BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                          SB 60
                                                          Page  1

Date of Hearing:   August 18, 1999

              ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS 
                    Carole Migden, Chairwoman

        SB 60 (Hayden) - As Introduced: December 7, 1998 

Policy Committee:                              Water, Parks &  
Wildlife     Vote:                             12-0
             Local Government                        8-0  
(Consent)

Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local  
Program:YesReimbursable:          No

  SUMMARY  :

  This bill  relates to activities at the Metropolitan Water  
District of Southern California (MWD), as follows:

1)Requires greater emphasis at MWD on sustainable,  
  environmentally sound, and cost-effective water conservation,  
  recycling, and groundwater storage and replenishment measures  
  and requires the MWD, starting February 1, 2001, to annually  
  report to the Legislature on its water conservation efforts.

2)Requires the MWD to consider programs for groundwater recharge  
  and replenishment, watershed management, habitat restoration  
  and environmentally compatible community development using the  
  potential resources of southern California rivers.

3)Requires the MWD to establish an Office of Ethics to deal with  
  matters related to internal disclosure, lobbying, conflicts of  
  interest, contracts, campaign contributions and general ethics  
  for its board members, officers and employees.

4)Prohibits the MWD and its member agencies from spending public  
  money to investigate elected officials, advocacy groups or  
  other parties interested in matters pending before the MWD  
  board.

 FISCAL EFFECT  :

Moderate ongoing costs to the MWD to prepare an annual report  
and operate an Office of Ethics; these costs are covered by  








                                                          SB 60
                                                          Page  2

wholesale water charges imposed by the MWD and are not  
state-reimbursable. 

  COMMENTS  :

  1)Rationale  .  This bill requires greater focus at the MWD on two  
  distinct issues: a) water supply enhancement via conservation,  
  recycling, recharge and replenishment and b) the ethical  
  conduct of business by MWD personnel.  The author believes  
  that MWD has not fully tapped the opportunities for  
  environmentally-sound and cost-effective options for  
  increasing water supply. The ethics focus was triggered by a  
  specific case whereby 12 MWD member agencies spent $12,000 to  
  compile information on public officials that could be used as  
  a strategic tool in the ongoing issue involving water  
  transfers from the Imperial Valley to San Diego.
  
2)Previous Legislation  .  Last year, SB 1875 (Hayden), similar to  
  this bill, was vetoed by Governor Wilson.

  Analysis Prepared by  :    Steve Archibald / APPR. / (916)319-2081