BILL NUMBER: SB 208	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Senator Lara

                        FEBRUARY 11, 2015

   An act to add and repeal Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 10551)
of Part 2.2 of Division 6 of the Water Code, relating to water.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 208, as introduced, Lara. Integrated regional water management
plans: grants: advanced payment.
   Existing law, the Integrated Regional Water Management Planning
Act, authorizes a regional water management group to prepare and
adopt an integrated regional water management plan with specified
components relating to water supply and water quality. Existing law
provides that an integrated regional water management plan is
eligible for funding allocated specifically for implementation of
integrated regional water management.
   Existing law, the Water Quality, Supply, and Infrastructure
Improvement Act of 2014, approved by the voters as Proposition 1 at
the November 4, 2014, statewide general election, authorizes the
issuance of general obligation bonds in the amount of $7,545,000,000
to finance a water quality, supply, and infrastructure improvement
program. The act provides that the sum of $810,000,000 is to be
available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for expenditures
on, and competitive grants and loans to, projects that are included
in and implemented in an adopted integrated regional water management
plan and respond to climate change and contribute to regional water
security.
   This bill would require a regional water management group, within
90 days of notice that a grant has been awarded, to provide the state
entity administering the grant with a list of projects to be funded
by the grant funds where the project proponent is a nonprofit
organization, as defined, or a disadvantaged community, as defined,
or the project benefits a disadvantaged community. This bill would
require the state entity administering the grant, within 60 days of
receiving the project information, to provide advanced payment of 50%
of the grant award for those projects that satisfy specified
criteria and would require the advanced funds to be handled, as
prescribed. This bill would repeal these provisions on January 1,
2025.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 10551) is added to
Part 2.2 of Division 6 of the Water Code, to read:
      CHAPTER 7.  ADVANCED PAYMENT OF GRANT FUNDS


   10551.  (a) Within 90 days of notice that a grant for projects
included and implemented in an integrated regional water management
plan has been awarded, the regional water management group shall
provide the state entity administering the grant with a list of
projects to be funded by the grant funds where the project proponent
is a nonprofit organization or a disadvantaged community, or the
project benefits a disadvantaged community. The list shall specify
how the projects are consistent with the adopted integrated regional
water management plan and shall include all of the following
information:
   (1) Descriptive information concerning each project identified.
   (2) The names of the entities that will receive the funding for
each project, including, but not limited to, an identification as to
whether the project proponent or proponents are nonprofit
organizations or a disadvantaged community.
   (3) The budget of each project.
   (4) The anticipated schedule for each project.
   (b) Within 60 days of receiving the project information pursuant
to subdivision (a), the state entity administering the grant shall
provide advanced payment of 50 percent of the grant award for those
projects that satisfy both of the following criteria:
   (1) The project proponent is a nonprofit organization or a
disadvantaged community, or the project benefits a disadvantaged
community.
   (2) The grant award for the project is less than one million
dollars ($1,000,000).
   (c) Funds advanced pursuant to subdivision (b) shall be handled as
follows:
   (1) The recipient shall place the funds in a noninterest-bearing
account until expended.
   (2) The funds shall be spent within six months of the date of
receipt, unless the state entity administering the grant waives this
requirement.
   (3) The recipient shall periodically, but not more frequently than
quarterly, provide an accountability report to the state entity
administering the grant regarding the expenditure and use of any
advanced grant funds in a format as determined by that state entity.
   (4) If funds are not expended, the unused portion of the grant
shall be returned to the state entity administering the grant within
60 days after project completion or the end of the grant performance
period, whichever is earlier.
   (d) As used in this section:
   (1) "Disadvantaged community" has the same meaning as defined in
subdivision (j) of Section 79702.
   (2) "Nonprofit organization" has the same meaning as defined in
subdivision (p) of Section 79702.
   10552.  This chapter shall remain in effect only until January 1,
2025, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted
statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2025, deletes or extends
that date.