SACRAMENTO, California — Assemblymember Buffy Wicks is killing her proposal to increase state regulators’ authority over the owners of California’s oldest, most senior water rights amid intense opposition from water agencies, farmers and business groups.
Wicks’ legislative director Zak Castillo-Krings confirmed Tuesday that she was pulling the bill, A.B. 1337, which passed the Assembly last year but has been awaiting a hearing in the Senate. The decision comes after water users reached a deal last week with Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan on a bill, A.B. 460, to increase fines for water theft.
Both bills emerged last year after three years of historic drought exposed the state’s limits in overseeing water use.
Advocates of reform, including environmental groups, argue that the water rights system is out of date, privileging agricultural users with century-old rights over growing cities.
