate the CDT's role in the creation of the Platform to the
DWR.
3)Remove the ability of a nonprofit which creates, operates, or
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maintains the Platform from receiving public funds.
4)Make technical changes to the administration of the Water Data
Administration Fund, and other technical changes.
EXISTING LAW:
1)Provides the DWR with responsibilities over data associated
with the State Water Project, groundwater monitoring, urban
water management, and land use.
2)Provides the SWRCB with responsibilities over data associated
with water rights, water diversions, and water quality.
3)Provides the DFW with responsibilities over data associated
with fish populations and locations.
4)Provides the authority to acquire IT goods and services in
state government spread over three agencies, the Department of
Finance, the CDT, the Department of General Services.
FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Senate Appropriations Committee
this bill has:
1)One-time costs between $750,000 and $1.5 million to the DWR to
develop the data platform, plus annual staffing costs of $1.6
million to maintain and continue to develop the platform as it
grows (General Fund).
2)Unknown, potentially significant, costs to the CDFW to consult
with the DWR on required protocols, the required report, and
the data platform.
3)Unknown, potentially significant, costs to the SWRCB to
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consult with the DWR on required protocols, the required
report, and the data platform.
4)Unknown, potentially significant, costs to the CWQMC to
consult with the DWR on required protocols, the required
report, and the data platform.
COMMENTS: Local, state, and federal agencies in California keep
numerous data sets on water ranging from urban use to
environmental use and everything in between. Those data sets
are not coordinated and as a result do not produce a complete
water information picture. The value of these numerous data
sets is diminished by the fact that they are piecemeal and while
they may address overlapping problems of supply, use, and
efficiency, they are only valuable to the extent they touch on
any specific area.
Having all water data in the state compiled and publicly
available in a useable fashion would drive water policy
innovation and likely produce many of the benefits that robust
useable data have had on energy policy.
Analysis Prepared by:
Ryan Ojakian / W., P., & W. / (916) 319-2096
FN: 0004678