BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó






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          |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE            |                         SB 13|
          |Office of Senate Floor Analyses   |                              |
          |(916) 651-1520    Fax: (916)      |                              |
          |327-4478                          |                              |
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                                   THIRD READING 


          Bill No:  SB 13
          Author:   Pavley (D)
          Amended:  2/24/15  
          Vote:     21  

           SENATE NATURAL RES. & WATER COMMITTEE:  8-1, 3/24/15
           AYES:  Pavley, Stone, Allen, Hertzberg, Hueso, Jackson,  
            Monning, Wolk
           NOES:  Fuller

          SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: Senate Rule 28.8

           SUBJECT:   Groundwater


          SOURCE:    Author


          DIGEST:  This bill makes numerous technical and clarifying  
          amendments to the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA)  
          and related sections of the Water Code.


          ANALYSIS:   Existing law establishes the SGMA. Among other  
          things, SGMA requires that each high- and medium-priority  
          groundwater basins be managed pursuant to a groundwater  
          sustainability plan, with the goal of achieving sustainability  
          within 20 years.


          This bill makes numerous technical and clarifying amendments to  
          SGMA and related sections of the Water Code.  These include  
          amendments to:








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                                                                    Page  2




          1)Clarify that only high- and medium-priority basins not within  
            the management area of a groundwater sustainability agency are  
            subject to reporting requirements to the State Water Resources  
            Control Board.


          2)Clarify the noticing process for becoming a groundwater  
            sustainability agency.


          3)Correct cross references.


          Background
          
          Last session, the Legislature passed and the Governor signed SB  
          1168 (Pavley, Chapter 346, Statutes of 2014), SB 1319 (Pavley,  
          Chapter 348, Statutes of 2014) and AB 1739 (Dickinson, Chapter  
          347, Statutes of 2014).  Those three bills established SGMA and  
          made other related changes to the Water Code.  Together, those  
          bills created a comprehensive program to achieve sustainable  
          groundwater management in California.


          The bills were complicated, not only from a policy perspective  
          but from a technical legislative process perspective as well.   
          For example, AB 1739 amended portions of   SB 1168, SB 1168  
          amended portions of AB 1739, and all three were contingently  
          enacted.  As with many complex set of bills, some minor  
          "clean-up" amendments are required.


          Comments
          
          To ensure that this bill does not change any of the policies  
          established by SGMA, the author has vetted each amendment with  
          the parties involved in the drafting of SB 1168, SB 1319, and AB  
          1739.  The author has stated she intends to follow this same  
          process with any future amendments.
          
          FISCAL EFFECT:   Appropriation:    No          Fiscal  
          Com.:YesLocal:   No







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                                                                    Page  3




          SUPPORT:   (Verified4/15/15)


          Association of California Water Agencies


          OPPOSITION:   (Verified4/15/15)


          None received


          ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT:     According to the author, "This bill  
          makes numerous technical and clarifying amendments necessary to  
          help implement the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act  
          (SGMA).  I do not intend to change any of the policies embodied  
          SGMA in this measure."



           
          Prepared by:Dennis O'Connor / N.R. & W. / (916) 651-4116
          4/17/15 14:41:23


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