CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20252026 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Bill No. 523Introduced by Assembly Member IrwinFebruary 10, 2025 An act to amend Section 52 of the Metropolitan Water District Act (Chapter 209 of the Statutes of 1969), relating to metropolitan water districts. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTAB 523, as introduced, Irwin. Metropolitan water districts: alternate representative.Under the Metropolitan Water District Act, the board of a metropolitan water district is required to consist of at least one representative from each member public agency, as prescribed. The act authorizes each member public agency to appoint additional representatives not exceeding one additional representative for each 5% of the assessed valuation of property taxable for district purposes within the entire district that is within the boundaries of that member public agency. The bill would authorize each member public agency that is entitled to designate or appoint only one representative to the board of directors to designate or appoint one alternate representative for the limited purpose of participating in a meeting of the board of directors when the member public agencys designated or appointed representative will be absent from the meeting. The bill would prohibit the alternate representative from assuming any officer position at that meeting, would require the member public agency to be responsible for any additional costs of the alternate representatives meeting participation, and would condition the alternate representatives participation in a meeting of the board of directors on the corresponding member public agency providing the district notice by 5 p.m. on the 5th business day prior to the meeting. The bill would make these provisions inoperative on January 1, 2031.Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: NO Local Program: NO Bill TextThe people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1. Section 52 of the Metropolitan Water District Act (Chapter 209 of the Statutes of 1969), as amended by Section 1 of Chapter 71 of the Statutes of 2019, is amended to read:Sec. 52. (a) In addition to one representative, any member public agency may designate and appoint one additional representative for each full 5 percent of the assessed valuation of property taxable for district purposes within the entire district that is within the member public agency, in which event all representatives present at a meeting of the board of directors when a vote is taken shall cast, or may abstain from casting, an equal share of the total vote to which the member public agency is entitled.(b) A member public agency shall not have fewer than the number of representatives the member public agency had as of January 1, 2019. This subdivision does not affect Section 55.(c) (1) (A) Each member public agency that is entitled to designate or appoint only one representative to the board of directors may designate or appoint one alternate representative for the limited purpose of participating in a meeting of the board of directors when the member public agencys designated or appointed representative will be absent from the meeting.(B) Alternate representative participation does not include assuming any officer position at that meeting.(2) (A) All provisions of this act shall apply to the alternate representative of the member public agency.(B) The alternate representative may participate in a meeting of the board of directors provided that the corresponding member public agency provides the district notice by 5 p.m. on the fifth business day prior to the meeting.(3) The member public agency is responsible for any additional costs of the alternate representatives meeting participation.(d) Subdivision (c) shall become inoperative on January 1, 2031.
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20252026 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Bill No. 523Introduced by Assembly Member IrwinFebruary 10, 2025 An act to amend Section 52 of the Metropolitan Water District Act (Chapter 209 of the Statutes of 1969), relating to metropolitan water districts. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTAB 523, as introduced, Irwin. Metropolitan water districts: alternate representative.Under the Metropolitan Water District Act, the board of a metropolitan water district is required to consist of at least one representative from each member public agency, as prescribed. The act authorizes each member public agency to appoint additional representatives not exceeding one additional representative for each 5% of the assessed valuation of property taxable for district purposes within the entire district that is within the boundaries of that member public agency. The bill would authorize each member public agency that is entitled to designate or appoint only one representative to the board of directors to designate or appoint one alternate representative for the limited purpose of participating in a meeting of the board of directors when the member public agencys designated or appointed representative will be absent from the meeting. The bill would prohibit the alternate representative from assuming any officer position at that meeting, would require the member public agency to be responsible for any additional costs of the alternate representatives meeting participation, and would condition the alternate representatives participation in a meeting of the board of directors on the corresponding member public agency providing the district notice by 5 p.m. on the 5th business day prior to the meeting. The bill would make these provisions inoperative on January 1, 2031.Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: NO Local Program: NO
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20252026 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 523
Introduced by Assembly Member IrwinFebruary 10, 2025
Introduced by Assembly Member Irwin
February 10, 2025
An act to amend Section 52 of the Metropolitan Water District Act (Chapter 209 of the Statutes of 1969), relating to metropolitan water districts.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
## LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 523, as introduced, Irwin. Metropolitan water districts: alternate representative.
Under the Metropolitan Water District Act, the board of a metropolitan water district is required to consist of at least one representative from each member public agency, as prescribed. The act authorizes each member public agency to appoint additional representatives not exceeding one additional representative for each 5% of the assessed valuation of property taxable for district purposes within the entire district that is within the boundaries of that member public agency. The bill would authorize each member public agency that is entitled to designate or appoint only one representative to the board of directors to designate or appoint one alternate representative for the limited purpose of participating in a meeting of the board of directors when the member public agencys designated or appointed representative will be absent from the meeting. The bill would prohibit the alternate representative from assuming any officer position at that meeting, would require the member public agency to be responsible for any additional costs of the alternate representatives meeting participation, and would condition the alternate representatives participation in a meeting of the board of directors on the corresponding member public agency providing the district notice by 5 p.m. on the 5th business day prior to the meeting. The bill would make these provisions inoperative on January 1, 2031.
Under the Metropolitan Water District Act, the board of a metropolitan water district is required to consist of at least one representative from each member public agency, as prescribed. The act authorizes each member public agency to appoint additional representatives not exceeding one additional representative for each 5% of the assessed valuation of property taxable for district purposes within the entire district that is within the boundaries of that member public agency.
The bill would authorize each member public agency that is entitled to designate or appoint only one representative to the board of directors to designate or appoint one alternate representative for the limited purpose of participating in a meeting of the board of directors when the member public agencys designated or appointed representative will be absent from the meeting. The bill would prohibit the alternate representative from assuming any officer position at that meeting, would require the member public agency to be responsible for any additional costs of the alternate representatives meeting participation, and would condition the alternate representatives participation in a meeting of the board of directors on the corresponding member public agency providing the district notice by 5 p.m. on the 5th business day prior to the meeting. The bill would make these provisions inoperative on January 1, 2031.
## Digest Key
## Bill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1. Section 52 of the Metropolitan Water District Act (Chapter 209 of the Statutes of 1969), as amended by Section 1 of Chapter 71 of the Statutes of 2019, is amended to read:Sec. 52. (a) In addition to one representative, any member public agency may designate and appoint one additional representative for each full 5 percent of the assessed valuation of property taxable for district purposes within the entire district that is within the member public agency, in which event all representatives present at a meeting of the board of directors when a vote is taken shall cast, or may abstain from casting, an equal share of the total vote to which the member public agency is entitled.(b) A member public agency shall not have fewer than the number of representatives the member public agency had as of January 1, 2019. This subdivision does not affect Section 55.(c) (1) (A) Each member public agency that is entitled to designate or appoint only one representative to the board of directors may designate or appoint one alternate representative for the limited purpose of participating in a meeting of the board of directors when the member public agencys designated or appointed representative will be absent from the meeting.(B) Alternate representative participation does not include assuming any officer position at that meeting.(2) (A) All provisions of this act shall apply to the alternate representative of the member public agency.(B) The alternate representative may participate in a meeting of the board of directors provided that the corresponding member public agency provides the district notice by 5 p.m. on the fifth business day prior to the meeting.(3) The member public agency is responsible for any additional costs of the alternate representatives meeting participation.(d) Subdivision (c) shall become inoperative on January 1, 2031.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
## The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 52 of the Metropolitan Water District Act (Chapter 209 of the Statutes of 1969), as amended by Section 1 of Chapter 71 of the Statutes of 2019, is amended to read:Sec. 52. (a) In addition to one representative, any member public agency may designate and appoint one additional representative for each full 5 percent of the assessed valuation of property taxable for district purposes within the entire district that is within the member public agency, in which event all representatives present at a meeting of the board of directors when a vote is taken shall cast, or may abstain from casting, an equal share of the total vote to which the member public agency is entitled.(b) A member public agency shall not have fewer than the number of representatives the member public agency had as of January 1, 2019. This subdivision does not affect Section 55.(c) (1) (A) Each member public agency that is entitled to designate or appoint only one representative to the board of directors may designate or appoint one alternate representative for the limited purpose of participating in a meeting of the board of directors when the member public agencys designated or appointed representative will be absent from the meeting.(B) Alternate representative participation does not include assuming any officer position at that meeting.(2) (A) All provisions of this act shall apply to the alternate representative of the member public agency.(B) The alternate representative may participate in a meeting of the board of directors provided that the corresponding member public agency provides the district notice by 5 p.m. on the fifth business day prior to the meeting.(3) The member public agency is responsible for any additional costs of the alternate representatives meeting participation.(d) Subdivision (c) shall become inoperative on January 1, 2031.
SECTION 1. Section 52 of the Metropolitan Water District Act (Chapter 209 of the Statutes of 1969), as amended by Section 1 of Chapter 71 of the Statutes of 2019, is amended to read:
### SECTION 1.
Sec. 52. (a) In addition to one representative, any member public agency may designate and appoint one additional representative for each full 5 percent of the assessed valuation of property taxable for district purposes within the entire district that is within the member public agency, in which event all representatives present at a meeting of the board of directors when a vote is taken shall cast, or may abstain from casting, an equal share of the total vote to which the member public agency is entitled.(b) A member public agency shall not have fewer than the number of representatives the member public agency had as of January 1, 2019. This subdivision does not affect Section 55.(c) (1) (A) Each member public agency that is entitled to designate or appoint only one representative to the board of directors may designate or appoint one alternate representative for the limited purpose of participating in a meeting of the board of directors when the member public agencys designated or appointed representative will be absent from the meeting.(B) Alternate representative participation does not include assuming any officer position at that meeting.(2) (A) All provisions of this act shall apply to the alternate representative of the member public agency.(B) The alternate representative may participate in a meeting of the board of directors provided that the corresponding member public agency provides the district notice by 5 p.m. on the fifth business day prior to the meeting.(3) The member public agency is responsible for any additional costs of the alternate representatives meeting participation.(d) Subdivision (c) shall become inoperative on January 1, 2031.
Sec. 52. (a) In addition to one representative, any member public agency may designate and appoint one additional representative for each full 5 percent of the assessed valuation of property taxable for district purposes within the entire district that is within the member public agency, in which event all representatives present at a meeting of the board of directors when a vote is taken shall cast, or may abstain from casting, an equal share of the total vote to which the member public agency is entitled.(b) A member public agency shall not have fewer than the number of representatives the member public agency had as of January 1, 2019. This subdivision does not affect Section 55.(c) (1) (A) Each member public agency that is entitled to designate or appoint only one representative to the board of directors may designate or appoint one alternate representative for the limited purpose of participating in a meeting of the board of directors when the member public agencys designated or appointed representative will be absent from the meeting.(B) Alternate representative participation does not include assuming any officer position at that meeting.(2) (A) All provisions of this act shall apply to the alternate representative of the member public agency.(B) The alternate representative may participate in a meeting of the board of directors provided that the corresponding member public agency provides the district notice by 5 p.m. on the fifth business day prior to the meeting.(3) The member public agency is responsible for any additional costs of the alternate representatives meeting participation.(d) Subdivision (c) shall become inoperative on January 1, 2031.
Sec. 52. (a) In addition to one representative, any member public agency may designate and appoint one additional representative for each full 5 percent of the assessed valuation of property taxable for district purposes within the entire district that is within the member public agency, in which event all representatives present at a meeting of the board of directors when a vote is taken shall cast, or may abstain from casting, an equal share of the total vote to which the member public agency is entitled.(b) A member public agency shall not have fewer than the number of representatives the member public agency had as of January 1, 2019. This subdivision does not affect Section 55.(c) (1) (A) Each member public agency that is entitled to designate or appoint only one representative to the board of directors may designate or appoint one alternate representative for the limited purpose of participating in a meeting of the board of directors when the member public agencys designated or appointed representative will be absent from the meeting.(B) Alternate representative participation does not include assuming any officer position at that meeting.(2) (A) All provisions of this act shall apply to the alternate representative of the member public agency.(B) The alternate representative may participate in a meeting of the board of directors provided that the corresponding member public agency provides the district notice by 5 p.m. on the fifth business day prior to the meeting.(3) The member public agency is responsible for any additional costs of the alternate representatives meeting participation.(d) Subdivision (c) shall become inoperative on January 1, 2031.
Sec. 52. (a) In addition to one representative, any member public agency may designate and appoint one additional representative for each full 5 percent of the assessed valuation of property taxable for district purposes within the entire district that is within the member public agency, in which event all representatives present at a meeting of the board of directors when a vote is taken shall cast, or may abstain from casting, an equal share of the total vote to which the member public agency is entitled.
(b) A member public agency shall not have fewer than the number of representatives the member public agency had as of January 1, 2019. This subdivision does not affect Section 55.
(c) (1) (A) Each member public agency that is entitled to designate or appoint only one representative to the board of directors may designate or appoint one alternate representative for the limited purpose of participating in a meeting of the board of directors when the member public agencys designated or appointed representative will be absent from the meeting.
(B) Alternate representative participation does not include assuming any officer position at that meeting.
(2) (A) All provisions of this act shall apply to the alternate representative of the member public agency.
(B) The alternate representative may participate in a meeting of the board of directors provided that the corresponding member public agency provides the district notice by 5 p.m. on the fifth business day prior to the meeting.
(3) The member public agency is responsible for any additional costs of the alternate representatives meeting participation.
(d) Subdivision (c) shall become inoperative on January 1, 2031.