Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Available On Air Stations
Watch Live

Lawmakers Struggling to Pass Water Storage Improvements

Tuesday is the deadline set by the Secretary of State for lawmakers to put a water bond on the February ballot. It will come and go without a deal -- but that doesn't mean everyone has given up just y

Lawmakers Struggling to Pass Water Storage Improvements

Tuesday is the deadline set by the Secretary of State for lawmakers to put a water bond on the February ballot. It will come and go without a deal -- but that doesn't mean everyone has given up just yet. From Sacramento, Marianne Russ explains.

Early on, lawmakers were optimistic about putting a water bond to improve the Delta and increase water storage on February's ballot, but that's changed.

Advertisement

Democratic Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez : I really think we're on a tight schedule if we want to get it to the February ballot -- I think we're going to miss that ballot.

That was Nunez late last week. His counterpart in the Senate is now looking to put a bond to voters in November through the initiative process. That way he can bypass Republican lawmakers, who rejected his plan because it didn't specify new dams.

But the governor's press secretary says Schwarzenegger is still aiming for February, even if it means putting a supplemental ballot pamphlet out. That would cost the state extra.

The Secretary of State's office says lawmakers would have until early November if they choose to go that route.