SB 672 (Machado) SB 672 requires the state to include in the California Water Plan, which is prepared every five years, a report on the development of regional and local water projects, within each region. Projects that use technologies such as desalinization, reclamation, and recycling will be included in the report. This is important because the capability of better utilizing all water sources, such as rainfall, snow melt, surface water, groundwater, ocean water or reclaimed wastewater, is a reality that can help these regions meet their own water needs without having to look elsewhere for water supplies.

SB 1062 (Poochigian) Senate Bill 1062 by Sen. Charles Poochigian requires the Department of Water Resources (DWR) to include various strategies for meeting the state's water supply needs in its updates to the California Water Plan. It also establishes an advisory committee to help DWR update the plan. SB 1062 describes California's need for reliable water supplies, estimates of expected population growth, and the integral role water conservation, recycling, conjunctive use, desalination, and water storage play in meeting those needs. SB 1062 requires DWR to include a discussion of various strategies and the potential advantages and disadvantages of the strategies that may be pursued in meeting the state's water supply needs in its update of Bulletin 160. Additionally the update must identify all federal and state permits, approvals or entitlements that might be required in order to implement the strategies. This narrative will serve as the basis for future informed discussions and decisions regarding California's water plan. Finally, SB 1062 requires DWR to establish an advisory committee, comprised of representatives of agricultural and urban water suppliers, local government, business, production agriculture, environmental interests, and other interested parties, to assist in the updating of Bulletin 160.

AB 2587 (Matthews) AB 2587 requires the California Department of Water Resources to consider scenarios in the California Water Plan Update that are consistent with substantial continued agricultural production in California. A key phrase in the law is that "neither the state nor the nation should be allowed to become dependent upon a net import of foreign food." In particular, the law specifies that DWR consider scenarios under which agricultural production in California is sufficient to assure that California is a net food exporter and that the net shipments out of state are enough to cover 25 percent of "table food" use in United States plus "growth in export markets." The 25 percent share is taken to be the traditional share from California.

The Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act The Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act (Section 13141, California Water Code) is California's comprehensive water quality control law and is a complete regulatory program designed to protect water quality and beneficial uses of the state's water. It requires the adoption of water quality control plans (basin plans) by the State's nine Regional Water Quality Control Boards (Regional Water Boards) for watersheds within their regions. The basin plans are reviewed triennially and amended as necessary by the Regional Water Boards, subject to the approval of the California Office of Administrative Law, the State Water Board and ultimately the federal EPA. Moreover, pursuant to Porter-Cologne, these basin plans shall become part of the California Water Plan, when such plans have been reported to the Legislature.

Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act The Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act governs notice and open meeting requirements for state bodies and is given as it appeared on January 1, 2002. The act declares, "It is the public policy of this state that public agencies exist to aid in the conduct of the people's business and the proceedings of public agencies be conducted openly so that the public may remain informed."