By Kam Bezdek, NCWA Legislative Affairs Director
Legislative Affairs Director’s Note
One of the paramount reasons I enjoyed the Capitol when I began working in water policy was the fast-paced and action-packed nature of the work. Policy in California’s Capitol is lively and ever-changing, though a few overarching themes each year tend to pull the focus of every conversation taking place: the upcoming Gubernatorial Election, changes in the Federal Administration and the role of AI in our society have all been centered at the forefront of politics in the weeks leading up to the 2026 legislative session.
The most pressing and all-consuming issue of them all is arguably the state’s affordability crisis. The state is facing a structural deficit in its budget over the next several years, and its usual willingness to invest in new programs is much more reserved than recent years. Additionally, housing reform, streamlining measures and rate structures designed to tackle affordability have nearly overwhelmed every policy committee staffer in the Capitol. Traveling through the same policy committees are, of course, many of our priorities here at Northern California Water. In light of the current political climate, we carefully crafted our legislative portfolio this year to meet our toughest challenges with thoughtful solutions, to collaborate across multiple sectors of policy, and to capitalize on our opportunities as they come.
At Northern California Water, we are well equipped for these scenarios in the state Legislature, and we are poised to further our vision of a bright and sustainable future for the Sacramento Valley. After the creation of long-term water supply goals, such as the target of 9 maf of additional storage set by SB 72 (Caballero, 2025), the water policy space is exploring sustainable groundwater management as a tool to support and reach these targets.
The Sacramento Valley is several steps ahead: for years, our water managers, farmers and engineers have proved that groundwater recharge is among the most affordable sources of natural storage infrastructure in the state. Recharge is a crucial tool the state can use to meet its water supply needs, make impactful environmental investments and take advantage of times when water is abundant across the landscapes. Our partnerships and projects, and most recently our co-sponsored bill AB 2026 (Aguiar-Curry), have brought our Valley’s innovation to the forefront of the state’s efforts to secure our water supply in the face of climate extremes.
Where the state legislature grapples with complex issues, Northern California Water brings solutions to the table. We collaborate with the broader water community to invest in 21st century water management and address challenges with invasive mussels; we build coalitions that advocate for funding to reactivate our historic floodplains; we educate new staffers and legislators on the science and technical work we invest in; and we safeguard our water resources for our future generations.
As the 2026 legislative session is underway, I feel confident that the Sacramento Valley is rising to meet its challenges and will provide the state with workable and thoughtful solutions. I look forward to working with our partners and with the region this year to move our collective vision forward and create a vibrant future for the Valley we all call home.
Kam Bezdek
Legislative Affairs Director
Click here or on the image below for a summary of NCWA’s legislative advocacy over the course of the year thus far.
If you have additional thoughts on our legislative work, we would appreciate your ideas. Please share them with us at info@norcalwater.org.
