(Sacramento) – After months of work by the Legislature and weekly negotiations with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, lawmakers are close to finalizing an agreement that is a comprehensive solution to California’s water woes. The Governor retracted his mass veto threat on the eve of the bill-signing deadline and released close to two hundred bills last night.

Assemblywoman Anna Caballero (D-Salinas) had eight bills waiting for the Governor’s signature, and last night six of the eight measures were signed and two were vetoed.

Here is the list of Caballero bills that were signed:

AB 856 (Organic Produce) protects consumers who buy organic produce from California, and protects the integrity of California’s organic farmers by increasing the authority of the California Department of Agriculture to regulate manufactures of organic fertilizers.

AB 494 (Farm Worker Housing) allows farmers who wish to build housing for farm workers on land zoned for agriculture, to change the zoning, and be able to build housing while retaining the agricultural integrity of the property. 

AB 720 (Housing Rehabilitation) allows Redevelopment Agencies in Counties and Cities the flexibility to use money collected for low and moderate housing to be used to weatherize and rehabilitate old, dilapidated housing in blighted neighborhoods.

AB 1052 (Bay-Delta Fish Stamp) allows the Department of Fish and Game to continue using money collected from fishermen under the Bay Delta Fish Stamp. The money collected must be used to improve fish habitat and fishing in the Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta.

AB 644 (Monterey-Salinas Transit)  allows the Monterey-Salinas Transit Authority to convert from a Joint Powers Authority to a Transportation District, to allow them to better serve the transit needs of all the communities in Monterey County.  

AB 344 (City of Soledad) gives authority to the California Transportation Commission to transfer control over a portion of State Hwy 146 located in the City of Soledad for the City to beautify, manage, and maintain.

The two bills that were vetoed are AB 444 (Endowment Funds) and AB 557 (State Organic Program).

The Governor has called for a special session on water, but no date has been set for when the legislature will be back for session.