(a) Each public water system shall submit an annual fee according to a fee schedule established by the state board pursuant to subdivision (c) for the purpose of reimbursing the state board for the costs incurred by the state board for conducting activities mandated by this chapter. The amount of reimbursement shall be sufficient to pay, but in no event shall exceed, the state board’s costs in conducting these activities, including a prudent reserve in the Safe Drinking Water Account.
(b) Payment of the annual fee shall be due 90 calendar days following the due date established in the schedule. Failure to pay the annual fee within 90 calendar days shall result in a 10-percent late penalty that shall be paid in addition to the fee.
(c) The state board shall adopt, by regulation, a schedule of fees, as authorized by this section. The regulations may include provisions concerning the administration and collection of the fees.
(d) The state board shall set the amount of total revenue collected each year through the fee schedule at an amount equal to the amount appropriated by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act from the Safe Drinking Water Account for expenditure for the administration of this chapter, taking into account the reserves in the Safe Drinking Water Account. The state board shall review and revise the fees each fiscal year as necessary to conform with the amounts appropriated by the Legislature. If the state board determines that the revenue collected during the preceding year was greater than, or less than, the amounts appropriated by the Legislature, the state board may further adjust the fees to compensate for the over or under collection of revenue.
(e) (1) Except as provided in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2), the regulations adopted pursuant to this section, any amendment thereto, or subsequent adjustments to the annual fees, shall be adopted by the state board as emergency regulations in accordance with Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code. The adoption of these regulations is an emergency and shall be considered by the Office of Administrative Law as necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety, and general welfare.
(2) Notwithstanding Section 116377, both of the following shall apply:
(A) The initial regulations adopted by the state board to implement this section shall be adopted in accordance with Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, and may not rely on the statutory declaration of emergency in paragraph (1) or Section 116377.
(B) Any emergency regulations adopted by the state board, or adjustments to the annual fees made by the state board pursuant to this section, shall not be subject to review by the Office of Administrative Law and shall remain in effect until revised by the state board.
(f) A public water system under the jurisdiction of a local primacy agency shall pay the fees specified in this section to the local primacy agency in lieu of the state board. This section does not preclude a local health officer from imposing additional fees pursuant to Section 101325.
(g) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2016.
(Repealed (in Sec. 19) and added by Stats. 2015, Ch. 24, Sec. 20. (SB 83) Effective June 24, 2015. Section operative July 1, 2016, by its own provisions.)