California’s new transparency law providing for 72-hour waiting period before final action on a bill in the state legislature is embroiled in a dispute over its provisions, whether it applies to either the senate or the assembly or only when it is ready for the governor’s signature. A bill customarily has two final votes, one in the body of its origin and other a concurrence vote in the other body. Passed by California voters in November, Proposition 54 was enacted to prevent last minute changes to bills without public input. (Los Angeles Times, December 10, 2016, by John Myers)
The Los Angeles Times Editorial Board, December 9, 2016, complains that the legislators have already violated the spirit of the new law by passing immigration resolutions without notice. The leadership claim the law only applies to bills, not resolutions. The Board is also concerned that the Assembly has passed operational rules that provide for 72-hour notice only for the second legislative body and not the body of origin.
One Comment
I think that the people has the right to know what bill’s are being passed before their announced. You gotta admit, allowing legislators to change the bill at the last minute is pretty unfair for the general public.
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