Veto ultimatum not kept, Governor signs 478 bills into law

As the 2009 legislative session barreled to a close, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s spokesperson said the governor would reject all legislation until the Legislature dealt with water supply, prisons and renewable energy. Capitol watchers waited—wondering if the veto ultimatum would hold or was merely idle words.

As September passed, occasional bill signings trickled out—on children’s health, education finance delays, and a second bill to honor Vietnam veterans, which was previously vetoed by the governor. The governor’s press office remained eerily silent on the subject of bill signings—usually a staple of autumn in Sacramento.

Days before his Oct. 11 bill-signing deadline, the governor reiterated his threat—this time in a public forum. Legislative leaders, collectively known as the Big Four, met with the governor in an attempt to reach a deal on the sticky issue of water supply and delivery. Yet leaders expressed doubt that Schwarzenegger would follow through on his mass-veto threat.

Hours before the midnight deadline, with legislators still failing to come to terms on a water solution, word came that the governor had caved on his veto threat and would address legislation on its merit. Sufficient progress on the thorny water issue had been made, and the threat of mass vetoes was retracted—just as legislative leaders had surmised.

In the final hours of the 2009 legislative session, the governor signed 478 bills and vetoed 229, actions that—according to Capitol insiders—netted him the record as stingiest governor when it comes to bill signing.

Lack of honesty—failure to keep campaign promises, idle threats, and political posturing—seems to be expected from politicians. Yet should it be the norm? Ask the parent of a young child, and he will tell you follow-through is important. If you threaten a spanking or a time-out for certain actions, lack of follow-through results in a disobedient child who learns not to trust his parents’ words. The same holds true in political dealings. Yet, the solution is simple; let your yes mean yes and your no mean no.


Final outcomes
LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transsexual) Issues
SB 572 (Mark Leno, D-San Francisco) — Virtually identical to legislation vetoed by Schwarzenegger last year, this legislation honors homosexual icon Harvey Milk, the state’s first openly homosexual elected official, with a “day of significance” in the public schools. Last year in his veto message, the governor recognized Milk’s significance in San Francisco, but believed his recognition should be limited to “those who were most impacted by his contributions” at the local level. Gov. Schwarzenegger’s spokesman told the mainstream press his boss’ change of heart: “The governor believes Harvey Milk has come to symbolize the gay community in California, and he wanted to honor the importance of and contributions of the gay community in California.” Yet, honoring Harvey Milk and commemorating him primarily because of his sexual orientation runs contrary to the beliefs of most Californians, including the parents whose children will lose valuable class time to learning about this man’s homosexual legacy. Signed

SB 54 (Leno) — The governor also rejected the opinion of most Californians by signing SB 54. Flaunting Proposition 8—and the will of the people—this legislation requires California to recognize same-sex marriages performed outside the state prior to the Nov. 5, 2009 passage of Proposition 8. Signed


Life Issues
SB 471 (Gloria Romero, D-East Los Angeles) — Called the Stem Cell and Biotechnology Education and Workforce Development Act of 2009, SB 471 will promote curricula developed by California’s embryonic stem-cell agency—which prioritizes morally questionable embryonic stem-cell research—and establishes stem-cell and biotechnology education and workforce development as a state priority. Signed


Adoption and Foster Care Issues
AB 167 (Anthony Adams, R-Hesperia) — Should a foster child transfer to another school district in 11^th or 12^th grade, he will not be required to meet the new district’s graduation requirements, if they exceed state requirements. Signed

AB 154 (Noreen Evans, D-Santa Rosa) — This legislation conforms California’s statute on fiscal payments with recent changes in federal adoption law. Signed

AB 428 (Nathan Fletcher, R-San Diego) —Allows the attorney general to provide pertinent criminal history information—needed in the adoption of a child—to foreign governments.  Signed


Human Trafficking
AB 17 (Sandré Swanson, D-Oakland) — Would increase criminal penalties on those who fraudulently abduct or procure a minor for prostitution. Signed

SB 557 (Leland Yee, D-San Francisco) — This bill would substantially increase the penalties for those convicted of human trafficking, or modern-day slavery. Vetoed


As Printed in the November 2009 Christian Examiner.