,,ii  #aai? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,s4 #cgcg  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,janu>y #bi1 #bjbf,mr4 
,padilla introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 
read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on  
,en]gy & ,natural ,res\rces  ,a ,,bill  
,to am5d ! ,reclamation ,/ates ,em]g5cy 
,dr\ght ,relief ,act ( #aiia to provide 
f9ancial & te*nical assi/ance to        
eligible entities = ! conduct (         
innovative approa*es to volunt>y wat]   
p>tn]%ip agreem5ts among multiple wat]  
us]s & projects conduct$ by individual  
agricultural entities1 & = o!r purposes4
  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ 
z ! ,gr[+ ,resili5t ,op]ations f ,wat]  
,sav+ & ,municipal-,agricultural        
,reciprocally-b5eficial ,transactions   
,act or ! ,,gr[ ,,sm>t ,act4  #b4       
,project plann+ 9 support ( innovative  
volunt>y wat] %>+ agreem5ts & volunt>y  
use ( wat]-?rifty crops ,title ,,ii ( ! 
,reclamation ,/ates ,em]g5cy ,dr\ght    
,relief ,act ( #aiia 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4     
#bbba et seq47 is am5d$ by ins]t+ aft]  

section #bja ! foll[+3  #bja;,a4        
,project plann+ 9 support ( innovative  
volunt>y wat] %>+ agreem5ts & volunt>y  
use ( wat]-?rifty crops to prep>e = &   
respond to dr\ght  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,!      
,secret>y1 9 ord] to prep>e = & respond 
to dr\ght conditions1 may1 us+ funds    
made available to c>ry out ?is title &  
"u subsection 7g71 provide to qualifi$  
applicants te*nical & f9ancial assi/ance
 to provide plann+ support = !          
implem5tation ( volunt>y projects       
incorporat+ innovative approa*es t--    
7#a7 7,a7 keep agricultural l& 9        
production2 &  7,b7 support income &    
employm5t levels 9 rural communities2   
7#b7 provide af=dable wat] supplies1    
r$undant wat] supplies1 %>$ /orage1 or  
o!r b5efits2 &  7#c7 rely ov] ! long t]m
 on s\rces o!r ?an ,f$]al fund+ =       
implem5tation4  7b7 ,description (      
innovative approa* ,an innovative       
approa* ref]r$ to 9 subsection 7a7--    
7#a7 %all-- 7,a7 be new2 or  7,b7 lack a
 well-e/abli%$ track record 9 !         

applicable area2  7#b7 %all include an  
approa* t-- 7,a7 insulates agricultural 
wat] us]s f ! risk ( crop failures or   
wat] %ortages ?r\gh volunt>y f9ancial1  
wat] /orage1 or wat] %>+ agreem5ts      
betwe5 at lea/ #a p>ty describ$ 9       
subsection 7c77#a77;,a77i7 & #a p>ty    
describ$ 9 subsection 7c77#a77;,a77ii72 
7,b7 br+s wat]-sav+ commodities or      
practices into production2 or  7,c7     
involves volunt>y me?ods = r$uc+        
agricultural consumptive wat] use1      
includ+-- 7i7 hydroponics2  7ii7        
agrovoltaics2  7iii7 agr(ore/ry2  7iv7  
innovative irrigation te*nologies1      
includ+ gravity-p[]$ drip irrigation &  
automat$ high-effici5cy surface         
irrigation2  7v7 root-zone-bas$         
irrigation managem5t sy/ems2  7vi7      
implem5tation ( reg5]ative agricultural 
practices t decrease net wat]           
consumption2 or  7vii7 conc5tration (   
crop production on a r$uc$ irrigat$     
acreage t results 9 an equal or great]  
f9ancial return2 &  7#c7 %all n include 

an approa* t-- 7,a7 fall[s agricultural 
l& =-- 7i7 ! majority ( ! gr[+ season 9 
! applicable area2 or  7ii7 9 ! case ( a
 dr\ght-ye> agreem5t1 is reasonably     
anticipat$ to result 9 fall[+ = !       
majority ( ye>s "u ! dr\ght-ye>         
agreem5t2 or  7,b7 involves crops 9 !   
applicable area 7o!r ?an crops us+ an   
approa* describ$ 9 p>agraph 7#b77 t     
are-- 7i7 widely us$ or plant$2 or  7ii7
 well und]/ood 9 t]ms ( yield1 co/1 &   
o!r key production factors4  7c7        
,qualifi$ applicants  7#a7 ,9 g5]al     
,except z provid$ 9 p>agraph 7#c71 to   
qualify = f9ancial or te*nical assi/ance
 "u ?is section1 an applicant %all--    
7,a7 propose a volunt>y p>tn]%ip among--
 7i7 #a or m agricultural entities      
7includ+ irrigation di/ricts72 &  7ii7  
#a or m-- 7,i7 ,/ate1 municipal1 or o!r 
community wat] provid]s2  7,,ii7        
indu/rial or comm]cial entities1 includ+
 data c5t]s2  7,,iii7 ,/ates1 ,/ate     
ag5cies1 or subdivisions ( a ,/ate2 or  
7,,iv7 nonpr(it cons]vation             

organizations2 &  7,b7 submit to !      
,secret>y an application sign$ by at    
lea/ #a p>ty describ$ 9 subp>agraph     
7,a77i7 & #a p>ty describ$ 9 subp>agraph
 7,a77ii74  7#b7 ,no limits on          
p>ticipation ( ,tribal entities ,ea* ( !
 p>ties describ$ 9 clauses 7i7 & 7ii7 ( 
p>agraph 7#a77;,a7 may be ,tribal       
entities4  7#c7 ,projects )\t volunt>y  
p>tn]%ips  7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,not)/&+       
p>agraph 7#a71 ! ,secret>y may aw>d to a
 ,/ate1 ,/ate ag5cy1 or subdivision ( a 
,/ate1 ,indian ,tribe1 or agricultural  
entity t is n 9 a volunt>y p>tn]%ip )   
o!r entities describ$ 9 p>agraph        
7#a77;,a7 a portion ( ! f9ancial        
assi/ance au?oriz$ "u ?is section = !   
plann+ or conduct ( a volunt>y project  
t-- 7i7 uses an innovative approa*      
describ$ 9 p>agraphs 7#a7 & 7#b7 (      
subsection 7b72 or  7ii7 ) respect to a 
volunt>y project conduct$ by a ,/ate1   
,/ate ag5cy1 or ,indian ,tribe1 w\ld    
advance o!r long-t]m ef=ts to rev]se    
decl9+-- 7,i7 gr\ndwat] supplies2 or    

7,,ii7 fre%wat] infl[s to inl& lakes4   
7,b7 ,priority consid]ation ,! ,secret>y
 %all give priority consid]ation to an  
application = f9ancial assi/ance "u ?is 
p>agraph = :i* ! foll[+ ?re%olds h be5  
met or are project$ to be met3 7i7 ,9 ! 
case ( an application f an agricultural 
entity or subdivision ( a ,/ate1 a      
r$uction ( #dj p]c5t or m 9 ! annual    
wat] supply ( ! agricultural entity or  
subdivision ( ! ,/ate1 due to factors   
outside ! control ( ! agricultural      
entity or subdivision ( ! ,/ate4  7ii7  
,9 ! case ( an application f a ,/ate1   
,/ate ag5cy1 or ,indian ,tribe1 a       
r$uction ( #dj p]c5t or m 9-- 7,i7      
gr\ndwat] supplies2 or  7,,ii7 fre%wat] 
infl[s to inl& lakes4  7d7 ,application 
requirem5ts ,! ,secret>y %all ensure t  
applications = f9ancial or te*nical     
assi/ance "u ?is section-- 7#a7 %all be 
limit$ to-- 7,a7 a brief description (  
:y ! propos$ approa* to be provid$      
assi/ance is consi/5t ) ?is section & ! 
priorities describ$ 9 subsection 7e72 & 

7,b7 any basic in=mation on ! applicant 
t ! ,secret>y det]m9es to be necess>y2 &
  7#b7 %all n require any prep>ation (  
support+ reports by ! applicant or o!r  
entities4  7e7 ,priority ,! ,secret>y   
%all prioritize applications = f9ancial 
or te*nical assi/ance "u ?is section    
bas$ on-- 7#a7 = projects involv+ a     
volunt>y p>tn]%ip "u subsection 7c77#a71
 :e!r ! propos$ project w\ld d$icate a  
portion ( ! wat] sav$ 9 ! project area  
to increase wat] supplies =-- 7,a7 o!r  
memb]s ( ! wat] di/rict )9 :i* ! project
 is locat$2 or  7,b7 9 ! case ( a       
project n )9 a wat] di/rict1 o!r memb]s 
( ! municipality1 ,indian ,tribe1       
acequia1 or o!r community unit )9 :i* ! 
project is locat$2  7#b7 ! ext5t to :i* 
! propos$ approa* is innovative 9 t]ms  
(-- 7,a7 ! practices implem5t$ or !     
crops plant$2  7,b7 ! f9ancial or o!r   
aspects ( ! volunt>y p>tn]%ip among !   
agricultural entities & municipal or    
indu/rial entities or nonpr(it          
cons]vation organizations2 or  7,c7 a   

comb9ation ( ! factors describ$ 9       
subp>agraphs 7,a7 & 7,b72  7#c7 ! ext5t 
to :i* ! propos$ approa* is prelim9>ily 
e/imat$ to r$uce consumptive            
agricultural wat] use comp>$ to exi/+   
practices :ile keep+ agricultural l& 9  
production2  7#d7 ! ext5t to :i* !      
propos$ approa* is prelim9>ily e/imat$  
to support income & employm5t levels 9 !
 relevant agricultural community comp>$ 
to exi/+ practices 7:e!r due to increas$
 yields1 l[] input co/s1 or o!r         
factors72  7#e7 ! assessm5t ( !         
,secret>y ( ! likelihood t ! propos$    
approa* is likely to be successfully    
implem5t$ z propos$2  7#f7 :e!r !       
volunt>y wat] %>+ agreem5ts among !     
agricultural entities & municipal or    
indu/rial entities or nonpr(it          
cons]vation organizations are propos$ = 
a p]iod ( n less ?an #aj ye>s2  7#g7 !  
likelihood ( ! project to su/a9 !       
project long-t]m )\t ! ne$ = additional 
,f$]al fund+ aft] ! project demon/ration
 phase2 &  7#h7 su* o!r factors z !     

,secret>y det]m9es to be appropriate1   
consi/5t ) subsection 7c77#c74  7f7     
,co/-,%>+ requirem5t  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,!  
,f$]al %>e ( activities provid$ f9ancial
 assi/ance "u ?is section %all n exce$  
#ge p]c5t ( ! co/ ( ! activities4  7#b7 
,waiv]  ,! ,secret>y may waive ! co/-%>+
 requirem5t "u p>agraph 7#a7 = ,tribal  
entities4  7g7 ,fund+  7#a7 ,9 g5]al    
,not)/&+ any o!r provision ( law1 !     
,secret>y may use n m ?an #aj p]c5t ( ! 
am\nts made available "u section        
#iejd7;e7 ( ! ,omnibus ,public ,l&      
,managem5t ,act ( #bjji 7#db ,u4,s4,c4  
#ajcfd7;e77 to c>ry out ?is section4    
7#b7 ,au?orization ( appropriations ,9  
addition to any am\nts o!rwise made     
available to c>ry out ?is title & am\nts
 made available "u p>agraph 7#a71 !re is
 au?oriz$ to be appropriat$ to !        
,secret>y to c>ry out ?is section       
#e1jjj1jjj = ea* ( fiscal ye>s #bjbh    
?r\gh #bjcd4  4