2005 Legislation
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HOUSE BILL NO. 312 – Ground water dist, assessments

HOUSE BILL NO. 312

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H0312......................................................by STATE AFFAIRS
GROUND WATER DISTRICTS - Amends existing law relating to ground water
districts to require treasurers to file acknowledged notices of payment of
delinquent assessments and penalties with county recorders; to prohibit
participation in mitigation plans for nonpayment of mitigation costs; to
authorize the director to require districts to provide accountings; to
authorize the director to adjust charges determined to be inappropriately
charged to nonmember participants; and to authorize ground water district
boards to collect proportional shares of costs incurred under mitigation
plans from holders of ground water rights where the legislature has
provided by law that such holders are to be deemed nonmember participants
in the district solely for mitigation purposes.
                                                                        
03/09    House intro - 1st rdg - to printing
03/10    Rpt prt - to Res/Con
03/16    Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
03/17    2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
03/23    Ret'd to Res/Con

Bill Text


                                                                        
                                                                        
  ]]]]              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ]]]]
 Fifty-eighth Legislature                   First Regular Session - 2005
                                                                        
                                                                        
                              IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
                                                                        
                                     HOUSE BILL NO. 312
                                                                        
                                 BY STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
                                                                        
  1                                        AN ACT
  2    RELATING TO GROUND WATER DISTRICTS; AMENDING SECTION 42-5242, IDAHO  CODE,  TO
  3        PROVIDE  FOR ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF DELINQUENT ASSESSMENT LISTS BY GROUND WATER
  4        DISTRICT TREASURERS AND TO REQUIRE TREASURERS TO FILE CERTAIN ACKNOWLEDGED
  5        NOTICES OF PAYMENT OF DELINQUENT ASSESSMENTS AND PENALTIES WITH  SPECIFIED
  6        COUNTY  RECORDERS;  AMENDING SECTION 42-5244, IDAHO CODE, TO PROHIBIT PAR-
  7        TICIPATION IN MITIGATION PLANS FOR NONPAYMENT OF CERTAIN MITIGATION COSTS,
  8        TO REQUIRE GROUND WATER DISTRICTS TO PROVIDE THE DIRECTOR OF  THE  DEPART-
  9        MENT OF WATER RESOURCES WITH REPORTS OF CERTAIN PAST DUE MITIGATION COSTS,
 10        TO AUTHORIZE THE DIRECTOR TO REQUIRE DISTRICTS TO PROVIDE CERTAIN ACCOUNT-
 11        INGS, TO AUTHORIZE THE DIRECTOR TO ADJUST CHARGES DETERMINED BY THE DIREC-
 12        TOR TO BE INAPPROPRIATELY CHARGED TO NONMEMBER PARTICIPANTS AND TO REQUIRE
 13        THE  DISTRICTS  TO INFORM THE DIRECTOR IMMEDIATELY UPON PAYMENT OF CERTAIN
 14        PAST DUE MITIGATION COSTS; AND AMENDING SECTION 42-5259,  IDAHO  CODE,  TO
 15        AUTHORIZE  GROUND  WATER DISTRICT BOARDS TO COLLECT PROPORTIONAL SHARES OF
 16        COSTS INCURRED UNDER MITIGATION PLANS FROM HOLDERS OF CERTAIN GROUND WATER
 17        RIGHTS WHERE THE LEGISLATURE HAS PROVIDED BY LAW THAT SUCH HOLDERS ARE  TO
 18        BE  DEEMED  NONMEMBER  PARTICIPANTS  IN THE DISTRICT SOLELY FOR MITIGATION
 19        PURPOSES AND TO PROVIDE GUIDELINES.
                                                                        
 20    Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
                                                                        
 21        SECTION 1.  That Section 42-5242, Idaho Code, be, and the same  is  hereby
 22    amended to read as follows:
                                                                        
 23        42-5242.  ENTRY  OF  DELINQUENT ASSESSMENTS -- FILING OF DELINQUENCY LIST.
 24    (1) On or before the 15th day of January of  each  year  the  treasurer  shall
 25    enter the amount of all delinquent assessments upon the assessment book, which
 26    entry  shall  be  considered  to be dated as of the first day of January. Such
 27    entry shall have the force and effect of a sale to the treasurer of  the  dis-
 28    trict as grantee in trust for the district of all property to which a lien has
 29    attached as a result of such unpaid assessments.
 30        (2)  The  treasurer shall compile a list of such delinquency entries which
 31    shall contain the names of the persons or entities  to  whom  the  assessments
 32    were  directed and the amount of such delinquent assessments together with the
 33    amount of the penalties to be added thereto. A certified copy  of  the  delin-
 34    quency  list,  duly  acknowledged  by  the  treasurer, shall be filed with the
 35    county recorder of each county in which the properties affected by such delin-
 36    quent assessments are located, and the treasurer shall then provide by  certi-
 37    fied  mail  a  notice of delinquency to each ground water user having a delin-
 38    quent assessment.
 39        (3)  Upon the payment in full of any  delinquent  assessment  and  penalty
 40    that was entered on a recorded delinquency list, the treasurer shall file with
 41    the county recorder of each county in which the list of delinquent assessments
 42    was  recorded  an  acknowledged  notice that the delinquent assessment and any
 43    penalty owed has been paid in full. The treasurer shall file  any  notices  of
                                                                        
                                           2
                                                                        
  1    payment  of  delinquent assessments with the county recorders, as required, on
  2    at least a monthly basis.
                                                                        
  3        SECTION 2.  That Section 42-5244, Idaho Code, be, and the same  is  hereby
  4    amended to read as follows:
                                                                        
  5        42-5244.  PROHIBITION  AGAINST  PARTICIPATION IN MITIGATION PLAN WHEN SUB-
  6    JECT TO DELINQUENT ASSESSMENT OR FOR NONPAYMENT OF OTHER MITIGATION  COSTS.  A
  7    ground  water  user who is delinquent in the payment of any assessment against
  8    his water use under this chapter, or who has failed to  pay  other  mitigation
  9    costs owed to the district when due, is prohibited from being a participant in
 10    any mitigation plan until such delinquent assessment, or other past due amount
 11    owed  for  mitigation  costs, is paid in full.  The district shall provide the
 12    director a report of such delinquent assessments, or other past due mitigation
 13    costs, at the first of each month for purposes of enforcement. Prior to under-
 14    taking enforcement, the director may require from the district  an  accounting
 15    of  the basis for the assessment and other mitigation costs and the apportion-
 16    ment of those assessments and costs among district members and nonmember  par-
 17    ticipants.  Should  the  director determine that certain mitigation costs have
 18    been inappropriately charged  to  nonmember  participants,  the  director  may
 19    adjust the charges accordingly. The district shall inform the director immedi-
 20    ately  upon  the  payment of any such delinquent assessment, or other past due
 21    mitigation costs.  This section shall be enforced by  the  watermaster  within
 22    water districts established under chapter 6 of this title, and by the director
 23    pursuant to sections 42-351 and 42-1701B, Idaho Code, in areas outside of such
 24    water district.
                                                                        
 25        SECTION  3.  That  Section 42-5259, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby
 26    amended to read as follows:
                                                                        
 27        42-5259.  PARTICIPATION BY NONMEMBER IN  DISTRICT  SOLELY  FOR  MITIGATION
 28    PURPOSES.  (1) Upon written request from a ground water user who is not a mem-
 29    ber of a district, and regardless of whether such user is an irrigator, a dis-
 30    trict board of directors shall enter a contract with such  nonmember  pursuant
 31    to  which  the  nonmember shall be allowed to participate fully in, and obtain
 32    all benefits of, any mitigation plan, purpose or activity  the  district  cur-
 33    rently has in force or is developing, provided that:
 34        (1a)  The  board finds that the plan is likely to be effective in mitigat-
 35        ing the effects of such nonmember's ground water use, and  that  including
 36        the  nonmember  within  the mitigation plan's coverage will not impair the
 37        plan's effectiveness as to district members;
 38        (2b)  If the district's mitigation plan has been approved by the director,
 39        the board shall evaluate the contract request in accordance with any  con-
 40        ditions of the district's mitigation plan which address equitable partici-
 41        pation by ground water users who do not initially participate in such mit-
 42        igation plan;
 43        (3c)  Before the contract may be effective, the board may collect from the
 44        nonmember   a   payment  adequate  to  compensate  the  district  for  the
 45        nonmember's proportional share of  the  costs  the  district  already  has
 46        incurred in developing and implementing the mitigation plan;
 47        (4d)  The board may include in the contract a provision requiring the non-
 48        member  to  pay  a  reasonable surcharge, either annually or on some other
 49        basis, to reimburse the district for such nonmember's  proportional  share
 50        of  those  past  or future costs of operating the district attributable to
 51        formulating or implementing the mitigation plan or plans in which the non-
                                                                        
                                           3
                                                                        
  1        member is participating;
  2        (5e)  The board may require the nonmember to provide  security  to  assure
  3        the payment of all assessments and charges related to the contract;
  4        (6f)  Nothing in this section shall be interpreted to limit the district's
  5        ability  to  enter  into  a contract with nonmembers pursuant to terms and
  6        conditions acceptable to both parties.
  7        (2)  If the legislature has provided by law that the  holders  of  certain
  8    ground water rights not otherwise covered by a mitigation plan approved by the
  9    director  of  the department of water resources shall be deemed nonmember par-
 10    ticipants in the district solely for mitigation purposes,  then  the  district
 11    may  collect  a  proportional share of the costs incurred under the mitigation
 12    plan from the nonmember participants, as follows:
 13        (a)  The board may collect from each nonmember participant a payment  ade-
 14        quate to compensate the district for the nonmember's proportional share of
 15        the past itemized costs the district has incurred in developing and imple-
 16        menting the mitigation plan;
 17        (b)  The  board  may  require the nonmember to pay a reasonable surcharge,
 18        either annually or on some other basis, to reimburse the district for  the
 19        nonmember's  proportional  share of those past or future itemized costs of
 20        operating the district attributable to  formulating  or  implementing  the
 21        mitigation plan or plans in which the nonmember is participating;
 22        (c)  The  board  may require that the nonmember pay the amounts owed under
 23        this section before coverage under the mitigation plan is effective,  pro-
 24        vided  the  board has notified the nonmember by mail of the amount owed at
 25        least forty-two (42) days prior to the due date;
 26        (d)  As an alternative to immediate payment of the amount owed, the  board
 27        may accept security from the nonmember to assure that payment of all costs
 28        and  charges  owed  by the nonmember under this section shall be paid by a
 29        fixed later date;
 30        (e)  Nothing in this section shall be interpreted to limit the  district's
 31        ability  to  enter  into  a contract with nonmembers pursuant to terms and
 32        conditions acceptable to both parties;
 33        (f)  The board shall have the right to collect any costs and  charges  due
 34        and  unpaid  under this section by civil action brought in the name of the
 35        district in any court of competent jurisdiction. In addition to the amount
 36        found due, together with interest and costs, the district also may recover
 37        such sum as the court may adjudge reasonable as attorney's  fees  in  said
 38        action.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact


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                       STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

                             RS 15130

The purpose of this legislation is to address several concerns
related to the operation of Ground Water Districts established
and operating under the provisions of Chapter 52, Title 42, Idaho
Code. The legislation amends existing law to provide that a
delinquent assessment list be acknowledged by the district
treasurer before it is filed with the county recorder, and that
upon payment of a delinquent assessment the treasurer also files
notice of the payment with the county recorder. The legislation
provides that a nonmember of a Ground Water District is
prohibited from participating in an approved district mitigation
plan until the nonmember has paid any past due mitigation costs.
The legislation provides a procedure for district collection of
mitigation costs from nonmember participants when the legislature
has provided by law that the holders of certain ground water
rights not otherwise covered by a mitigation plan shall be deemed
nonmember participants in the district solely for mitigation
purposes.



                           FISCAL NOTE

Enactment of this legislation will have no effect upon the
state's general fund or other state or local funds.




Contact
Name:  Representative John A. Stevenson 
Phone: 332-1000
Name:  Lynn Tominaga, Idaho Ground Water Appropriators, Inc.
Phone: 381-0294



STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE                      H 312