Senate and Assembly leadership were unable to conclude negotiations on a water bond to replace the existing $11.1 billion water bond currently on the November 2014 ballot prior to adjournment for summer recess. The day after Senate Bill 848 (Wolk) failed to pass the Senate Floor, the Governor weighed in with his own $6 billion proposal.
The Administration’s proposed Water Action Plan Financing Act of 2014 includes:
- $1.5 billion for water quality and water supply reliability projects;
- $1.5 billion for watershed protection, watershed ecosystem restoration, and State settlement obligations;
- $2 billion for the public benefits of storage;
- $500 million for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta; and,
- $500 million for statewide flood management.
The Administration is proposing that the bond be Bay Delta Conservation Plan neutral. Language protecting existing water rights and reaffirmation of area of origin protections is also included.
The release of the Administration’s proposal resulted in the authors and supporters of SB 848 and AB 2686 (Perea) going back to the drawing board to re-work the two bills. Senator Wolk was reportedly working to reduce SB 848 from $10.5 billion to $6 billion, and on the Assembly side AB 2686 was reportedly being pared back to around $8 billion. A planned unveiling of the reworked AB 2686 had been planned for July 1, 2014, but discussions stalled the evening before, and the planned announcement was cancelled.
While the Legislature is on summer recess until August 4, 2014, discussions on the water bond will continue. While this is not the first time that a water bond has had the deadlines extended into August, it does make things logistically more difficult.
For additional information, please contact RCRC Legislative Advocate Kathy Mannion at (916) 447-4806 or kmannion@rcrcnet.org.
Senate and Assembly leadership were unable to conclude negotiations on a water bond to replace the existing $11.1 billion water bond currently on the November 2014 ballot prior to adjournment for summer recess. The day after Senate Bill 848 (Wolk) failed to pass the Senate Floor, the Governor weighed in with his own $6 billion proposal.
The Administration’s proposed Water Action Plan Financing Act of 2014 includes:
- $1.5 billion for water quality and water supply reliability projects;
- $1.5 billion for watershed protection, watershed ecosystem restoration, and State settlement obligations;
- $2 billion for the public benefits of storage;
- $500 million for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta; and,
- $500 million for statewide flood management.
The Administration is proposing that the bond be Bay Delta Conservation Plan neutral. Language protecting existing water rights and reaffirmation of area of origin protections is also included.
The release of the Administration’s proposal resulted in the authors and supporters of SB 848 and AB 2686 (Perea) going back to the drawing board to re-work the two bills. Senator Wolk was reportedly working to reduce SB 848 from $10.5 billion to $6 billion, and on the Assembly side AB 2686 was reportedly being pared back to around $8 billion. A planned unveiling of the reworked AB 2686 had been planned for July 1, 2014, but discussions stalled the evening before, and the planned announcement was cancelled.
While the Legislature is on summer recess until August 4, 2014, discussions on the water bond will continue. While this is not the first time that a water bond has had the deadlines extended into August, it does make things logistically more difficult.
For additional information, please contact RCRC Legislative Advocate Kathy Mannion at (916) 447-4806 or kmannion@rcrcnet.org.