Water district directors: compensation., the official text

An act to amend, repeal, and add Section 20202 of the Water Code, relating to water.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

Existing law authorizes a water district, as defined, to adopt an ordinance that provides compensation to members of the governing board, as specified. Existing law prohibits a water district from adopting an ordinance that compensates members of the governing board for more than a total of 10 days in any calendar month.
This bill would, until January 1, 2032, authorize a water district that has at least 90,000 residents within its jurisdiction to adopt an ordinance that compensates members of the governing board for up to a total of 15 days in any calendar month, but would require the members of the governing board of a water district that compensates its members for more than 10 days in a calendar month to annually adopt a written policy describing, based on a finding supported by substantial evidence, why providing compensation for more than 10 days per calendar month is necessary for the effective operation of the water district.

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

SECTION 1.
Section 20202 of the Water Code is amended to read:
20202.
(a) An ordinance, adopted pursuant to this chapter, to increase the amount of compensation that may be received by members of the governing board of a water district above the amount of one hundred dollars ($100) per day may not exceed an amount equal to 5 percent, for each calendar year following the operative date of the last adjustment, of the compensation that is received when the ordinance is adopted.
(b) No ordinance adopted pursuant to this chapter shall authorize compensation for more than a total of 10 days in any calendar month, except as otherwise provided in subdivision (c).
(c) No ordinance adopted pursuant to this chapter by a water district that has at least 90,000 residents within its jurisdiction shall authorize compensation for more than a total of 15 days in any calendar month.
(d) If a water district compensates its members for more than 10 days in a calendar month pursuant to subdivision (c), the members of the governing board of the water district shall annually adopt a written policy describing, based on a finding supported by substantial evidence, why providing compensation for more than 10 days per calendar month is necessary for the effective operation of the water district.
(e) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2032, and as of that date is repealed.

SEC. 2.
Section 20202 is added to the Water Code, to read:
20202.
(a) In any ordinance adopted pursuant to this chapter to increase the amount of compensation which may be received by members of the governing board of a water district above the amount of one hundred dollars ($100) per day, the increase may not exceed an amount equal to 5 percent, for each calendar year following the operative date of the last adjustment, of the compensation which is received when the ordinance is adopted.
(b) No ordinance adopted pursuant to this chapter shall authorize compensation for more than a total of 10 days in any calendar month.
(c) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2032.