(October 13, 2009) Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has called a special session of the Legislature to address the state’s water crisis.

California legislative leaders spent late Sunday in closed-door sessions and said they had inched closer to a broad-ranging pact that would overhaul the state's water policy and pour billions of dollars into ecosystem and infrastructure improvements.

In response to the leaders’ progress, the Governor issued a statement saying, “while we still have a few remaining issues to work out, I commend the legislative leaders for their focus and commitment to solving this crisis and I will weigh all the bills on their merits.”

In his proclamation, the Governor has asked that the special session on water consider and act upon legislation to:

1. Protect and restore the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta while also improving the reliability and quality of water supplies from that estuary.  
2. Address the short-term and long-term improvement of California’s water management system, including development of new surface and groundwater storage and improved conveyance facilities, ecosystem health and conservation strategies.
3. Appropriate funds, including appropriations for general obligation and lease revenue bonds, to improve water resource management, build additional water storage facilities, develop groundwater aquifers, improve groundwater quality and flood protection, and restore the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and other important ecosystem restoration projects.
4. Place a general obligation bond and, as necessary, a lease revenue bond on the ballot.