Department of Water Resources: reporting requirements: civil penalties.

Existing law establishes in the Natural Resources Agency the Department of Water Resources, which is under the control of the Director of Water Resources. Existing law requires specified plans and reports relating to water management to be provided to the department. This bill would require the department to impose a civil penalty on an entity that fails to file with the department a specified report or plan by the deadline required for that particular report or plan, as provided. The bill would authorize the department to reduce or waive the civil penalty under certain circumstances. The bill would require the department, not later than February 1, 2021, and not later than February 1 each year thereafter, to prepare and submit a report to specified legislative committees listing each entity that, during the preceding calendar year, failed to timely file a report or plan subject to the civil penalties imposed by this bill. The bill would establish the Department of Water Resources Reporting Penalties Account in the General Fund, would require moneys recovered from the civil penalties imposed by the department to be deposited in the account, and would make those moneys available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for the costs of administering the bill's provisions.