SB 450, a new bill introduced Wednesday seeks to change the state’s voting systems to increase participation. Melody Gutierrez has the story at SFGate:
“Under SB450, voters could cast a ballot on election day or in the 10 days leading up to it at any voting center in their county, instead of a single polling place tied to their home address. Voters would also be able to mail in their ballot, drop it off at a voting center or submit it at a 24-hour ballot drop-off box. There would be fewer voting centers, but they would be open more days and open to anyone in the county, lawmakers said.
“’This is about expanding options and conveniences for voters,’ said state Sen. Benjamin Allen, D-Santa Monica, who wrote the bill with state Sen. Robert Hertzberg, D-Van Nuys. ‘It’s about opening up the options voters have so that different kinds of voters can vote in the way they find most convenient.’
“Secretary of State Alex Padilla, who announced the legislation at a news conference in his office Wednesday, said California can’t ignore its low voter turnout, which was ranked 43rd nationally for the 2014 general election…
“The bill is modeled after a system already working for Colorado that has led to greater voter participation. In the first year Colorado increased voting options, the state saw 319,225 more ballots cast in 2013 compared with 2011, despite both elections lacking a presidential, gubernatorial or congressional race to drive people to the polls.
“Last year, Colorado ranked among the top three states for voter turnout, with 54.5 percent of registered voters casting ballots in the 2014 election.”
A transportation bill passed by the House of Representatives on Tuesday included an amendment backed by congressman Jeff Denham (R-Turlock) that would partially defund California’s High Speed Rail. From Ralph Vartabedian, LAT:
“An amendment backed by Rep. Jeff Denham (R-Turlock), chairman of the House rail subcommittee, would ban a 2012 agreement between California and the Obama administration that allowed the rail project to tap federal grant funds without immediately providing required state matching money….
“The amendment was part of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development appropriations bill, approved by the GOP-controlled House on Tuesday. If the Republican-led Senate goes along, a presidential veto of the entire spending bill would be needed to stop the legislation. The Obama administration has strongly backed the high-speed rail project.”
Lawmakers are on track to pass a budget on Monday, as per constitutional deadline – but they acknowledge that it is unlikely to win the approval of the Governor. Jim Miler, Sacramento Bee:
“Talks between Democratic legislative leaders and Brown will continue after Monday’s scheduled vote, with a final deal emerging by the July 1 start of the 2015-16 fiscal year, state Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, told colleagues on the Legislature’s joint budget-writing panel late Tuesday.
“’We have a constitutional requirement that we pass a balanced budget to the governor by June 15. That is Monday. That will occur,’ Leno said. ‘There are still some disagreements with the administration. That’s what those two weeks will be for and we will have a signed budget by the governor by July 1.’”
As promised, Democratic Senators Loni Hancock (D-Berkeley) and Holly Mitchell (D-Los Angeles) filed a proposed constitutional amendment yesterday to revise Proposition 13. Phil Willon, LAT:
“The so-called split-roll proposal would require the regular reassessment of commercial and industrial properties, including factories, office buildings and other business property, to market value, while keeping current tax limits in place for residences and agricultural property.”
Cut to the state’s GOP leaders who say: not gonna happen. Allen Young, Sacramento Business Journal:
“The chance of GOP legislators approving a tax increase is ‘very remote,’ said Sen. Bob Huff, the Republican Senate leader from Glendora.
“’I’m pretty confident (Democrats) don’t get the two-thirds. They will have to do it though the initiative process,’ Huff said.
“The legislation, Senate Constitutional Amendment 5, would allow local governments to raise revenue by adjusting taxes on commercial and industrial properties following a reassessments of value, not just during an ownership change.”
State Controller Betty Yee wants to stabilize the state’s notoriously topsy-turvy revenue stream. Her answer: broaden the tax base. George Skelton has the story in the Times:
“New state Controller Betty Yee is not your typical politician. She's boldly sticking her neck out on a continuous issue bound to cause grief.
“The issue is tax reform, a taboo subject for most elected officials. At least, the comprehensive reform — not merely cutting taxes and creating loopholes — she's talking about. She wants to broaden the tax base, collecting from more people and relying less on the top 1%.
"’It's not because I don't want to tax the rich,’ the Democrat says. ‘It's just that I don't think it's sustainable’ to perpetually bank on the wealthy as cash cows for the state treasury….
“Yee recently created a nine-member advisory council to study California's tax system. It will analyze the practical effects, unintended consequences and possible alternatives of various proposals.
“The controller isn't asking the council to settle on a reform package, although she could eventually propose one herself. The group's purpose, she says, is to answer ‘the first question people want to know: “How does this apply to me?”’”
Legislation that would force pharmaceutical companies to disclose profits vs. costs on expensive drugs has derailed in the Assembly. Alvin Chen, Capitol Weekly:
“Assemblyman David Chiu, D-San Francisco, said his legislation was put on hold until next year.
“’It’s a two-year bill in the Health Committee,’ Chiu said, saying he hoped to round up support for AB 463 next year. ‘It’s got broad support – from consumer groups, labor, business organization, health plans. On this issue, they are completely united in desiring more transparency,’ Chiu added.
“But the measure drew heavy opposition from the drug industry, which said the bill targets approved medicines but largely ignores the costs of developing drugs that never make it to market.
“Chiu’s bill, which requires the companies to file regular disclosure reports with the state, includes the costs of research, clinical trials, production costs and government funding and subsidies.”
The One Voter Project posted an amazing historical look back at nine California state legislators who killed more than bills. Unsurprisingly, many of the bloodlettings involved other legislators, as in the case of Assemblyman Henry Lee:
“On March 25, 1859, Lee stabbed former Speaker Charles S. Fairfax, a wound that would eventually kill him. The fight ended when Lee pulled a sword from his cane and stabbed Fairfax in the chest. Fairfax drew a pistol and was ready to kill Lee when he cried ‘Don’t kill me; I am unarmed!’ to which Fairfax replied ‘You miserable coward; you have murdered me-you have assassinated me-and I have your worthless life in my hands; but for the sake of your wife and children I shall spare you.’”
The whole list is worth a read – check it out.
