This Week Inside The Capitol

When finances are stretched, families adjust their budgets – eliminating or reducing expenses (doing without) where possible. The California Legislature, however, does not seem to grasp that concept. Instead of tightening their belts, most legislators seem intent on doing business as usual in Sacramento.

While legislators still struggle to finish closing a $26 billion deficit, legislative attorneys believe that more than 1,500 bills introduced this year would further cripple state finances by expanding or creating new programs or granting various tax exemptions or credits.  Once they pass appropriate policy or subject-matter committees, bills that would affect the state’s purse strings (as determined by the state Legislative Counsel) are tackled by an appropriations committee, where bills’ fiscal implications are examined. 

For example, AB 620 (Block, D-San Diego) – which would greatly expand the special rights of GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender) students and faculties at state universities and colleges, and implement anti-harassment and awareness training –is currently in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. The committee analysis from its April 13 hearing lists estimated costs for its implementation in the university and college systems, which have already been heavily impacted by budget cuts. Added expenditures under AB 620 include one-time costs of $840,000 for development and implementation of required diversity training and millions in ongoing costs to conduct new-staff training, update or modify databases, and hire new staff to review and provide the training. 

As are many fiscal bills, especially in uncertain economic times, AB 620 was moved to a “suspense file,” where bills with significant costs remain in a holding pattern. While they can be voted upon at any time, in practice these bills wait until a better picture of the state’s tax income is known in May. At that time, bills on the suspense files are quickly reconsidered, either passing on to floor votes or remaining on the suspense file, where they “fail.” 

The next few weeks represent a busy time for committee hearings. Bills with fiscal considerations must be heard by policy committees by May 6. Those without financial impacts have an additional week. All committee hearings must be finished by the end of May, and bills must pass their houses of origin by June 3. At that point, surviving bills will spend the summer months repeating the committee hearing and vote process again in the second chamber. Bills that fail to make the June 3 deadline for passing their houses of origin are “dead” for the year and cannot be re-considered.

Dozens of bills tracked by CFC will be heard in committee over the next two weeks. Several bills granting special rights and privileges to homosexuals can be voted upon at any time on the floor of the Assembly or Senate. To contact your legislator about these or other bills, visit CFC’s legislative action center and click on a specific bill.