BILL ANALYSIS Ó SB 144 Page 1 SENATE THIRD READING SB 144 (Pan) As Amended April 6, 2015 Majority vote SENATE VOTE: 40-0 ------------------------------------------------------------------ |Committee |Votes|Ayes |Noes | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |----------------+-----+----------------------+--------------------| |Water |15-0 |Levine, Bigelow, | | | | |Dababneh, Dahle, | | | | |Dodd, Beth Gaines, | | | | |Cristina Garcia, | | | | |Gomez, Harper, Lopez, | | | | |Mathis, Medina, | | | | |Rendon, Salas, | | | | |Williams | | | | | | | |----------------+-----+----------------------+--------------------| |Appropriations |17-0 |Gomez, Bigelow, | | | | |Bloom, Bonta, | | | | |Calderon, Chang, | | | | |Nazarian, Eggman, | | | | |Gallagher, Eduardo | | | | |Garcia, Holden, | | | | |Jones, Quirk, Rendon, | | SB 144 Page 2 | | |Wagner, Weber, Wood | | | | | | | | | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------ SUMMARY: Updates the project descriptions and authorizations for specific state law flood control projects along the American and Sacramento Rivers in order to make the scope of those projects consistent with their current federal feasibility studies and authorizations. Also makes nonsubstantive technical corrections. EXISTING LAW: 1)Requires flood management projects that receive state financial assistance, as specified, to: a) Qualify for federal financial assistance under the requirements applicable to federal water resource development projects and to be federally authorized. b) Be cost-effective, as specified. c) Be in compliance with federal floodplain management, as specified. d) Avoid, minimize, or mitigate impacts to environmental and recreational values. e) Include an opportunity to include multipurpose objectives. SB 144 Page 3 2)Requires the Central Valley Flood Protection Board (formerly called the Reclamation Board) or Department of Water Resources (DWR), in an advisory role, to provide sufficient review and oversight to determine whether the project meets the statutory requirements set out above. FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, this bill increases the state obligation (called a subvention) by approximately $40 to $60 million (General Fund). Although DWR estimates that the state's cost share of the updated project will likely increase $40-60 million, because the project changes were in response to more stringent levee requirements, doing the project as originally authorized is not an option. This bill conforms the state's authorization to the most recent federal authorization. COMMENTS: This bill would update the current state authorization for flood control along the American and Sacramento Rivers to match the federal authorization, as modified by the final feasibility study for the Natomas Basin. The bill would also make numerous technical, non-substantive corrections to the authorizing statutes. Under the State Water Resources Law of 1945, the state may participate in funding local flood control projects that are authorized by the Legislature and that meet other specific requirements. One requirement is that the project must be authorized by Congress. The Natomas Basin was previously federally authorized but the description of the project in the federal authorization was updated in 2014. The author states that the constructed projects, as specified in this bill, will increase the ability of the existing flood SB 144 Page 4 control system to protect heavily urbanized areas within the City of Sacramento and the counties of Sacramento and Sutter consistent with specifications prescribed as part of the Sacramento River Flood Control Project. The author states that this bill would ensure that the historic Federal-State-local cost-sharing partnership is continued and construction moves forward as quickly as possible. Other supporters state that this bill would modify the 2007 state authorization for the Natomas Project to match the federal authorizations. Supporters note this bill will not alter the federal-state-local cost sharing made applicable to the project under the 2007 authorization but simply harmonizes the state authorization with the federal feasibility, which increased the scope of work in order to provide the Natomas Basin with a 200-year level of flood protection. There is no known opposition to this bill. Analysis Prepared by: Tina Leahy / W., P., & W. / (916) 319-2096 FN: 0001657 SB 144 Page 5