SECTIONS 20200-20207 - California Statutes

WATER CODE

SECTION 20200-20207

20200. As used in this chapter, "water district" means any district
or other political subdivision, other than a city or county, a
primary function of which is the irrigation, reclamation, or drainage
of land or the diversion, storage, management, or distribution of
water primarily for domestic, municipal, agricultural, industrial,
recreation, fish and wildlife enhancement, flood control, or power
production purposes. "Water districts" include, but are not limited
to, irrigation districts, county water districts, California water
districts, water storage districts, reclamation districts, county
waterworks districts, drainage districts, water replenishment
districts, levee districts, municipal water districts, water
conservation districts, community services districts, water
management districts, flood control districts, flood control and
floodwater conservation districts, flood control and water
conservation districts, water management agencies, water agencies,
and public utility districts formed pursuant to Division 7
(commencing with Section 15501) of the Public Utilities Code.

20201. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the governing
board of any water district may, by ordinance adopted pursuant to
this chapter, provide compensation to members of the governing board,
unless any compensation is prohibited by its principal act, in an
amount not to exceed one hundred dollars ($100) per day for each day'
s attendance at meetings of the board, or for each day's service
rendered as a member of the board by request of the board, and may,
by ordinance adopted pursuant to this chapter, in accordance with
Section 20202, increase the compensation received by members of the
governing board above the amount of one hundred dollars ($100) per
day.
It is the intent of the Legislature that any future increase in
compensation received by members of the governing board of a water
district be authorized by an ordinance adopted pursuant to this
chapter and not by an act of the Legislature.
For purposes of this section, the determination of whether a
director's activities on any specific day are compensable shall be
made pursuant to Article 2.3 (commencing with Section 53232) of
Chapter 2 of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5 of the Government Code.

20201.5. Reimbursement for expenses of members of a governing board
of a water district is subject to Sections 53232.2 and 53232.3 of
the Government Code.

20202. In any ordinance adopted pursuant to this chapter to
increase the amount of compensation which may be received by members
of the governing board of a water district above the amount of one
hundred dollars ($100) per day, the increase may not exceed an amount
equal to 5 percent, for each calendar year following the operative
date of the last adjustment, of the compensation which is received
when the ordinance is adopted.
No ordinance adopted pursuant to this chapter shall authorize
compensation for more than a total of 10 days in any calendar month.

20203. Any water district described in Section 20201 is authorized
to adopt ordinances pursuant to this chapter. No ordinance shall be
adopted pursuant to this chapter except following a public hearing.
Notice of the hearing shall be published in a newspaper of general
circulation pursuant to Section 6066 of the Government Code.

20204. An ordinance adopted pursuant to this chapter shall become
effective 60 days from the date of its final passage. The voters of
any water district shall have the right, as provided in this chapter,
to petition for referendum on any ordinance adopted pursuant to this
chapter.

20205. If a petition protesting against the adoption of the
ordinance is presented to the governing board of the water district
prior to the effective date of the ordinance, the ordinance shall be
suspended and the governing board shall reconsider the ordinance.
If the number of votes cast for all candidates for Governor at the
last gubernatorial election within the boundaries of the water
district exceeds 500,000, the ordinance is subject to referendum upon
presentation of a petition bearing signatures of at least 5 percent
of the entire vote cast within the boundaries of the water district
for all candidates for Governor at the last gubernatorial election.
If the number of votes cast for all candidates for Governor at the
last gubernatorial election within the boundaries of the water
district is less than 500,000, the ordinance is subject to referendum
upon presentation of a petition bearing signatures of at least 10
percent of the entire vote cast within the boundaries of the water
district for all candidates for Governor at the last gubernatorial
election.

20206. If the governing board does not entirely repeal the
ordinance against which a petition is filed, the governing board
shall submit the ordinance to the voters either at a regular election
or a special election called for the purpose. The ordinance shall
not become effective unless and until a majority of the votes cast at
the election are cast in favor of it. If the ordinance is not
approved by the voters, no new ordinance may be adopted by the
governing board pursuant to this chapter for at least one year
following the date of the election.

20207. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the provisions
of the Elections Code applicable to the right of referendum on
legislative acts of districts shall govern the procedure on
ordinances against which a petition is filed.