Santa Clara Valley Water District.

(1) The Santa Clara Valley Water District Act establishes the Santa Clara Valley Water District and specifies its powers and purposes relating to water supply and flood management. This bill would authorize the district to take actions relating to water management, water quality, and energy and environmental benefits in the district. The bill also would authorize the district to provide incentives or assistance to water retailers to implement specified water conservation measures. The bill would authorize the district to implement other measures if the implementation of those measures is a precondition for continued delivery of imported water to the district pursuant to state or federal law. (2) The act requires the district to annually prepare a written report on the district's activities in the protection and augmentation of the water supplies of the district, and requires the report to include information prescribed by the act and other information the board may order. The act requires the report to include a recommendation as to whether or not a groundwater charge should be levied in any zone or zones of the district during the ensuing water year and, if a groundwater charge is recommended, a proposal of the rate or rates per acre-foot of water, as specified. This bill would require the report to additionally include groundwater monitoring information collected by the district. The bill would revise the required groundwater charge recommendation to instead require the district to make a recommendation as to whether a groundwater charge should remain unchanged, be decreased or increased, or be newly imposed in any zone or zones of the district. (3) The act requires the board of directors of the district (board) to hold a public hearing on the annual report, and prescribes notice requirements for purposes of the public hearing. This bill would repeal that public hearing requirement and the related notice requirements. (4) The act requires the board to determine whether to levy a groundwater charge in any zone or zones prior to the end of the water year based upon findings and determinations from the public hearing on the annual report. The act sets forth various requirements relating to the calculation of groundwater charges, including a requirement that certain increases in rates be directly related to the reduction in the affected zone groundwater levels in a specified period. The act prescribes public hearing and notice requirements for the imposition of new and adjusted groundwater charges. Article XIIID of the California Constitution, which was added pursuant to the approval by the voters of Proposition 218 at the November 5, 1996, statewide general election, generally requires that assessments, fees, and charges be submitted to property owners for approval or rejection after the provision of a written notice and the holding of a public hearing. Existing provisions of the Government Code prescribe specific procedures and parameters for local jurisdictions in complying with Article XIIID of the California Constitution. This bill would repeal the public hearing and notice requirements related to groundwater charges, and would instead authorize the board to impose a groundwater charge in any zone in compliance with Article XIIID of the California Constitution and specified provisions of the Government Code. The bill would revise certain requirements relating to the calculation of groundwater charges, and would delete the requirement that certain increases in groundwater charge rates be directly related to the reduction in the affected zone groundwater levels. (5) By imposing new requirements on the district, this bill would create a state-mandated local program. (6) 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.