|
 Eerie
Quiet
Silence in Sacramento...
[John Campbell] 10/21/05
The California
State Legislature adjourned in September for the year. We will
not reconvene until after New Year's Day.
This period is commonly called the "interim." Normally
during the "interim" period, committee chairs hold
a number of hearings on this matter or that in order to gather
information or support for a legislative idea. Normally, legislators
would be meeting to discuss bills that are so-called "2-year
bills" which have until January 31, 2006, to pass or fail.
Normally, working groups would be created to analyze certain
complicated matters like transportation or health care with
the intent of coming up with a consensus on how to create progress
on the issue.
Contributor
John
Campbell
John
Campbell (R-Irvine) is a California State Senator representing
the 35th District in Orange County. He represents the cities
of Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Irvine, Costa Mesa, Huntington
Beach, Seal Beach and Cypress. He can be reached through
his Senate website and
through the website for
his California Senate campaign. [go to Campbell index] |
But this
is not a normal year. And it is not a normal interim. Very
few committees or meetings or working groups are
going on.
The hallways in the capitol in Sacramento have an almost eerie
quiet and emptiness.
Why? First
of all, it was a relatively quiet year. The legislature's unwillingness
to embrace even
one of the Governor's major proposals
left this as a year with very little legislative activity
of any note. So, if there was not much going on when we were
in
session, there is even less afterwards.
But the specter of
the November 8th special election is also having its effect.
Everyone, it seems, is either waiting to see
what happens with the Governor's 4 major initiatives (propositions
74, 75.76 & 77) or they are engaged in trying to pass them
or defeat them.
If the redistricting initiative (Prop. 77) were to pass, for
example, the capitol will go into self-preservation mode with
legislators trying to determine the prospects for their political
futures. If the Paycheck Protection initiative (Prop 75) were
to pass, the reduced power of government union bosses could completely
reshape legislative agendas going forward.
If the Governor were to get a clean sweep (4 for 4) Democrats
will have renewed fear/respect for him, which may translate into
more cooperation. If the Governor were to be swept (0 for 4)
then he would need to assess how to accomplish anything in the
face of an emboldened opposition. At this point anything could
happen. Most legislators are waiting to see what the voters decide.
So, don't expect much noise out of Sacramento until after November
8th. Then, we shall see what forces the voters have unleashed.
But there is lots going on in Washington, DC. I will be there
next week. And next week, I will report to you from the nation's
very active capitol. CRO
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