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SB-789 Low-Income Water Rate Assistance Program.(2021-2022)



Current Version: 03/10/21 - Amended Senate

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SB789:v98#DOCUMENT

Amended  IN  Senate  March 10, 2021

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2021–2022 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill
No. 789

Introduced by Senator Rubio

February 19, 2021

An act to amend Section 2000 of the Elections Code, relating to elections. An act to add Section 189.6 to the Water Code, relating to water.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


SB 789, as amended, Rubio. Elections: voter eligibility. Low-Income Water Rate Assistance Program.
Existing law requires the State Water Resources Control Board, by January 1, 2018, and in collaboration with specified entities, to develop a plan for the funding and implementation of the Low-Income Water Rate Assistance Program. Existing law authorizes the board to consider existing rate assistance programs authorized by the Public Utilities Commission in developing the plan, and authorizes the plan to include recommendations for other cost-effective methods of offering assistance to low-income water customers.
This bill would require the board to administer the program, upon appropriation by the Legislature. The bill would limit eligibility for the program to a person that is both a low-income water customer and financially affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Existing law provides that every person who qualifies under the California Constitution and complies with the voter registration requirements under the Elections Code is eligible to vote at any election held within the territory within which the person resides and the election is held.

This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to these provisions.

Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: NOYES   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Section 189.6 is added to the Water Code, to read:

189.6.
 (a) The program shall be administered by the board, upon appropriation by the Legislature.
(b) In order to be eligible for the program, a person shall be both of the following:
(1) A low-income water customer.
(2) Financially affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
(c) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:
(1) “Board” means the State Water Resources Control Board.
(2) “Low-income” means a household with income that is equal to or no greater than 200 percent of the federal poverty guideline level. For one-person households, program eligibility shall be based on two-person household guideline levels.
(3) “Program” means the Low-Income Water Rate Assistance Program.

SECTION 1.Section 2000 of the Elections Code is amended to read:
2000.

(a)A person who qualifies under Section 2 of Article II of the California Constitution and who complies with this code governing the registration of electors may vote at an election held within the territory within which the person resides and the election is held.

(b)A person who will be at least 18 years of age at the time of the next election is eligible to register and vote at that election.

(c)Pursuant to Section 2102, a person who is at least 16 years of age and otherwise meets all eligibility requirements to vote is eligible to preregister to vote, but is not eligible to vote until the person is 18 years of age.