Water theft: irrigation districts.

Existing law authorizes the legislative body of a local agency, as defined, that provides water services to adopt an ordinance that prohibits water theft, as defined, subject to an administrative fine or penalty, as specified. Existing law requires the local agency to adopt an ordinance that sets forth the administrative procedures governing the imposition, enforcement, collection, and administrative review of the administrative fines or penalties for water theft and to establish a process for granting a hardship waiver to reduce the amount of the fine, as specified. Existing law, the Irrigation District Law, provides for the formation of irrigation districts with prescribed powers. This bill would authorize irrigation districts, as defined, to impose fines or penalties for water theft in accordance with both of the above-described provisions, and would provide that the above-specified provisions do not cap or limit the fines that an irrigation district may impose in accordance with the Irrigation District Law.