An act to add Section 5.1 to the Merced County Flood Control District Act (Chapter 1311 of the Statutes of 1982), and repeal Section 1061 of the Water Code, relating to water.
Summary
AB 2639 would amend the Merced County Flood Control District Act to require the Merced County Flood Control District to coordinate its flood control planning and emergency response operations with other local agencies that are wholly or partly within Merced County. Those agencies include cities and districts with responsibilities for surface water management or flood control. The bill is focused on improving interagency coordination for flood and stormwater management within the county.
The bill also includes a standard state-mandated local program reimbursement provision. If the Commission on State Mandates determines that the new coordination requirement creates reimbursable state-mandated costs, the state would reimburse local agencies and school districts under existing Government Code procedures. In addition, the bill expresses legislative intent to pursue future legislation aimed at protecting disadvantaged communities from flooding.
Impact
The bill would add a new section to the Merced County Flood Control District Act, creating an explicit legal duty for the district to coordinate with other local flood-control and surface-water agencies in Merced County. This would expand the district’s statutory obligations and could affect how local flood planning, response, and interagency communication are organized. Because the bill imposes a new requirement on a local district, it is classified as a state-mandated local program, with potential reimbursement obligations if costs are found reimbursable under state mandate law.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests broad support and little opposition. The bill passed committee unanimously in the Assembly with a 10-0 vote and later advanced from committee in the Senate side with a 6-0 vote, indicating a generally favorable view of the measure. No committee transcript objections are provided, and the bill appears to have moved forward without recorded controversy in the available materials.
Contention
The main substantive issue is not whether flood coordination is desirable, but whether the state should require a local district to take on additional coordination duties and potentially incur reimbursable costs. Any concern would likely center on local administrative burden, implementation costs, and the scope of the new coordination mandate for the Merced County Flood Control District and nearby agencies. The bill’s reference to future legislation on disadvantaged communities and flooding suggests broader policy goals, but no specific opposition to that intent is reflected in the available record.