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June 6, 2014
Letters Needed on ACWA-Supported Water Bond Principles
Final Vehicle Expected to Emerge for Vote after State Budget Passes
The next four weeks will be critical to the success of a water bond in 2014.
Legislative leaders in both the Assembly and Senate are now engaging in the water bond discussion, and negotiations are taking place in both houses to determine which bills will emerge as the main vehicle in each house.
ACWA continues to support two bills that closely align with ACWA’s Board-approved principles for a 2014 water bond – AB 2686 by Assembly Member Henry Perea (D-Fresno) and SB 1250 by Sen. Ben Hueso.
ACWA has an oppose-unless-amended position on the other two primary bond bills – AB 1331 by Assembly Member Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) and SB 848 by Sen. Lois Wolk (D-Davis) – because they fall short of our “must-have” criteria and contain policy elements we do not support.
At this writing, the Senate discussions are focused on SB 848. Sen. Wolk is likely to amend her bill soon and take it up on the Senate floor. Although the new version of the bill may include some positive elements from SB 848 and SB 1250, it is expected to have some problematic language as well (e.g., new bureaucratic hurdles for Integrated Regional Water Management Program funding), and ACWA and its members will need to oppose the bill. It is yet to be determined which bill will be the Assembly vehicle, and what language it will include.
The association is working with coalition partners to ensure that key elements of the Perea and Hueso bills are incorporated into the ultimate bond vehicles and problematic provisions are left out.
To help create a groundswell of support for bond elements that align with the association’s principles, ACWA is urging all member agencies to send letters at this time to their Senate and Assembly members asking them to support inclusion of ACWA’s must-have principles in the final bond vehicles.
A sample letter and further details are below.
Timing
Legislative leaders are interested in seeing definitive action on a bond bill after the state budget is completed in mid-June (constitutional deadline is June 15) and before the Legislature adjourns for summer recess on July 3.
The governor has yet to weigh in on the water bond discussion, but he may do so after the budget is done.
State officials have said the deadline for legislative action on the bond is June 26 to allow time for changes to the November 2014 ballot pamphlet. That deadline, however, has been extended into July in past years.
As a reminder, the existing $11.14 billion water bond will remain on the November ballot unless the Legislature approves legislation to remove or modify it by a two-thirds vote and the governor signs it. ACWA supports the existing $11.14 billion bond, but believes some modifications are needed to aid its passage this fall.
Action Requested
The need for a comprehensive water bond has never been more urgent. California remains locked in a severe drought, and public awareness and concern about water are at an all-time high. Now is the time to act.
ACWA is asking its members to send letters to their legislators urging that any final bill on a water bond be consistent with ACWA’s principles, which include the following:
- Eliminate earmarks that allocate funds for specific projects without a competitive process
- Provide $3 billion continuously appropriated for surface and groundwater storage, with the language from the storage chapter in the existing bond with updated dates.
- Fund Delta sustainability at levels identified in the 2009 legislative package ($2.25 billion)
- Provide substantial funding for:
- Safe drinking water for disadvantaged communities
- Local resources development projects, including Integrated Regional Water Management programs, recycling and water conservation
- Groundwater cleanup
- Watershed protection
In addition, ACWA wants to ensure that the bond legislation does not create any new burdens or costs for implementing local resources strategies or include provisions that make programs more bureaucratic. Finally, the legal status of the water bond or the issuance of the bonds it authorizes should not be made contingent on passage of groundwater legislation. (ACWA wants good groundwater legislation to be enacted this year, but the outcome on groundwater legislation should not control the availability of critical water bond funding.)
Letters should be sent as soon as possible and no later than June 13.
ACWA also is asking its members to be ready to respond to future alerts on specific bills as things really start moving in the next few weeks.
See attached sample letter for further details.
Take Action Now
Please take the following action to ensure ACWA’s must-have principles are included in any final water bond bills.
- Click this “Take Action Now” link to edit and send the sample letter below to your Senate and Assembly members. Please be sure to edit the sections of the letter referencing your agency name. Letter should be sent to no later than June 13.
Please be sure to send a copy of your letters to ACWA by emailing to mariem@acwa.com.
Sample Support Letter on ACWA’s Water Bond Principles
June <Date>, 2014
The Honorable <Insert Name Here>
State Capitol, Room <Insert #>
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: Support for Key Elements in a 2014 Water Bond
Dear <Assembly Member / Senator Insert Name>,
On behalf of <Insert Agency Name Here>, I am writing to express our strong support for the Legislature coming together to enact a modified 2014 water bond by the end of June.
The need for a comprehensive water bond has never been more urgent. California remains locked in a severe drought, and public awareness and concern about water are at an all-time high. Now is the time to act and place a responsible bond before voters this November.
<Insert Agency Name Here> strongly supports must-have water bond elements identified by the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA), and we urge you to ensure that any final water bond legislation be consistent with the following ACWA water bond principles:
- Eliminate earmarks that allocate funds for specific projects without a competitive process
- Provide $3 billion continuously appropriated for surface and groundwater storage , with the language from the storage chapter in the existing bond with updated dates.
- Fund Delta sustainability at levels identified in 2009 legislative package ($2.25 billion)
- Provide substantial funding for:
- Safe drinking water for disadvantaged communities
- Local resources development projects, including Integrated Regional Water Management programs, recycling and water conservation
- Groundwater cleanup
- Watershed protection
In addition, we urge you to ensure that the final bond legislation does not create any new burdens or costs for implementing local resources strategies or include provisions that make programs more bureaucratic. Finally, the legal status of the water bond or the issuance of the bonds it authorizes should not be made contingent on the passage of groundwater legislation.
<Insert Agency Name Here> encourages all members of the Legislature to work together on a bipartisan basis to advance a successful bond this year. We respectfully request your support for the ACWA water bond principles when a final water bond bill emerges in the coming weeks.
Sincerely,
Name
Position
Agency Name
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