Republican Asm. Juan Alanis of Modesto is pressing for more accountability in the state water board’s drought regulations. His new bill would require the board to perform a comprehensive economic study on the potential impacts of each emergency regulation before renewing it.  Last month the board readopted an emergency drought regulation along California’s northernmost rivers for the fourth year in a row. Local farmers and ranchers have unsuccessfully pleaded with the board for years to carefully consider the broader economic impacts of the regulation.