BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  SB 1169
                                                                  Page  1

          SENATE THIRD READING
          SB 1169 (Lowenthal)
          As Amended  August 20, 2010
          Majority vote

           SENATE VOTE  :   Not relevant
            
           HEALTH                          APPROPRIATIONS                  
               (vote not relevant)                     (vote not relevant)
           
          SUMMARY  :   Makes numerous technical amendments to update and  
          clarify the Water Code.  Specifically,  this bill  :

          1)Extends the terms of two board members on each of the 9  
            regional water quality control boards in the state to  
            September 30, 2014, in order to make the terms for each board  
            member consistent and uniform.

          2)Requires an agency delivering recycled water to a condominium  
            project, prior to the indoor use of the water, to file a  
            report with the State Department of Public Health, instead of  
            the regional water quality control board.

          3)Deletes an existing exemption from constitutional subvention  
            requirements which has been found to be unconstitutional by a  
            court of appeal.

          4)Deletes a requirement for notice in permit or license  
            revocation procedures where the permit or license holder  
            themselves is requesting the revocation.

          5)Clarifies existing provisions relating to unlawful discharges  
            for which a federal Clean Water Act permit has not been  
            issued.

          6)Clarifies that the State Water Resources Control Board, on its  
            own motion, may review regional water quality control board  
            basin planning actions.

          7)Updates cross-references, deletes obsolete provisions, and  
            makes various other technical or clarifying changes.


           EXISTING LAW  :  Creates the SWRCB, and 9 regional water quality  
          control boards, with authority over water allocation and water  








                                                                  SB 1169
                                                                  Page  2

          quality protection.  The regional boards develop and enforce  
          water quality objectives and regional basin plans, issue waste  
          discharge requirements and monitor water quality.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :  According to the Assembly Appropriations  
          Committee, negligible costs, if any.  
           COMMENTS  :   This bill is a technical water code cleanup bill  
          sponsored by the State Water Resources Control Board, and makes  
          numerous technical, clarifying and non-substantive changes to  
          update and improve the Water Code.  It also makes a few  
          non-controversial substantive changes to conform to other  
          existing laws and to clarify procedures.  There is no  
          opposition.

          This bill is substantially similar to the April 10, 2010 version  
          of AB 2776 (Committee on Water, Parks & Wildlife), which passed  
          this Floor on consent earlier this year.  That bill was heard in  
          both the Assembly Water, Parks & Wildlife Committee and the  
          Assembly Appropriations Committee but was substantially amended  
          in the Senate and the provisions now in this bill were deleted. 


           Analysis Prepared by  :    Diane Colborn / W., P. & W. / (916)  
          319-2096


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