California’s inability to prevent illegal and wasteful use of its water supply is more annoying than a leaky faucet. And far more costly.

When water is illegally diverted, it severely reduces the amount available to urban and agricultural users throughout the state. But the state Water Resources Control Board lacks the tools needed to enforce water rights and protect the limited supply.

Last week, California State Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan introduced a bill to combat algorithmic discrimination in the use of automated tools that make consequential decisions. And California is not alone—a new wave of state legislation is taking on artificial intelligence (AI) regulation, raising key questions about how best to design and implement these laws.

It’s an arcane system of water law that dates back to the birth of California — an era when 49ers used sluice boxes and water cannons to scour gold from Sierra Nevada foothills and when the state government promoted the extermination of Native people to make way for white settlers.

Today, this antiquated system of water rights still governs the use of the state’s supplies, but it is now drawing scrutiny like never before.

Oakland, CA – The East Bay Regional Park District and the Regional Parks Foundation recognized State Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan with the 2022 Radke Championing Advocacy Award at a ceremony at Inspiration Point in Tilden Regional Park.

Bauer-Kahan was instrumental in securing $4 million in the 2019-20 state budget for restoration at McCosker Creek in Robert Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve in Orinda and $3.5 million in the 2021-22 state budget for wildfire protection equipment.

On February 7, 2023, California Assembly Member Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D-16) introduced Assembly Bill (AB) No.