(a)  Before adopting, amending, or repealing a rule or regulation, the district board shall make findings of necessity, authority, clarity, consistency, nonduplication, and reference, as defined in this section, based upon information developed pursuant to Section 40727.2, information in the rulemaking record maintained pursuant to Section 40728, and relevant information presented at the hearing.

(b)  As used in this section, the following terms have the following meaning:

(1)  “Necessity” means that a need exists for the regulation, or for its amendment or repeal, as demonstrated by the record of the rulemaking authority.

(2)  “Authority” means that a provision of law or of a state or federal regulation permits or requires the regional agency to adopt, amend, or repeal the regulation.

(3)  “Clarity” means that the regulation is written or displayed so that its meaning can be easily understood by the persons directly affected by it.

(4)  “Consistency” means that the regulation is in harmony with, and not in conflict with or contradictory to, existing statutes, court decisions, or state or federal regulations.

(5)  “Nonduplication” means that a regulation does not impose the same requirements as an existing state or federal regulation unless a district finds that the requirements are necessary or proper to execute the powers and duties granted to, and imposed upon, a district.

(6)  “Reference” means the statute, court decision, or other provision of law that the district implements, interprets, or makes specific by adopting, amending, or repealing a regulation.

(Amended by Stats. 1997, Ch. 519, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1998.)