CA lawmakers tackle water, gender issues, fires; climate cited

(The Center Square) – During the past seven days in California, Sen. Anna Caballero, D-Merced County, announced implementation of her successful 2025 bill, Senate Bill 72, that modernizes the Golden State’s water plan. Her bill directs the state’s Department of Water Resources to build the infrastructure to support the capacity to hold an additional nine billion acre-feet of water by 2040, according to the text of the bill. The effort to push for additional water, and the infrastructure to hold it, is in response to the worsening effects of climate change and its effects on California’s water, Caballero said at a press conference on March 10 at San Luis Reservoir in Merced County. Caballero added she expects the state will need to pass a bond to pay for the water infrastructure. “Frankly, we don’t know what the cost will be to meet that goal,” Caballero said, answering a question from The Center Square at the end of the press conference.