California Democrats propose $3.4 billion in drought spending

Bill seeks to use state surplus and federal fending to deal with state's water woes

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - Democrats in the California Senate have proposed $3.4 billion in new spending to battle the state's drought.

The state's Legislative Analyst's Office says that's as much as the state spent on the previous drought, and it stretched out over five-years.

The money would pay for things like trucking in drinking water for small communities and encouraging farmers and homeowners to use less water.

Senate President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins said the state needs to take advantage of a surprise state surplus and billions of dollars in new federal funding to prepare for the drought.