(a) Each board member of a mutual water company that operates a public water system, as defined in Section 116275, shall, within six months of taking office, or by December 31, 2012, if that member was serving on the board on December 31, 2011, complete a two-hour course offered by a qualified trainer regarding the duties of board members of mutual water companies, including, but not limited to, the duty of a corporate director to avoid contractual conflicts of interest and fiduciary duties, the duties of public water systems to provide clean drinking water that complies with the federal Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 300f et seq.) and this chapter, and long-term management of a public water system. A board member of a mutual water company that operates a public water system shall repeat this training every six years. For the purposes of this subdivision, a trainer may be qualified in any of the following ways:
(1) Membership in the California State Bar.
(2) Accreditation by the International Association of Continuing Education and Training (IACET) ANSI/IACET 1-2007.
(3) Sponsorship by either the Rural Community Assistance Corporation or the California Rural Water Association.
(b) A mutual water company formed pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 14300) of Division 3 of Title 1 of the Corporations Code, that operates a public water system, shall be liable for the payment of any fines, penalties, costs, expenses, and other amounts that may be imposed upon the mutual water company pursuant to this chapter. The mutual water company may levy an assessment, pursuant to Section 14303 of the Corporations Code, to pay these fines, penalties, costs, expenses, and other amounts so imposed. If the amount of outstanding fines, penalties, costs, expenses and other amounts imposed pursuant to this chapter exceed 5 percent of the annual budget of the mutual water company, then the mutual water company shall levy an assessment, pursuant to Section 14303 of the Corporations Code, to pay those fines, penalties, costs, expenses, and other amounts so imposed.
(Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 633, Sec. 5. (AB 240) Effective January 1, 2014.)