SACRAMENTO, California — A California Democratic state lawmaker introduced a bill Monday to make the release of water from reservoirs under false pretenses a misdemeanor after the Trump administration dumped 2 billion gallons from Central Valley dams in January in a failed attempt to send water to Los Angeles.
What happened: Assemblymember Diane Papan’s AB 1146 would prohibit the release of stored water in California if made “knowingly and designedly under any false or fraudulent representation or assumption as to the purpose and intended use of the water,” according to the bill text. The bill would empower the State Water Resources Control Board to enforce the ban with orders. It would also make a violation punishable by fine or jail time.
Why this matters: The bill puts California on the offensive after having to defend its water management from President Donald Trump, who’s repeatedly promised to deliver more water to farmers and misleadingly blamed the state’s water system for the Los Angeles fires.
“California will not stand idly by while attempts are made to manipulate our water supply for political theater,” Papan said in a statement Tuesday.
