CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 2079

Introduced by Assembly Member Bennett

February 05, 2024

An act to amend Section 10735.4 of the Water Code, relating to groundwater.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 2079, as introduced, Bennett. Sustainable Groundwater Management Act: groundwater basins.
Existing law, the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, authorizes the State Water Resources Control Board to designate a groundwater basin as a probationary basin if the state board makes a certain determination and to develop an interim plan for the probationary basin. The act requires that a local agency or groundwater sustainability agency have 180 days to remedy the deficiency if the board designates the basin as a probationary basin.
This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to the latter provision.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: NO   Local Program: NO  

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


SECTION 1.

 Section 10735.4 of the Water Code is amended to read:

10735.4.
 (a) If the board designates a basin as a probationary basin pursuant to paragraph (1), (2), or (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 10735.2, a local agency or groundwater sustainability agency shall have 180 days to remedy the deficiency. The board may appoint a mediator or other facilitator, after consultation with affected local agencies, to assist in resolving disputes, and identifying and implementing actions that will remedy the deficiency.
(b) After the 180-day period provided by subdivision (a), the board may provide additional time to remedy the deficiency if it finds that a local agency is making substantial progress toward remedying the deficiency.
(c) The board may develop an interim plan pursuant to Section 10735.8 for the probationary basin at the end of the period provided by subdivision (a) or any extension provided pursuant to subdivision (b), if the board, in consultation with the department, determines that a local agency has not remedied the deficiency that resulted in designating the basin as a probationary basin.