On Thursday, the Assembly Republican Caucus announced a legislative package aimed at “making state government work again, and restoring the people’s trust in their government.” The three proposals introduced would modernize the legislative process, exercise fiscal discipline in State spending, and restore integrity to the Legislature.
The first proposal, Assembly Constitutional Amendment 1, introduced by Assembly Republican Leader Kristin Olsen (R-Modesto) would institute a 72-hour in print rule for all legislation, effectively eliminating the practice of last minute “gut-and-amends” that limit the ability of lawmakers and the public to read the text of bills before decisions are made at the Capitol.
The second proposal, Assembly Bill 410, introduced by Assemblymember Jay Obernolte (R-Big Bear Lake), would require that all reports authored by State agencies and submitted to legislative committees be posted online. While these legally mandated documents are considered public information, there is currently no online posting requirement.
The third proposal, House Resolution 14, introduced by Assemblymember Melissa Melendez (R-Lake Elsinore), would limit the number of bills legislators can carry in a two-year session to 20, down from the 40 allowed today.