Bill Text: CA AB62 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Statewide water storage: expansion.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 14-3)

Status: (Failed) 2024-02-01 - From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. [AB62 Detail]

Download: California-2023-AB62-Introduced.html

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CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 62

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Introduced by Assembly Member Mathis

December 06, 2022

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An act to add and repeal Part 2.57 (commencing with Section 10609.90) of Division 6 of the Water Code, relating to water.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 62, as introduced, Mathis. Statewide water storage: expansion.

Existing law declares that the protection of the public interest in the development of the water resources of the state is of vital concern to the people of the state and that the state shall determine in what way the water of the state, both surface and underground, should be developed for the greatest public benefit.

Existing law establishes within the Natural Resources Agency the State Water Resources Control Board and the California regional water quality control boards. Existing law requires the work of the state board to be divided into at least 2 divisions, known as the Division of Water Rights and the Division of Water Quality.

This bill would establish a statewide goal to increase above- and below-ground water storage capacity by a total of 3,700,000 acre-feet by the year 2030 and a total of 4,000,000 acre-feet by the year 2040. The bill would require the state board, in consultation with the Department of Water Resources, to design and implement measures to increase statewide water storage to achieve the statewide goal. The bill would require the state board, beginning July 1, 2027, and on or before July 1 every 2 years thereafter until January 1, 2043, in consultation with the department, to prepare and submit a report to the Legislature on the progress made in designing and implementing measures to achieve the statewide goal.

Digest Key

Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

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Bill Text

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

SECTION 1.

 Part 2.57 (commencing with Section 10609.90) is added to Division 6 of the Water Code, to read:

PART 2.57. Expansion of Statewide Water Storage Capacity

10609.90.

 (a) This part establishes a statewide goal to increase above- and below-ground water storage capacity by a total of 3,700,000 acre-feet by the year 2030 and a total of 4,000,000 acre-feet by the year 2040, consistent with the August 2022 report “California’s Water Supply Strategy: Adapting to a Hotter, Drier Future” released by the Natural Resources Agency.

(b) The board, in consultation with the department, shall design and implement measures to increase statewide water storage through a variety of diversion, storage, and conveyance techniques to achieve the statewide goal to increase above- and below-ground water storage capacity, established in subdivision (a).

(c) Beginning July 1, 2027, and on or before July 1 every two years thereafter, the board, in consultation with the department, shall prepare and submit to the Legislature a report on the progress made in designing and implementing measures to increase above- and below-ground water storage capacity by a total of 3,700,000 acre-feet by the year 2030 and a total of 4,000,000 acre-feet by the year 2040.

(d) A report to be submitted pursuant to subdivision (c) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.

10609.91.

 This part shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2043, and as of that date is repealed.