BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                    AB 2890


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          CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS


          AB  
          2890 (Committee on Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials)


          As Amended  August 8, 2016


          Majority vote


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          |ASSEMBLY:  |51-26 |(May 12, 2016) |SENATE: |27-11 |(August 15,      |
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          Original Committee Reference:  E.S. & T.M.


          SUMMARY:  Makes several statutory changes to better align the  
          State Water Resources Control Board's (State Water Board)  
          programs for certifying operators of wastewater treatment  
          plants, for certifying operators of drinking water treatment  
          plants, and to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of these  
          programs.


          The Senate amendments 


          1)Add co-authors to reflect the current membership of the  
            Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee.


          2)Make technical and clarifying changes.










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          EXISTING LAW:  


          1)Requires the State Water Board to examine and certify persons  
            as to their qualification to supervise or operate water  
            treatment plans and water distribution systems. 
          2)Allows the State Water Board to recognize as valid water  
            distribution system operator certificates issued by other  
            states if the State Water Board determines that the program in  
            the other state is consistent with the state water  
            distribution system operator program and its implementing  
            regulations.


          3)Authorizes the State Water Board to suspend, revoke, or refuse  
            to grant or renew any certificate issued by the State Water  
            Board to operate a wastewater treatment plant or to place on  
            probation or reprimand the certificate holder upon any  
            reasonable grounds.


          4)Authorizes the State Water Board to impose fees to cover the  
            costs of the wastewater treatment plant operator certification  
            program, and requires the fees to be deposited in the  
            Wastewater Operator Certification Fund.  


          FISCAL EFFECT:  This bill was approved by the Senate  
          Appropriations Committee pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8, therefore  
          there are minor, if any costs.


          COMMENTS:  According to the State Water Board, this bill would  
          make several statutory changes to better align the State Water  
          Board's programs for certifying operators of wastewater  
          treatment plants and for certifying operators of drinking water  
          treatment plants, and to improve the efficiency and  
          effectiveness of these programs.  Among its provisions, this  
          proposal would:  1) clarify operator certification requirements  
          for water recycling treatment plants in both the drinking water  
          and wastewater treatment plant operator certification statutes;  
          2) revise the fee structure for wastewater and drinking water  








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          treatment plant operator certification; and, 3) clarify and  
          expand the State Water Board's authority to enforce wastewater  
          and drinking water certification programs, including authorizing  
          the State Water Board to issue administrative civil liability  
          provisions for specified violations of the drinking water  
          operator certification program.


          SB 861 (Budget and Fiscal Review Committee), Chapter 35,  
          Statutes of 2014, transferred the Safe Drinking Water Program  
          from the Department of Public Health to the State Water Board.   
          The transfer of drinking water responsibilities, including the  
          Drinking Water Operator Certification Program, aligned the  
          state's drinking water and water quality programs in an  
          integrated organizational structure, positioning the state to  
          better protect water quality and public health, while meeting  
          current needs and future demands on water supplies.


          As a result of the transfer of the Drinking Water Program to the  
          State Water Board, the State Water Board is now responsible for  
          administering both the Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator  
          Certification and Drinking Water Operator Certification  
          Programs.  These programs are critical for ensuring the  
          protection of public health and the environment by ensuring that  
          those responsible for operating these treatment plants have the  
          necessary skills, knowledge and abilities to do so properly.   
          The State Water Board has reviewed both operator certification  
          programs and has identified several statutory changes that are  
          needed to help better align the two certification programs and  
          to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of each program.   
          This bill makes those changes.


          Analysis Prepared by:                                             
                          Josh Tooker / E.S. & T.M. / (916) 319-3965  FN:   
          0004153













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