The need for increased investment in the infrastructure that supplies safe, clean, and reliable water has never been more critical. Just as COVID-19 is the most severe and disruptive health…
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Advocacy
Representing Regional Needs on Legislative and Regulatory Policies
In 2013, the Regional Water Authority Board of Directors approved a five-year strategic plan. A key component of the plan was advocacy. The Board’s goal: Ensure that regional needs and concerns are positively represented on legislative and regulatory policies and actions. To achieve this goal, RWA launched the Advocacy Program and dedicated resources to a contract lobbyist and staffing for the program. Since 2015, RWA members have worked together to develop the program by creating a structure, identifying priorities, setting goals and engaging members in a vision. In 2016, RWA launched the program on a subscription basis. In 2019, the Advocacy Program embarked as a permanent program offered to members. The transition was testament to the program’s accomplishments and results.
2020 Legislative Session
COVID-19 and related actions to address the disease have caused the Legislature to recess for an indeterminate period of time. It is likely that the Legislature will remain on recess until larger public health related restrictions are lifted across the state. This recess has disrupted the typical legislative calendar, and it is not currently known to what extent legislation will progress or under what timelines. Despite that uncertainty RWA continues to work on and take positions on bills. Please see the a current list of bills with a formal position through the link below. Additionally, please check back for updates on these bills, and what the legislative process will look like for the remainder of the 2020 session.
AB 60 Support If Amended AB 217 Oppose Unless Amended AB 296 Support Letter AB 402 Oppose Unless Amended AB 533 Support Letter AB 756 Oppose Letter
SB 1 Coalition Letter Oppose Unless Amended SB 19 Support Letter SB 134 Support Letter SB 200 Support Letter SB 487 Support Letter SB 669 Support Letter
Read RWA’s Federal Legislative Platform (approved by the RWA Board on March 19, 2020) Read RWA’s priority issues and policy principles (approved by the RWA Board on January 9, 2020) Read the 2019 Advocacy Program Highlights
For information about RWA’s Advocacy Program, contact Ryan Ojakian, Legislative and Regulatory Affairs Manager.
Legislative and Regulatory News
The Regional Water Authority Federal Legislative Platform was approved by the Board on March 19, 2020.
The 2019 Advocacy Program Report is now available for downloading. The report reviews the year’s advocacy priorities, legislative highlights and outcomes. You can find it here.
The Regional Water Authority, which represents more than two dozen water providers and affiliates in the greater Sacramento region, issued the following statement regarding the executive order from Governor Gavin…
On February 19, 2019 the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) accepted comments on their draft “Framework and Tool for Evaluating California’s Progress in Achieving the Human Right to…
On February 1, 2019 the Water Resources Control Board accepted comments on their draft water affordability report issued as required by AB 401 (Dodd, Chapter 662, Statutes of 2015). The…
The Regional Water Authority (RWA) is pleased to announce that Ryan Ojakian has joined as Legislative and Regulatory Affairs Program Manager. Ojakian brings more than a decade of experience working…
The Regional Water Authority joins more than 200 water providers, cities, business organizations and others to oppose Senate Bill 845 by Sen. Bill Monning, a newly amended proposal to add…
Below are links to presentations from the March 15, 2018 symposium on Making Safe, Clean, Affordable and Accessible Water a Reality in California. You can read an overview of the event…
