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This Week Inside The Capitol

March 21, 2011

$14 Billion: Half-way there?

by Rebecca Burgoyne, 
CFC Research Analyst

Last week, the California Legislature passed the main budget bills, without tackling two of the thorniest current budget issues – eliminating redevelopment agencies and a special election to put extensions on sales, income, and car taxes on a spring ballot. Raucous, partisan debate erupted, but party-line votes approved about $14 billion in cuts, internal borrowing and transfers from other accounts. Without increased revenue, Democrats will either have to find four Republicans to cross the aisle and provide “yes” votes or they will have to look for deeper cuts – something they are reluctant to do.

Over the weekend, eyes were still on the budget, as Republicans moved across the street for their spring convention. Yesterday, Republican convention delegates drew a line in the sand, voting to oppose “’any tax extension, new taxes or tax increases by the Legislature’ even if such measures are tied to spending caps or other reforms.”

This week, while Governor Jerry Brown and Democratic legislators continue to search for Republican votes for the budget, committee hearings continue in the Capitol. After Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco), bill author, requested last week’s hearing on SB 48 be cancelled, that bill – requiring the addition of GLBT history to school curriculum – will be heard this Wednesday in the Senate Education Committee. If you haven’t yet contacted committee members with your opinion, you can still do so. Visit the Senate Education Committee on CFC’s Legislative Action Center to contact the members.

Bill Hearings Scheduled This Week
AB 177 (Mendoza, D-Norwalk) Juveniles: Parenting Class
Passed Assembly Public Safety Committee 6-0
Assembly floor

AB 433 (B. Lowenthal, D-Long Beach) Transgender Birth Certificates
Assembly Judiciary Committee
March 22, 2011

ACR 22 (Hueso, D-Chula Vista) School Bullying Prevention Month
Assembly Education Committee
March 23, 2011

SB 48 (Leno, D-San Francisco) Instruction: GLBT History
Senate Education Committee
March 23, 2011

SB 117 (Kehoe, D-San Diego) Public Contracts: Prohibiting “Discrimination” Based on Gender or Sexual Orientation
Senate Governmental Organization Committee
March 22, 2011

SB 416 (Kehoe, D-San Diego) Statewide Forms: Personal Data
Senate Governmental Organization Committee
March 22, 2011
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