A San Joaquin Valley lawmaker has been hoping to modernize water management in California by dissolving the State Water Resources Control Board. While a policy committee quickly struck down the provision to dismantle the board, the bill rekindled a growing interest among urban lawmakers to overhaul the water rights system in response to drought, climate change and environmental justice goals.

Senator Melissa Hurtado of Sanger introduced the measure, Senate Bill 1219, soon after the launch of the new Select Committee on Human Security. With Hurtado as chair, the committee hosted a lengthy informational hearing in December on the crisis unfolding in the valley’s farming communities as the drought deepens and diminishes paychecks along with local economies.

“Water security is not just about the Central Valley. It's not just a California issue. It's a global issue,” said Hurtado, when introducing SB 1219 during a Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee hearing last week. “Report after report tells us that water scarcity needs to be looked at in a nexus framework, with food, health, energy and security a part of it.”

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