Assembly Speaker Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) today announced selection of committee chairs for the 2015-’16 Regular Session.

Assembly Member Marc Levine (D-San Rafael) is the new chair of the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee, while Assembly Member Luis Alejo (D-Watsonville) remains chair of the Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee.

Assembly Member Brian Maienschein (R-San Diego) is the new chair of the Local Government Committee, while Assembly Member Lorena Gonzalez is the new vice chair.

The House introduced a bill Tuesday intended to address California’s prolonged drought. The bill was introduced by Rep. Valadao (R-21), and was co-sponsored by California Republicans Kevin McCarthy, Ken Calvert, Doug LaMalfa, Tom McClintock and Devin Nunes. The bill was also co-sponsored by California Democrat Jim Costa.

The bill comes after drought negotiations between Senator Feinstein (D-CA) and a group of House Republicans were called off just before the Thanksgiving break. Senator Feinstein has not yet commented on the new bill.

California’s and Australia’s epic droughts and the passage of Proposition 1 – the $7.5 billion water bond – are among the myriad of topics being addressed this week at ACWA’s Fall Conference & Exhibition in San Diego which kicked off today.

The State Water Resources Control Board reported Dec. 2 that statewide urban water conservation levels declined in October, though total monthly water use was lower than for the same month in 2013.

The most recent round of reporting by nearly 400 urban water suppliers around the state showed that while per-capita residential water use continues to decline this year, the rate at which communities are conserving on a year-over-year monthly basis declined for the second straight month.

Even after approving a statewide $7.5 billion water bond in November, a solid majority – 70% — of Californians say they would vote yes if their local water district put a bond measure on the ballot to pay for water supply infrastructure projects, a new statewide poll revealed.

Improved precipitation forecasts allowed the Department of Water Resources to announce today that its initial State Water Project allocation for 2015 is 10% — up from last year’s 5% —  but cautioned that the allocation could change depending on precipitation and critical human health and safety needs.