Zuretti Goosby, from the office of state Sen. Pat Wiggins (D-Santa Rosa), presented the new wording of Senate Bill 939 at the Humboldt County Association of Governments board meeting Thursday.

SB 939, if passed and signed into law, would address Klamath Basin dam removal implementation needs.

Previous amendments to the bill made reference to moving the section of state code authorizing the Hoopa Valley Business Council as a member of HCAOG to the joint powers section of state code.

Goosby said the bill has been brought back into accordance with Wiggins’ original intention by forming a joint powers agreement that can be used to address Klamath River water issues.

All reference to the Hoopa Valley Business Council has been removed from the bill. Goosby said the reference to the council, though intended to form the same joint powers agreement as the amended wording, created a confusing situation.

There was concern that the reference to state code sections was intended to change the relationship between the tribe and HCAOG, Goosby said, and that was not the intention.

The amended bill must be reviewed again by committee before reaching the Senate floor, Goosby said. But, SB 939 is a two-year bill, meaning that if no action is taken in this legislative cycle, the Senate will take it up again upon reconvening, he said.