Water Rate Assistance Program.

Plain English Breakdown

The exact details on how the fund will be managed and guidelines created are not fully detailed in the provided official source material.

Water Rate Assistance Program

The Water Rate Assistance Program establishes a fund in the State Treasury to help low-income residents pay for water and wastewater services, contingent upon legislative appropriation.

What This Bill Does

• Establishes the Water Rate Assistance Fund in the State Treasury to provide financial assistance to low-income residential ratepayers for both water and wastewater services.
• Requires the State Water Resources Control Board to manage the fund, track its performance, and create guidelines for implementation after a public hearing.
• Allows eligible systems to confirm their eligibility through self-certification under penalty of perjury.
• Authorizes the Attorney General to take legal action against violations of program rules at the request of the state board.

Who It Names or Affects

• Low-income residential ratepayers who need help with water and wastewater bills.
• The State Water Resources Control Board, which will manage the fund and create guidelines for it.
• Eligible systems that can confirm their eligibility through self-certification under penalty of perjury.

Terms To Know

Low-income residential ratepayers

People who live in homes and have low income, making them eligible for help with water bills.

Self-certification under penalty of perjury

A process where people or systems confirm their eligibility by signing a statement that what they say is true, or they could face legal consequences.

Limits and Unknowns

• The program will only start if the Legislature provides money for it.
• No state reimbursement is required for local agencies and school districts under this act.

Official Summary Text

SB 350, as amended, Durazo.
Water Rate Assistance Program.
Existing law requires the State Water Resources Control Board to develop a plan for the funding and implementation of the Low-Income Water Rate Assistance Program. Existing law requires the plan to include, among other things, a description of the method for collecting moneys to support and implement the program and a description of the method for determining the amount of moneys that may need to be collected from water ratepayers to fund the program.
This bill would establish the Water Rate Assistance Program. As part of the program, the bill would establish the Water Rate Assistance Fund in the State Treasury, available upon appropriation by the Legislature, to provide water affordability assistance, for both residential water and wastewater services, to low-income residential ratepayers, as specified. The bill would require the state board
to take various actions in administering the fund, including, among other things, tracking and managing revenue in the fund separately from all other revenue. The bill would require the state board, in consultation with relevant agencies and after a public hearing, to adopt guidelines for implementation of the program and to adopt an annual report to be posted on the state board’s internet website identifying how the fund has performed, as specified. The bill would require the guidelines to include minimum requirements for eligible systems, including the ability to confirm eligibility for enrollment through a request for self-certification of eligibility under penalty of perjury. By expanding the crime of perjury, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require the state board to take various actions in administering the program, including, but not limited to, providing guidance, oversight, and funding for low-income rate assistance for residential ratepayers of eligible systems.
The bill would authorize the Attorney General, at the request of the state board, to bring an action in state court to restrain the use of any method, act, or practice in violation of these provisions, except as provided. The bill would make the implementation of all of these provisions contingent upon an appropriation by the Legislature.
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.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF