SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Senate Democrats have failed in an initial attempt to secure Republican support for overhauling the $11.1 billion water bond on the November ballot.
Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg said Monday he brought the legislation to a vote because he wanted to force "an honest public discussion" about how to improve California's water supply.
SB848 by Democratic Sen. Lois Wolk of Davis fell short of the required two-thirds majority vote needed to pass, but it's not dead. After it failed 22-9, Wolk made a procedural move that will allow the bill to be reconsidered later in the summer.
Democrats say voters are likely to reject the existing ballot measure, originally passed by the Legislature in 2009, if it remains on the general election ballot.
