Existing law, the Fox Canyon Groundwater Management Agency Act, creates the Fox Canyon Groundwater Management Agency and authorizes the agency to perform groundwater management activities within its boundaries. Existing law establishes a board of directors to govern the agency and authorizes the board to adopt ordinances for the purpose of regulating, conserving, managing, and controlling the use and extraction of groundwater within the territory of the agency. Existing law provides that any person who intentionally violates any provision of the act or any agency ordinance is guilty of an infraction, as prescribed, and that any person who negligently or intentionally violates any provision of the act or any agency ordinance may also be liable civilly to the agency, as specified.

This bill would authorize, for the purpose of investigating compliance with or enforcing any provisions of the act or any agency ordinance, the agency to inspect any extraction facility within the boundaries of the agency. The bill would require the inspection to be made with the consent of the operator of the extraction facility, or, if consent is refused, with a duly issued inspection warrant.

Because the willful refusal of an inspection lawfully authorized by an inspection warrant is a misdemeanor, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program by expanding the application of a crime.

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.