SACRAMENTO – As California’s historic drought continues, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced that he has signed the following bills to help boost water conservation, strengthen groundwater management and improve water quality:
– AB 142 by Assemblymember Frank Bigelow (R-O’Neals) – Wild and scenic rivers: Mokelumne River.
– AB 401 by Assemblymember Bill Dodd (D-Napa) – Low-Income Water Rate Assistance Program. A signing message can be found here.
– AB 434 by Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia (D-Coachella) – Drinking water: point-of-entry and point-of-use treatment.
– AB 496 by Assemblymember Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) – Pupil nutrition: fresh drinking water: funding.
– AB 530 by Assemblymember Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) – Lower Los Angeles River Working Group.
– AB 606 by Assemblymember Marc B. Levine (D-San Rafael) – Water conservation.
– AB 617 by Assemblymember Henry T. Perea (D-Fresno) – Groundwater.
– AB 939 by Assemblymember Rudy Salas Jr. (D-Bakersfield) – Groundwater sustainability agencies.
– AB 965 by Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia (D-Coachella) – California and Mexico border: water resources improvement.
– AB 1077 by Assemblymember Chris Holden (D-Pasadena) – Mutual water companies: open meetings.
– AB 1119 by Assemblymember Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) – Public utilities: municipal corporations: rights of way.
– AB 1164 by Assemblymember Mike Gatto (D-Glendale) – Water conservation: drought tolerant landscaping.
– AB 1390 by Assemblymember Luis Alejo (D-Watsonville) – Groundwater: comprehensive adjudication.
– AB 1531 by the Committee on Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials – State Water Resources Control Board.
– SB 144 by Senator Richard Pan (D-Sacramento) – Water development projects: Sacramento-San Joaquin watersheds.
– SB 208 by Senator Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) – Integrated regional water management plans: grants: advanced payment.
– SB 226 by Senator Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills) – Sustainable Groundwater Management Act: groundwater adjudication.
– SB 355 by Senator Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) – San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy.
– SB 485 by Senator Ed Hernandez (D-Azusa) – County of Los Angeles: sanitation districts.
– SB 555 by Senator Lois Wolk (D-Davis) – Urban retail water suppliers: water loss management.
– SB 637 by Senator Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica) – Suction dredge mining: permits.
– SB 664 by Senator Robert M. Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys) – Water: urban water management planning.
– SB 758 by Senator Marty Block (D-San Diego) – Atmospheric Rivers: Research, Mitigation, and Climate Forecasting Program.
– SB 798 by the Committee on Natural Resources and Water – Natural resources.
For full text of the bills, visit: http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
California’s Drought Response
In April, Governor Brown announced the first-ever 25 percent statewide mandatory water reductions and a series of actions to help save water, increase enforcement to prevent wasteful water use, streamline the state’s drought response and invest in new technologies that will make California more drought resilient. Californians have responded with unprecedented conservation efforts, exceeding the Governor’s water reduction order in each of the past three months.
To date, guided by the California Water Action Plan, the state has committed hundreds of millions of dollars – including Water Bond funds – to emergency drought relief, disaster assistance, water conservation and infrastructure projects across the state. Efforts are also underway to establish a framework for sustainable, local groundwater management for the first time in California’s history based on legislation signed by Governor Brown last year.
Throughout the year, Governor Brown has convened mayors, business leaders and top agricultural, environmental and urban water agency officials from across California to discuss the state’s drought and conservation efforts.
To learn more about the state’s drought response, visit: Drought.CA.Gov. Every Californian should take steps to conserve water. Find out how at SaveOurWater.com.