Bill Dodd
- Democratic
- Senator
- District 3
Author
Existing law, the California Safe Drinking Water Act, requires the State Water Resources Control Board to administer provisions relating to the regulation of drinking water to protect public health. Existing law declares it to be the established policy of the state that every human being has the right to safe, clean, affordable, and accessible water adequate for human consumption, cooking, and sanitary purposes. Existing law requires the state board, by January 1, 2018, to develop a plan for the funding and implementation of the Low-Income Water Rate Assistance Program, as prescribed. Existing law requires the state board, by February 1, 2018, to report to the Legislature on its findings regarding the feasibility, financial stability, and desired structure of the program, including any recommendations for legislative action that may need to be taken. This bill would establish the Water Rate Assistance Fund in the State Treasury to help provide water affordability assistance, for both drinking water and wastewater services, to low-income residential ratepayers. The bill would make moneys in the fund available upon appropriation by the Legislature to the state board to provide, in consultation with relevant agencies, direct water bill assistance to low-income residential ratepayers served by eligible systems, as defined, and would require 80% of total expenditures from the fund to be directly applied to residential ratepayer accounts. The bill would require the state board, to the extent feasible, cost effective, and permitted under the California Constitution, to identify and contract with one or more third-party providers. The bill would impose requirements on the state board in connection with the program, including, among others, within 270 days of the effective date, as defined, adopting guidelines in consultation with relevant agencies and an advisory group for implementation of the program and preparing a report to be posted on state board's internet website identifying how the fund has performed. The bill would require the guidelines to include minimum requirements for eligible systems, including the ability to confirm eligibility for enrollment through a request for self-certification of eligibility under penalty of perjury. By expanding the crime of perjury, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require, within 365 days of the effective date, the Public Utilities Commission to establish a mechanism for electrical corporations and gas corporations to, and would authorize the state board or third-party providers to enter into agreements with local publicly owned electric utilities and local publicly owned gas utilities to, regularly share specified customer data with the state board or third-party providers, subject to certain protections. The bill would require the state board to, among other things, coordinate with the commission to align criteria between all existing water rate assistance programs offered by investor-owned utilities and to ensure timely processing of payments to investor-owned utilities. The bill would make the operation of these provisions contingent on an appropriation in the annual Budget Act or another statute for these purposes. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
In Senate. Consideration of Governor's veto pending.
Vetoed by the Governor.
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3:30 p.m.
Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 31. Noes 8. Page 5312.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate.
In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
Ordered to third reading.
Read third time and amended.
Ordered to third reading.
Read third time and amended.
Ordered to third reading.
Read third time and amended.
Ordered to third reading.
From inactive file.
Notice of intention to remove from inactive file given by Assembly Member Robert Rivas.
Ordered to inactive file on request of Assembly Member Robert Rivas.
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 13. Noes 3.) (August 26).
August 19 set for first hearing. Placed on suspense file.
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (June 30).
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on U. & E.
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on U. & E. (Ayes 7. Noes 2.) (June 16). Re-referred to Com. on U. & E.
Referred to Coms. on E.S. & T.M. and U. & E.
In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 31. Noes 7. Page 1319.) Ordered to the Assembly.
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 5. Noes 2. Page 1183.) (May 20).
Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
Set for hearing May 20.
May 17 hearing: Placed on APPR suspense file.
Set for hearing May 17.
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 2. Page 985.) (April 29).
Set for hearing April 29.
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on E.Q.
From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on E.Q. (Ayes 11. Noes 2. Page 755.) (April 12).
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on E., U. & C.
Set for hearing April 12.
March 15 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author.
Set for hearing March 15.
Re-referred to Coms. on E., U. & C. and E.Q.
Withdrawn from committee.
Referral to Com. on JUD. rescinded because of the limitations placed on committee hearings due to ongoing health and safety risks of the COVID-19 virus.
Referred to Coms. on EQ., E., U. & C., and JUD.
From printer. May be acted upon on or after February 14.
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
| Bill Text Versions | Format |
|---|---|
| SB222 | HTML |
| 01/14/21 - Introduced | |
| 04/05/21 - Amended Senate | |
| 04/20/21 - Amended Senate | |
| 05/03/21 - Amended Senate | |
| 05/20/21 - Amended Senate | |
| 06/17/21 - Amended Assembly | |
| 07/05/21 - Amended Assembly | |
| 07/15/21 - Amended Assembly | |
| 08/30/21 - Amended Assembly | |
| 06/23/22 - Amended Assembly | |
| 08/11/22 - Amended Assembly | |
| 08/24/22 - Amended Assembly | |
| 09/01/22 - Enrolled |
| Document | Format |
|---|---|
| 04/09/21- Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications | |
| 04/28/21- Senate Environmental Quality | |
| 05/14/21- Senate Appropriations | |
| 05/20/21- Senate Appropriations | |
| 05/25/21- Sen. Floor Analyses | |
| 06/11/21- Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials | |
| 06/29/21- Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy | |
| 08/16/21- Assembly Appropriations | |
| 08/31/21- ASSEMBLY FLOOR ANALYSIS | |
| 06/24/22- ASSEMBLY FLOOR ANALYSIS | |
| 08/12/22- ASSEMBLY FLOOR ANALYSIS | |
| 08/24/22- ASSEMBLY FLOOR ANALYSIS | |
| 08/29/22- Sen. Floor Analyses | |
| 10/12/22- Sen. Floor Analyses |
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