Capitol Alert

The latest on California politics and government

Jim Sanders of The Bee Capitol Bureau has compiled this list of proposals for altering state government -- from legislative practices to the initiative process -- that will be on the table in January.

LEGISLATURE
• Senate Bill 18, to restrict gift-giving to legislators from firms that hire lobbyists. (Sen. Sam Blakeslee, R-San Luis Obispo)
• Senate Bill 19, to create a "Do Not Call" list for voters who do not want to receive prerecorded "robocalls" from candidates. (Sen. Sam Blakeslee, R-San Luis Obispo)
• Assembly Constitutional Amendment 2, to bar legislative floor sessions after 9 p.m. or before 9 a.m. (Assemblyman Kevin Jeffries, R-Lake Elsinore)
• Assembly Constitutional Amendment 1, to require the Assembly and Senate to post agendas 72 hours before any meeting, and to give lawmakers 24 hours to review final versions of bills before a vote. (Assemblyman Kevin Jeffries, R-Lake Elsinore)

BUDGET
• Assembly Constitutional Amendment 4, to lower the voter threshold from two-thirds to 55 percent to pass local bond measures for sewer, water, street, wastewater, park or public safety facilities. (Assemblyman Bob Blumenfield, D-Woodland Hills)
• Assembly Constitutional Amendment 3, to require the Legislature to consider only budget or emergency bills in odd-numbered years of two-year sessions. (Assemblyman Kevin Jeffries, R-Lake Elsinore)
• Assembly Bill 21, to require the governor's proposed budget to list pension, retiree health benefits and other unfunded liabilities. (Assemblyman Brian Nestande, R-Palm Desert)
• Assembly Constitutional Amendment 8, to require the governor in submitting an annual budget proposal to identify how any projected shortfall in the following fiscal year should be cured. (Assemblywoman Kristin Olsen, R-Modesto)
• Senate Bill 14, to require "performance-based budgeting," which would allocate funds to state agencies based on performance rather than on previous-year totals. (Sen. Lois Wolk, D-Davis)
• Senate Bill 15, to require the governor to submit two-year spending plans and five-year projections of revenues and expenditures. (Sens. Mark DeSaulnier, D-Concord, and Sen. Lois Wolk, D-Davis)
• Senate Bill 17, to require that budget bills be publicly posted for 72 hours before a vote is taken. (Sen. Sam Blakeslee, R-San Luis Obispo)

INITIATIVES
• Assembly Constitutional Amendment 5 and ACA 6, to require initiatives that propose additional spending to identify a funding source. (Assemblyman Anthony Portantino, D-La Cañada Flintridge, and Assemblyman Mike Gatto, D-Los Angeles)
• Assembly Constitutional Amendment 9, to require that initiatives imposing a supermajority vote threshold be approved by that same percentage. (Assemblyman Mike Gatto, D-Los Angeles)
• Assembly Constitutional Amendment 10, to allow the Legislature to amend or repeal most voter-approved initiatives four years after their approval. (Assemblyman Mike Gatto, D-Los Angeles)
• Assembly Constitutional Amendment 11, to raise the signature threshold to qualify a statutory initiative for the ballot - from 5 percent to 8 percent of voters in the last gubernatorial election. (Assemblyman Mike Gatto, D-Los Angeles)
• Assembly Constitutional Amendment 12, to allow the Legislature to propose, but not to impose, amendments to initiatives that qualify for the ballot. (Assemblyman Mike Gatto, D-Los Angeles)

Note: Some bills currently are in intent form.
Source: California legislative records and interviews with lawmakers or their aides.

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