Bill Text: CA SB1126 | 2017-2018 | Regular Session | Amended

California Senate Bill 1126 (Prior Session Legislation)

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

Bill Title: Upper Los Angeles River and Tributaries Working Group: river ranger program.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Passed) 2018-09-28 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 895, Statutes of 2018. [SB1126 Detail]

Download: California-2017-SB1126-Amended.html

Amended IN Senate April 18, 2018

Amended IN Senate March 20, 2018

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2017–2018 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill

No. 1126

Introduced by Senator Portantino

February 13, 2018

An act to amend Section 33220 of the Public Resources Code, relating to the Los Angeles River and tributaries, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 1126, as amended, Portantino. Upper Los Angeles River and Tributaries Working Group.

Existing law provides for the protection, enhancement, and restoration of rivers in this state. Existing law establishes the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and prescribes the membership, functions, and duties of the conservancy with regard to the acquisition, preservation, and improvement of real property within the Santa Monica Mountains zone, as defined. Existing law establishes within the conservancy the Upper Los Angeles River and Tributaries Working Group and requires, by March 1, 2019, the working group to develop, through watershed-based planning methods and community engagement, a revitalization plan for the Upper Los Angeles River, the tributaries of the Pacoima Wash, Tujunga Wash, and Verdugo Wash, and any additional tributary waterway that the working group determines to be necessary. Existing law requires the revitalization plan to address the unique and diverse needs of the Upper Los Angeles River, Pacoima Wash, Tujunga Wash, and Verdugo Wash, and the communities through which they pass, and to include watershed education programs.

This bill would specify ~~the Flint Wash and~~ the Arroyo Seco Tributary as ~~waterways~~ a waterway for the working group to include in the revitalization plan and watershed education programs. The bill would authorize the working group to include 3 members, one each from the Cities of La Cañada Flintridge, Pasadena, and South Pasadena, unless their inclusion results in a geographical imbalance of representation.

This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Vote: 2/3 Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO

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

SECTION 1.

Section 33220 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:

33220.

(a) There shall be within the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy an Upper Los Angeles River and Tributaries Working Group. The Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, in consultation with the conservancy, and, to the extent that they wish to consult, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and the City of Los Angeles, shall consider requests from local agency representatives to participate in the working group and may appoint no more than 23 representatives to the working group. The working group may include, but need not be limited to, representatives from the conservancy, the County of Los Angeles, the Cities of Burbank, Glendale, Los Angeles, and San Fernando, elected officials of the cities riparian to the Pacoima Wash and Tujunga Wash, and nonprofit organizations serving the Upper Los Angeles River, San Fernando Valley, Pacoima Wash, Tujunga Wash, and Verdugo Wash. The working group may include three members, one each from the Cities of La Cañada Flintridge, Pasadena, and South Pasadena, unless their inclusion results in a geographical imbalance of representation.

(b) On or before March 1, 2019, the working group shall develop, through watershed-based planning methods and community engagement, a revitalization plan for the Upper Los Angeles River, the tributaries of the Pacoima Wash, Tujunga Wash, and Verdugo Wash, ~~the Flint Wash,~~ the Arroyo Seco Tributary, and any additional tributary waterway that the working group determines to be necessary. The revitalization plan shall address the unique and diverse needs of the Upper Los Angeles River, Pacoima Wash, Tujunga Wash, Verdugo Wash, ~~Flint Wash,~~ and Arroyo Seco Tributary, and the communities through which they pass. The plan shall be consistent with and enhance, and may be incorporated into plans that include, but are not limited to, the County of Los Angeles’ Master Plan. The plan shall include watershed education programs that help the Upper Los Angeles River, Pacoima Wash, Tujunga Wash, Verdugo Wash, ~~Flint Wash,~~ and Arroyo Seco Tributary communities recognize the value of the waterways and the importance of protecting the river’s watershed resources and its vitality to their communities. The revitalization plan shall require a master planning process that includes community engagement and a prioritization of disadvantaged communities, identified pursuant to Section 39711 of the Health and Safety Code.

(d) The development and implementation of the revitalization plan may be eligible for funding from any public or private source, including, but not limited to, funding available pursuant to Section 79735 of the Water Code. Entities that are eligible to implement the revitalization plan include, but are not limited to, state agencies, local agencies, and nonprofit organizations, and may be eligible for state funding. An entity receiving funding to implement the revitalization plan shall submit progress reports to the conservancy that include the status of funding.

(e) The working group shall submit the revitalization plan to the conservancy for approval. Upon adoption by the conservancy, the revitalization plan shall be considered an amendment to the Watershed and Open Space Plan for the San Gabriel and Los Angeles Rivers. To the extent that the city or county wishes to consider the revitalization plan, the conservancy shall submit the plan for adoption to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for inclusion in the Master Plan of the County of Los Angeles and to the Los Angeles City Council for inclusion into the Los Angeles River Revitalization Master Plan.

SEC. 2.

This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of Article IV of the California Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are:

Due to low precipitation amounts this year and the expectation that California may be back in a drought, it is necessary to ensure the Upper Los Angeles River and Tributaries Working Group has ample time to include the Arroyo Seco Tributary ~~and the Flint Wash~~ in its revitalization plan in order to protect the watershed’s resources and its vitality to their communities. Therefore, it is necessary that this act take effect immediately.