California AfD'ers defend human right to water through support of AB 1242

The Alliance has joined with water justice, environmental, and religious groups as co-sponsor of AB 1242, the Human Right to Water Act sponsored by Assembly Member Ira Ruskin of the San Francisco area. This is the first bill to address the human right to water in any state or the country. It is in concert with the global people's water movement call that "water as human right" be recognized at the United Nations. For more on this effort at the UN, read "Water: A Human Right, Not a Commodity" on page 4 of our water tabloid, "Water Democracy in California: Community Rights not Corporate Control," at www.defendingwaterincalifornia.org

The bill was heard on April 28 by the Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee which voted along party lines in support. Nancy Price thanks all California AfDers who responded to the Action Alert on this bill.

AB 1242 now goes to the Appropriations Committee where it may meet with difficulty because the bill requires state agencies act to provide safe and affordable water to all Californians. Hopefully, the bill will get voted out of this committee and to the Assembly floor - when, again, we'll send out an action alert for all CA members to call their Assembly Member. And, if it gets approved in the Assembly, the process starts over in the Senate. Stay tuned, stay alert!