Districts, regardless of the date of formation, are subject to the provisions of this division.
Introductory ProvisionsGeneral Provisions
Section § 20560
This law section states that all districts must follow the rules laid out in this division, no matter when they were created.
district obligations rules compliance division provisions
Section § 20560.2
If a district in California sells bonds or other debt to fund its electric operations, it must notify the California Debt and Investment Advisory Commission 30 days before the sale. If they don't, the sale isn’t valid. The Commission can waive this notice if asked. They might charge a small fee to cover their costs, which comes from the sale proceeds. These bonds are legal investments for a variety of funds, including those of banks, insurance companies, and school funds.
In the case of any district that owns and operates facilities for the generation, transmission, distribution, and retail sale of electric power, the district shall give notice to the California Debt and Investment Advisory Commission, at least 30 days prior to the proposed sale date, of the proposed sale of any evidence of indebtedness issued to provide financing of any works of the district. The notice shall include the information required by subdivision (i) of Section 8855 of the Government Code. Failure to give this notice shall render the sale invalid. The California Debt and Investment Advisory Commission may waive the 30-day notice period upon application by the district.
In carrying out the purpose of this section,
the California Debt and Investment Advisory Commission may charge fees payable solely from the proceeds of the sale of the debt issue in an amount equal to one-fortieth of 1 percent of the principal amount of the issue, but not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000) for any one issue.
The bonds shall be legal investments for all trust funds, for the funds of all insurance companies, commercial banks, savings banks, trust companies, the state school funds, and for any funds which may be invested in bonds of cities, cities and counties, counties, school districts, or municipalities in the state.
district electric facilities debt issuance notice California Debt and Investment Advisory Commission
Section § 20561
This law states that any districts formed before this law took effect will not be affected in terms of their legal status, rights, or obligations. In other words, the existence and functions of those districts are still valid and intact.
Nothing in this division impairs the validity of any district formed prior to the effective date of this division, its rights, or obligations.
district validity pre-existing districts legal status of districts
Section § 20562
If a notice must be published weekly for a set number of weeks, it only needs to appear one day each week and must be published as many times as there are weeks specified.
Whenever by this division a notice is required to be published for a designated number of weeks or once a week for a designated number of weeks, the notice need be published on only one day of each week and for only the same number of times as the number of weeks designated.
notice publication designated weeks one day per week
Section § 20563
If something is supposed to happen on the first Tuesday of the month, you can do it on the day of the month when the board has its regular meeting instead.
Whenever any act is required to be done or proceeding taken on the first Tuesday in any month, the act may be done or proceeding had upon the day of the month otherwise specified for the regular meeting of the board.
first Tuesday requirement alternative date board regular meeting
Section § 20564
If a document mentioned in this division is formally acknowledged or validated, it has the same legal impact as if it were a deed for real estate that has been acknowledged. Also, in cases involving a petition, this document can serve as proof of the petitioner's stated place of residence.
Whenever an instrument provided for in this division is acknowledged or proved, it shall have the same effect as evidence as a conveyance of real property which has been acknowledged and in case of any petition under this division is evidence of the fact of place of residence of a petitioner as stated by him on the petition.
document acknowledgment real estate conveyance formal validation
Section § 20565
This law requires that if a document needs to be officially recognized (acknowledged) under this division, each person signing it must either personally confirm their signature or have it legally verified before the signature is valid.
Whenever an instrument is by this division required to be acknowledged, each signer shall acknowledge the instrument, or his signature shall be proved, in the manner provided by law before his signature shall be effective.
instrument acknowledgment signature verification legal proof
Section § 20566
This law allows individuals who manage property on behalf of someone else, like guardians or executors, to sign legal petitions related to water code matters. They must have court permission, which can be granted without notifying other parties.
A guardian, conservator, executor, administrator, or other person holding property in a trust capacity under appointment of court may sign any petition provided for in this division, when authorized by an order of court, which order may be made without notice.
guardian responsibilities executor authority conservator duties
Section § 20566.1
This law allows a district's board to sign petitions relevant to this division when it concerns land that the district owns.
A district with respect to land owned by it may through its board sign any petition provided for in this division.
district board sign petition land ownership
Section § 20567
This law says if a piece of land is assessed to an unknown or fake owner, or just listed without specifying an owner on official records, then for legal purposes in any petition, it counts as having just one owner. This is in addition to any real owner's name that might be incorrectly given on those records.
If any land is assessed on any assessment book to unknown or fictitiously named owners, or to unnamed owners in addition to any owner or owners named thereon, the land has, for the purposes of any petition provided for in this division, but one owner in addition to any owner or owners whose true name or names may be purported to be given on the assessment book.
land assessment unknown owners fictitious owners
Section § 20568
If you own a share of land with other people, you can sign petitions related to this division, and your share is treated as if it's separate from others. Each person's share of the land counts equally unless specified otherwise in official records.
The holder of title to an undivided interest in any land may sign any petition provided for in this division. Undivided interests shall be counted and valued as though they were separate interests. If the assessment book fails to indicate the extent of any undivided interest, the holders of title whose undivided interests in any land are not specifically defined have, for the purposes of this division, equal shares therein.
undivided interest land ownership petitions
Section § 20568.1
This law says that you can't sign documents on behalf of a property owner, or someone who owns part of a property, unless they have given you permission.
No person may sign for the owner of property or the owner of an undivided interest therein without the authorization of the owner.
property ownership authorization requirement signing on behalf
Section § 20569
This law explains how the value of the land and who owns it are determined when dealing with certain petitions. Typically, the district's most recently updated assessment book is used to decide these matters. If this book isn't available, the last updated county assessment roll is used. Specifically, when forming a new district or an improvement district outside an existing one, the county's most recent assessment roll at the time the petition is first announced is used to establish land value and ownership.
The value of any land and the holders of title to the land are conclusively determined, for the purpose of any petition provided for in this division, by the district assessment book last equalized at the time of the presentation of the petition.
When no assessment book of the district has been equalized, the county assessment roll of the county in which the land is situated last equalized at the time of the presentation of the petition is conclusive evidence of the value and title.
However, for the purposes of a petition to form a district and so far as land outside a district is concerned for the purposes of a petition to form an improvement district under Chapter 2A of Part 7 the county assessment roll of the county in which the land is situated, last equalized at the time of the first publication of the petition is conclusive evidence of the value and title.
land valuation title holders petition process
Section § 20570
This law states that districts are officially recognized as government agencies created to serve state purposes.
It is reaffirmed that districts are state agencies formed and existing for governmental purposes.
state agencies governmental purposes districts
Section § 20571
This law states that when a district charges landowners based on the assessed value of their land, it's considered a fee for services provided by the district, not an investment in the land itself.
Assessments of a district, for whatsoever purpose, levied on all assessable land at a like rate on the basis of the assessed valuation of the land are hereby declared to be charges for the services furnished by the district and not a capital investment of the landowners.
district assessments assessable land assessed valuation
Section § 20573
This law states that any districts covered by this specific division must follow the rules set out in the Uniform District Election Law. Essentially, it means they're required to adhere to a standardized set of election procedures.
Districts governed by this division are subject to the provisions of the Uniform District Election Law.
Uniform District Election Law district governance election procedures
