Update: $1 Billion Emergency Drought Package

Sacramento, CA —  Lawmakers began voting on the Governor’s $1-billion emergency drought proposal yesterday.

Governor Jerry Brown was Thursday’s KVML “Newsmaker of the Day”.

$272-million would come from the Proposition 1 water bond passed last November. $660-million would come from Proposition 1E, passed in 2006, which is for disaster preparedness and flood protection. $72-million would come from the General Fund, and $57-million from various other sources.

The legislation went through committees yesterday morning, and was scheduled to go through the Senate during the afternoon. It will be voted on by the full Assembly today.

The legislation would fund emergency drinking water supply for some communities, food assistance for 29 counties most impacted, drought response coordination, water recycling and desalination projects, and protection for fish and wildlife.

Senator Tom Berryhill (R-Twain Harte) issued the following statement in response to his opposition to Assembly Bill 92, part of the drought legislation that passed yesterday:

“While there is some good news in these drought bills – some help for the drought stricken Central Valley – AB 92 has enough bad news to make it unsupportable by folks who represent those most affected by the drought. That is pretty telling when the bill purports to help agricultural in Northern and Central Valley communities.

Once again the Legislature continually uses a crisis to expand the authority of government. This time we are giving the Department of Fish and Wildlife unchecked authority to be judge, jury and executioner on water diversions. Turning Fish and Wildlife into water cops is a dangerous policy.”

The “Newsmaker of the Day” is heard every weekday morning on AM 11450 KVML at 6:45, 7:45 and 8:45 AM.