BILL NUMBER: AB 2208	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Perea

                        FEBRUARY 23, 2012

   An act to amend Section 116326 of the Health and Safety Code,
relating to drinking water.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2208, as introduced, Perea. Community water systems:
consolidation and merger.
   Existing law requires the State Department of Public Health to
administer programs to fund improvements and expansion of small
community water systems using specified priorities. Existing law
requires the department to encourage the consolidation of small
community water systems that serve disadvantaged communities in
instances that consolidation will help the affected agencies and the
state meet specified goals. Existing law allows funding of studies
regarding the feasibility of consolidating 2 or more community water
systems, at least one of which is a small community water system that
serves a disadvantaged community. Existing law requires the
department to give funding priority to projects involving physical
restructuring of 2 or more community water systems into a single,
consolidated system when it is shown that the consolidation would
further specified goals.
   This bill would require the department to promote the
consolidation and merger of small community water systems that serve
disadvantaged communities, as specified. This bill would require the
studies described above to include the feasibility of consolidating
community water systems or merging a community water system with a
city water system, as specified, unless the department determines
consolidation or merger is not feasible. This bill would also require
the department to give priority to funding projects involving the
physical restructuring and managerial consolidation of 2 or more
community water systems or the merger of community water systems into
a single, consolidated system when it is shown that the
consolidation or merger would further specified goals.
   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.  Section 116326 of the Health and Safety Code is amended
to read:
   116326.  In administering programs to fund improvements and
expansions of small community water systems, the department shall do
all of the following:
   (a) Give priority to funding projects in disadvantaged
communities.
   (b)  Encourage   Promote    the
consolidation  or merger  of small community water systems
that serve disadvantaged communities in instances where consolidation
 or merger  will help  at least one of  the
affected agencies and the state to meet all of the following goals:
   (1) Improvement in the quality of water delivered.
   (2) Improvement in the reliability of water delivery.
   (3) Reduction in the cost of drinking water for ratepayers.
   (c) Pursuant to subdivision (b),  allow  
require that  funding for feasibility studies performed prior to
a construction project  to  include studies of the
feasibility of consolidating two or more community water systems
 ,   or merging a community water system with a
city water system, when  at least one  of which is a
 of the water systems is a  small community water
system that serves a disadvantaged community  , unless the
department makes a written determination that consolidation or merger
is not feasible under the circumstances  .
   (d) In instances  where   that  it is
shown that small community water system consolidation  or merger
 will further the goals of subdivision (b), give priority to
funding construction projects that involve the physical restructuring
 and managerial consolidation  of two or more community
water systems  or merger one or more community water systems
 , at least one of which is a small community water system that
serves a disadvantaged community, into a single, consolidated system.