(a)
A district shall establish a budget advisory committee for purposes of reviewing a replenishment assessment, if any is proposed, and a district’s annual operating budget, including reserve funds maintained by the district.
(b)
(1)The committee shall consist of seven members who shall serve a two-year term and who shall be elected from among representatives of producers who are owners or operators of groundwater producing facilities who are subject to the replenishment assessment pursuant to Section 60317. The membership of the committee shall be composed as follows:
(A)
Two members
shall be elected by vote of entities with an annual pumping allocation of less than 5,000 acre-feet.
(B)
Two members shall be elected by vote of entities with an annual pumping allocation of at least 5,000 acre-feet but less than 10,000 acre-feet.
(C)
Three members shall be elected by vote of entities with an annual pumping allocation of 10,000 acre-feet or greater.
(2)
On or before the first Tuesday in January on a biennial basis, the district shall provide by first-class mail to each producer notice that includes information regarding the purpose of the committee, the categories that determine membership on the committee as described in paragraph (1), the schedule for the election of members, and any additional
information the district determines necessary. The notice shall include the deadline for each producer to inform the district that it would like to serve on the committee and the category, as described in subparagraph (A) to (C), inclusive, of paragraph (1), for which it is eligible to serve. An eligible producer that would like to serve on the committee and informs the district shall be included on the election ballot.
(3)
The election of committee members shall be conducted by mail ballot not later than 90 days before the second Tuesday in May. Producers shall be invited to witness the counting of ballots. Each producer shall have the right to cast a total number of votes equal to the number of acre-feet of its annual pumping allocation, rounded to the next highest whole number, multiplied by the number of members that may be elected for that
production category, as specified in subparagraphs (A) to (C), inclusive, of paragraph (1). Votes may only be cast by the members in their respective production categories for the seats in that category, as specified in subparagraphs (A) to (C), inclusive, of paragraph (1).
The members of the committee shall be those candidates receiving the highest vote total in their respective categories. The committee shall select a winner in the event that there is a tie in the vote tally. The results of the election shall be reported on the Internet Web site of the district.
(4)
The committee shall hold its first meeting within 30 days of the date the results of the election are announced by the district. The committee shall develop rules for its operation. The committee shall take action by majority vote of its members. Members of the committee shall serve without compensation.
(c)
No later than the second Tuesday of April of each year, a district shall consult with the budget advisory committee for the purposes set forth in subdivision (a). The
committee shall make recommendations to the board at least 10 days prior to the hearing held pursuant to Section 60306. Committee recommendations shall be included in the documents comprising the agenda packet for that meeting.
(d)
A district shall maintain records regarding the recommendations of the budget advisory committee and the final decisions made by the board with regard to those recommendations.
(e)
This section shall become inoperative on June 30, 2019, and, as of January 1, 2020, is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that becomes operative on or before January 1, 2020, deletes or extends the dates on which it becomes inoperative and is repealed.