There is a concerted effort underway to enact, prior to the end of the 2014 Legislative Session, significant changes to groundwater management law.  The two legislative vehicles are SB 1168 (Pavley) and AB 1739 (Dickinson).  As most recently amended, the subject matter has been split between the two bills.  

SB 1168  (as amended August 19, 2014) now contains general provisions relating to sustainable groundwater management, exceptions for specified adjudicated basins, related definitions, a process by which basin boundaries can be adjusted, rules for the establishment of groundwater management agencies, a description of the powers and authorities of groundwater sustainability agencies, and requirements for groundwater sustainability plans, among other things.

AB 1739 (as amended August 18, 2014) provides specific authority to groundwater sustainability agencies to impose certain fees, as well as providing fee authority for the Department of Water Resources and the State Water Resources Control Board.  AB 1739 also establishes groundwater extraction reporting for probationary basins and basins without a groundwater sustainability agency, specifies the enforcement powers of a groundwater sustainability agency, and establishes the state intervention process for when local efforts are judged inadequate, among other things.     

The text of SB 1168 and related information can be accessed here.  The text of AB 1739 and related information can be accessed here.

A key county concern has been the potential impact of groundwater management legislation on local land use authority.  RCRC and CSAC have taken an Oppose Unless Amended position on both bills, and have been actively seeking amendments.  A number of amendments previously advocated for appear in one form or another in the two bills as amended.  However, new and unresolved issues remain.  The August 21, 2014 RCRC and CSAC joint oppose unless amended letter can be accessed here.

SB 1168 is on the Assembly Floor and AB 1739 is on the Senate Floor.  A least one more set of amendments to the bills are anticipated.