The Governor may have yet to act on some 600 pieces of legislation, but the legislature has done its part. Jim Miller tallied up the yes/no and missed votes for every legislator, finding an average nonvoting rate of about 4%, and exactly one legislator with a perfect voting record. From the Bee:
“One lawmaker had perfect record of voting: Assemblyman Mike Gatto, D-Los Angeles, never missed a vote, records show.
“Some members of the Legislature’s Democratic majority voted “no” at rates significantly higher than their caucus colleagues.
“In the Senate, Steve Glazer, D-Orinda, Richard Roth, D-Riverside and Cathleen Galgiani, D-Manteca, voted “no” on the floor at rates more than three times their caucus’ average. Glazer’s no-vote total was the most of any Democrat, even though his special election victory came almost five months into the 2015 session. Roth and Galgiani represent swing districts. All three are up for re-election next year.
“In the Assembly, Gatto, Assemblywoman Jacqui Irwin, D-Thousand Oaks, and Adam Gray, D-Merced, also voted “no” much more often than their colleagues.
“Among Republicans, meanwhile, Assemblyman Matthew Harper, R-Huntington Beach, and state Sen. Mike Morrell, R-Rancho Cucamonga, topped the Legislature in voting no almost a quarter of the time.”
One bloc of Dems voting “no” more often than their colleagues is known as “The Mods” –business-friendly Democrats who do not march to the same drummer as the party’s libs. The Mods chipped away at anti-petroleum provisions in SB 350 and blocked efforts to restrict tobacco use – and, coincidentally or not, received strong support from oil and tobacco interests. Not a single Mod returned Jessica Calefati’s calls for this story in the San Jose Mercury News:
“Experts say the growth of the moderate bloc is a testament to the success of electoral reform efforts -- a new redistricting process, longer term limits and the "top-two" primary system chief among them -- aimed at eroding the influence of extreme liberals and conservatives who have dominated the state's political discourse for decades. However, it has also given an unexpected advantage to deep-pocketed corporations who have figured out that moderate Democrats can be their best allies in a state where Republicans are often an irrelevant minority.”
Barring any big surprises, Bakersfield Republican Kevin McCarthy is poised to succeed John Boehner as House Speaker when Boehner leaves his post in October. Chuck McFadden looks at the lightning-fast ascent of the the man who will likely be the second-ever house Speaker from California. From Capitol Weekly:
“McCarthy was first elected to the House only in 2006. He is the fastest-rising, least experienced majority leader in the history of the House of Representatives. When he assumed the majority leadership position, he had served only seven years, six months and 29 days in the House. That is the least experience of any floor leader in the House’s history.
“His networking skills, well known in Sacramento and D.C., have played a pivotal role in his rise, as did his position on the staff of former House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Bill Thomas, long a Congressional power.
“But there’s more going on here.
“McCarthy is a ‘a Republican Machiavelli: as calculating, shrewd, and unapologetically political as they come,’ the New Republic’s Michelle Cottle wrote when McCarthy was poised to become Majority Whip with the GOP’s takeover of the House. ‘He may not be a household name, even in Washington; but, after a mere two terms in Congress, Kevin McCarthy is on the brink of becoming one of the Beltway’s most influential players.’”
Speaking of D. C., The Hill looks tags Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association as one of the five cases to watch in the coming Supreme Court term. The ruling could have a huge impact on public sector unions everywhere – not just California. Lydia Wheeler:
“At issue is whether the court should overturn a 1977 ruling in Abood v. Detroit Board of Education. In that case, the court upheld the requirement that non-union workers pay a portion of the union fees because a public union shop bargains on behalf of everyone.
“If the court is not going to overturn Abood, however, the justices must decide whether it violates the First Amendment to require public employees to affirmatively opt out of union payments instead of requiring employees to opt into the union and affirmatively consent to the union fees.”
Opponents of SB 277, the recently-passed mandatory vaccine bill, have submitted a ballot initiative to overturn the law. The new effort overlaps a current signature drive seeking a referendum on the law. Today is the deadline for the referendum’s backers to turn in 365,000 signatures – which we’re guessing will fall short of the make – hence the new initiative. Patrick McGreevy, LAT:
“The new initiative was announced on Twitter and Facebook by a group that has been seeking to recall some lawmakers who recently approved a new law eliminating the religious and personal belief exemption used in the past by some parents to keep their children from being vaccinated.”
Dan Morain looks at Stockton farmer-millionaire Dean Cortopassi’s self-funded initiative to force a public vote on major public works projects financed by public bonds. From The Sacramento Bee:
“Cortopassi says the measure is not aimed at any specific project, but he clearly dislikes Gov. Jerry Brown’s twin tunnels project, and derides the high-speed rail as a ‘train to nowhere.’
“’I’m saying it will affect all future big-ticket revenue bond projects,’ he said.”
Senator Marty Block (D-San Diego) is not backing down in the face of a challenge from Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins (D-San Diego). Michael Smolens, San Diego Union Tribune:
“In an interview Friday, Block said he believes he can compete financially despite Atkins' current huge advantage in campaign funds and that he was more concerned about a recent, somewhat mysterious poll that shows her with a 2-to-1 lead -- while at the same time questioning the accuracy of the survey.
“He also reiterated that he never committed to serving only one term as Atkins insists, but understands how she could have gotten that impression.
“Block said in the lead up to the 2012 election he and Atkins, who were both in the Assembly at the time, had a discussion about running for the open 39th Senate District seat.
"’I indicated it might be one term,’ he said, adding that both were talking about their various options.”
Here’s a story about a real whiz: a New York man accidentally shot himself in the groin when he was popped by police for taking a leak in public. Yowch.
“Police patrolling E. 93rd St. near Clarkson Ave. in East Flatbush spotted Javier Thomas, urinating about 1:15 a.m., officials said. When Thomas saw the cops approach he tried to discard his 9-mm. Glock — but accidentally pulled the trigger and shot himself in the privates, cops said.
“Paramedics took Thomas to Kings County Hospital with a nonlife threatening — but undoubtedly painful — wound.
“He was later arrested on weapons possession and reckless endangerment charges. His arraignment was pending Saturday evening.”