Legislative Interests
Legislative Interests
Each legislative session, EMWD staff commits to State and Federal legislative priorities and strategies that are developed with careful consideration of EMWD’s mission statement, guiding principles and strategic plan.
EMWD feels strongly about educating and keeping customers informed of issues affecting them. The legislative items listed below consist of proposed legislation that may directly affect customers.
EMWD’s State and Federal Legislative Priorities and Strategy
EMWD’s State and Federal Legislative Priorities and Strategy document provides guidance for staff to properly establish and allocate resources for EMWD’s federal and state legislative program.
The overall strategy for the first year of the 2019-2020 legislative session is to ensure and enhance EMWD’s operations and efficiency through the support or opposition of relevant legislation or policy initiatives.
Read EMWD’s 2019 State and Federal Legislative Priorities and Strategy, and Policy Principles
Service Area Legislators
EMWD’s service area is represented by a number of regional, state and federal legislators. If you live in the EMWD service area, contact information is provided for your legislators.
Are you located outside EMWD’s service area? Click here to find your local legislator.
Senate Bill 414 (Caballero) – The Small System Water Authority Act of 2019
Addressing Governance Reform, Without a Statewide Water Tax
Legislative Update as of May 24, 2019
SB 414 has passed out of the Senate, unopposed, and is headed to the Assembly where it will be taken up in two policy committees and then the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
We are excited that our Senate leadership supports this sustainable and responsible approach to the provision of safe drinking water for all Californians. But the conversation is not over! As SB 414 makes its way to the Assembly, we must continue education efforts regarding this #BetterSolution that does not require a statewide tax on water that will impact your pocketbook.
Background
EMWD believes that failing systems need a sustainable approach to operate safely and responsibly, and WITHOUT the need for a permanent statewide water tax. Senate Bill 414 can help provide all Californians with access to safe and reliable drinking water, now and into the future.
- SB 414 Legislative Fact Sheet (May 2019)
- SB 414 SAMPLE Support Letter
- Read more
- Support a Better Solution (Infographic)
- SB 414/SB 669 - A Dual-Approach (Infographic)
- SB 414 Legislative Fact Sheet
- Safe Drinking Water Trust (Website)
- One less tax. California lawmakers move to reject Gavin Newsom’s water fee (The Sacramento Bee)
- There is nothing ‘fresh’ about a new water tax (Orange County Register Article)
California WaterFix
What’s the California WaterFix?
About 30 percent of the water that flows out of taps in Southern California comes from Northern California via the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. State and federal agencies want to modernize the water system by building three new intake points in the northern Delta along with two tunnels to convey water to the existing aqueduct system in the southern Delta.