Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines (R-Clovis) welcomed a new Democratic proposal for a state water bond, but appeared to split with the Assembly Democrats who crafted the proposal on one key element.

Villines said all parts of the $9.8-billion bond should be subject to continuous appropriations, including $3 billion designated for water storage.

Assemblyman Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael), one of the members of the Assembly working group that crafted the proposal, said earlier Friday that such money would be appropriated on an annual basis, subject to the vote of the legislature.

The distinction is important because water storage in the form of dams has drawn opposition from Democrats and environmentalists. Huffman said some of the $3 billion could be used for "above ground" storage, which is often defined as dams and reservoirs.

Making appropriations subject to annual votes raises the specter of a stall in new water storage construction if legislative Democrats balk at approving money for it.

In a statement released by his office, Villines said he was, on the whole, encouraged by the Democrats' work on a bond.

"Failing to address our state's water crisis will devastate our agricultural economy and result in mandatory rationing, higher bills and severe droughts," Villines said.

Hearings on the new bond proposal are scheduled to begin Monday. It is unclear if such a bond will be approved in time to go before voters in November or at a later, unspecified date.

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