AB 2555: Building standards: water conserving plumbing fixtures.

Session Year: 2015-2016
House: Assembly

Version:

The California Building Standards Law provides for the adoption of building standards by state agencies by requiring all state agencies that adopt or propose adoption of any building standard to submit the building standard to the California Building Standards Commission for approval and adoption. Existing law requires the commission to publish, or cause to be published, editions of the California Building Standards Code in its entirety once every 3 years. Existing law requires the California Building Standards Commission to, among other things, research and assist in the development of mandatory green building standards for the installation of recycled water systems for newly constructed commercial and public buildings, as specified.

This bill would require the California Building Standards Commission to develop regulations and mandatory building standards for the installation of water conserving plumbing fixtures, as defined, in existing nonresidential and public buildings, including installation in all nonresidential buildings by January 1, 2022.

(1)The California Endangered Species Act requires the Fish and Game Commission to establish a list of endangered species and a list of threatened species, and requires the department to recommend, and the commission to adopt, criteria for determining if a species is endangered or threatened. Under the act, an interested person may petition the commission to add a species to, or remove a species from, either the list of endangered species or the list of threatened species, and existing law requires the commission to consider the petition at a meeting, as prescribed. Existing law, until January 1, 2017, establishes additional procedures for the review of a petition, including public hearings and public comment.

This bill would extend those procedures indefinitely.

(2)Existing law requires the Department of Fish and Wildlife to develop and implement a recovery strategy pilot program for coho salmon. Existing law repeals the authority for the pilot program on January 1, 2017, but requires any recovery strategy that has been approved or implemented prior to that date to remain in effect.

The bill would extend these provisions until January 1, 2020.

(3)Existing law generally prohibits a person from possessing, importing, shipping, or transporting in the state, or from placing, planting, or causing to be placed or planted in any water within the state, dreissenid mussels, and authorizes the Director of Fish and Game or his or her designee to engage in various enforcement activities. Existing law provides that a person who violates or resists, delays, obstructs, or interferes with the implementation of these provisions is subject to a penalty, in an amount not to exceed $1,000, that is imposed administratively by the department. Existing law exempts certain entities from enforcement activities, or from civil or criminal liability, under prescribed circumstances. These provisions are repealed on January 1, 2017.

This bill would extend these provisions to January 1, 2020.

Under existing law, a violation of these provisions is a crime. By extending the operation of these provisions, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

(4)The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Discussed in Hearing