Amended in Senate April 21, 2015

Amended in Senate April 8, 2015

Senate BillNo. 758


Introduced by Senator Block

February 27, 2015


An act to add Section 12805.4 to the Government Code, relating to climate change.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SB 758, as amended, Block. Atmospheric Rivers Research and Mitigation Program.

Existing law establishes the Natural Resources Agency, comprised of departments, boards, conservancies, and commissions responsible for the restoration, protection, and management of the state’s natural and cultural resources.

This bill would establish the Atmospheric Rivers Research and Mitigation Program in the Natural Resources Agency to research the causes and effects of atmospheric rivers, and to take actions to capture water generated by atmospheric rivers to increase the water supply and reliability of waterbegin delete resourcesend deletebegin insert resources in the state and to operate reservoirs in a manner that improves flood protectionend insert in the state. The bill would establish the Atmospheric Rivers Research and Mitigation Fund in the State Treasury for the purposes of funding the program.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

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SECTION 1.  

Section 12805.4 is added to the Government
2Code
, to read:

3

12805.4.  

(a) The Atmospheric Rivers Research and Mitigation
4Program is hereby established in the Natural Resources Agency.

5(b) Under the program, the agency shall research the causes and
6effects of atmospheric rivers, and shall take all actions within its
7existing authority to capture water generated by atmospheric rivers
8in order to increase the water supply and reliability of water
9begin delete resourcesend deletebegin insert resources in the state and to operate reservoirs in a
10manner that improves flood protectionend insert
in the state.

11(c) The Atmospheric Rivers Research and Mitigation Fund is
12hereby established in the State Treasury for the deposit of moneys
13to be expended by the agency for the program.



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