BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 1731
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Date of Hearing: May 25, 2014
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON WATER, PARKS AND WILDLIFE
Anthony Rendon, Chair
AB 1731 (Perea) - As Introduced: February 14, 2014
SUBJECT : Integrated Regional Water Management Plans:
disadvantaged communities
SUMMARY : Requires that not less than 10% of the funding in
each integrated regional water management (IRWM) region be used
to facilitate and support the participation of disadvantaged
communities (DACs) in IRWM planning and for projects that
address the critical water supply or water quality needs of
those communities.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Provides $1 billion in Proposition 84 (Prop. 84) funds to the
Department of Water Resources (DWR) for IRWM projects.
2)Divides that $1 billion of Prop. 84 IRWM funds and allocates
it by hydrologic region.
3)Specifies that DWR shall allocate grants on a competitive
basis and give preference to proposals that satisfy six
criteria including ones that address critical water supply or
water quality needs for disadvantaged communities within a
region.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS : This bill would require that 10% of any regional
funding for IRWMs go to DACs. The goals of this bill are
similar to SB 1 (Perata/Second Extraordinary Session of 2008) as
modified by AB 626 (Eng/2009); and, SB 855 (Committee on Budget
and Fiscal Review/2010).
Among other actions, SB 1 repealed and re-enacted the division
of Water Code related to IRWMs and set certain minimum standards
for those plans. SB 1 also appropriated $139 million in Prop. 84
IRWM funding to DWR for implementation and planning grants and
specified that not less than 10% be used "to facilitate and
support the participation of disadvantaged communities in IRWM
planning and for projects that address critical water supply or
AB 1731
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water quality needs for disadvantaged communities."
AB 626 modified SB 1 to recognize that Prop. 84 funds are
divided by hydrologic region. AB 626 clarified that funding to
DACs should be not less than 10% of the total amount of grants
awarded within each region. AB 626 required DWR to implement the
10% mandate with due diligence but only to the extent it did not
affect the expeditious allocation of IRWM grants. DWR was also
required to make a progress report to the Legislature by July 1,
2010 with regard to the implementation of the DAC requirement.
On October 7, 2010 DWR issued a two-page report to the
Legislature stating that, at that time, grant proposal
solicitation efforts were still underway but that it would meet
the DAC allocation requirements of AB 626.
SB 855 appropriated $250 million in Prop. 84 IRWM funds to DWR
and specified that at least 10% of the funds were to support the
participation of disadvantaged communities in IRWM planning and
for projects that address critical water supply or water quality
needs for those communities.
SB 104 (Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review), which formed
part of the 2014 Drought Package of legislation appropriated,
among other measures, $472.5 million to DWR for IRWM grants. SB
104 requires that DWR award $200 million through an expedited
solicitation round for drought-related projects and programs.
The remaining $250.7 million is not restricted to
drought-related projects and includes $21.8 million for projects
identified in previous grant rounds.
Given that DWR was provided an appropriation of all remaining
Prop. 84 IRWM funds in a bill that took effect on March 1, 2014
and was directed to expedite a drought-related project
solicitation that may be underway prior to January 1, 2015 when
this bill would take effect, the author may wish to consider
clarifying whether the 10% mandate would apply to the drought
solicitation, the remaining IRWM funding after the drought
solicitation, or both.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
None on file
AB 1731
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Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by : Tina Cannon Leahy / W., P. & W. / (916)
319-2096