AB 2483: Proposed revisions to District Act
In 1951 the Legislature passed what is now known as the Santa Clara Valley Water District Act. The District Act has been amended many times over the years but has never been comprehensively updated. In 2008, the District held a series of meetings throughout Santa Clara County to solicit public input on potential changes to the Act. That input guided the development of AB 2483. Briefly, AB 2483 would amend the District Act to:
- Add accountability and transparency by providing clearer noticing to the public and greater opportunity for public input, and by making the groundwater charge-setting process more transparent;
- Generally clarify confusing, redundant, and ambiguous language, and create a cohesive statutory approach that is understandable to the public;
- Strengthen the District’s ability to manage local water resources by providing stronger, more proactive conservation tools; amplifying the District’s authority with respect to water quality protection, and providing a permit system to regulate detrimental exportation of water;
- Modernize the Act by adding climate change language and updating it to reflect current realities, rather than the circumstances which existed 59 years ago.
Documents:
1) AB 2483 White Paper
2) AB 2483 Summary Table
3) AB 2483 Bill Amended
4) AB 2483 Language as Introduced
5) Survey of Santa Clara County General Public on the Responsibilities of the SCVWD
District Act
The Santa Clara Valley Water District was created by an act of the California Legislature, and operates as a state of California Special District, with jurisdiction throughout Santa Clara County.
................................
The District Act was amended in October 2009 with the passage of AB 466. The bill was an act “to amend Sections 13.2 and 20 of, to add Sections 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, 7.8, 7.9, 7.10, 7.11, and 8 to, and to repeal and add Sections 7, 7.1, and 7.3 of, the Santa Clara Valley Water District Act (Chapter 1405 of the Statutes of 1951), relating to the Santa Clara Valley Water District.”
Complete text of the law (Chapter 443, Statutes of 2009) is available here on the Official California Legislation website. (Link takes you to http://www.leginfo.ca.gov)
................................
The introductory paragraph of the original legislation reads:
"An act to create a flood control district to be called Santa Clara County Flood Control and Water District; to provide for the control and conservation of flood and storm waters and the protection of watercourses, watersheds, public highways, life and property from damage or destruction from such waters; to provide for the acquisition, retention, and reclaiming of drainage, storm, flood, and other waters and to save, conserve, and distribute such waters for beneficial use in said district; to authorize the incurring of indebtedness, the issuance and sale of bonds, and the levying and collection of taxes and assessments on property within said district and in the respective zones thereof; to define the powers of said district; to provide for the government, management, and operation of said district and for the acquisition and construction of property and works to carry out the purposes of the district, declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately. The name of the Santa Clara County Flood Control and Water District Act was changed to the Santa Clara Valley Water District. "