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Appropriations Committees in California Consider Record Number of Over 800 Bills on "Suspense File" Today

By Frank D. Russo

The hearings of the Assembly and Senate Appropriations Committees are underway as we write. By the end of the day, approximately 850 legislative proposals will die or live to be voted on by the floors of their respective houses. All of the bills being considered, one at a time at Gatling gun speed have passed through the policy committees. They have been sent to purgatory--the "suspense file"--and if not moved out and passed will either become "two year bills" to be considered next year only--or they will be dead for the session.

Bills with an appropriation under $150,000 generally escape the "suspense file" and many of these smaller expense bills have already passed the Appropriations Committees or been killed outright. What is under consideration today is legislation that spends more than this.

Assembly Appropriations Committee Chair Mark Leno announced at his hearing that they had a record number of 591 bills to consider. He said that if all the bills were passed off suspense, they would appropriate $6.6 billion in state funds. Unless there is a surprise, the fate of these bills is already known, and according to Leno approximately 66% of them will pass--but these will account for only 8% of the total costs of these measures. The other bills that will not make it are the ones that spend 92% of the $6.6 billion.

Leno has met with staff and other members and he is announcing the bills by subject areas one at a time, reading a one sentence description and the disposition on the bill--"A" roll calls, "B" roll calls, some variations in between, pass with amendments, and "hold in committee" dispositions. The "A" or "B" descriptors are for a vote by all committee members or passing out with Democratic votes only and Republicans in opposition.

Occasionally word will get to the chair that there is another disposition--as Republicans withhold their consent for what had previously been thought to be a unanimous vote or where one or more members will indicate they are voting differently from their party members. Sometimes, these are called "B pluses" with a Member or Members names being listed as the exception. Sometimes a roll call is needed of Members from one party. But generally, there is not time to do more than announce the prearranged vote.

It should be noted that all of these bills have been placed on the suspense file at a previous hearing of the committee, so it is not as if they have not previously received a financial analysis and in some cases lengthy debate and discussion.

A similar process is being used in the Senate Appropriations Committee chaired by Senator Torlakson, but the bills are being taken up by the author's last name, in alphabetical order, beginning with Senator Aanestad. Because the Senate has approximately half the number of bills on its "suspense file" as the Assembly, there are more role call votes taken, but still no time for debate.

The Senate Appropriations Committee has also moved to the suspense file, just before this part of the hearing, SB 924, by Senator Perata to place on the February 5, 2008 ballot an advisory measure to vote the U.S. out of Iraq. That measure passed its policy committee hearing yesterday in the Senate Rules Committee on a party line vote and will undoubtedly pass the Appropriations Committee later when Perata's suspense file bills are considered. It will then go to the Senate floor along with a flood of other bills.

One final note: All of these bills must, absent a rule waiver, pass the floor of their house of origin by the end of next week, Friday, June 8 in order to proceed to the other house for consideration and possible passage this year.

So, next week will be a busy one on the floors of the legislature and then we move on to the budget.

Posted on May 31, 2007

Comments

THE GOVERNATOR MEETS GORDO

On this first official visit to Canada as Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger saved the best for last. Vancouver is his last stop of a whirlwind Canadian tour. He’s already toured Ontario where he signed agreements on climate change and stem cell research. Schwarzenegger is scheduled to meet with Vancouver’s mayor today to discuss the upcoming 2010 Olympic Games. It’s expected he’ll also announce several climate change initiatives with Premier Gordon Campbell today.

The Premier and Governor are also likely to discuss the “hydrogen highway” project, a string of re-fueling stations where eco-friendly motorists can fill their zero-emission cars all the way from Baja to Whistler.

In April Campbell committed $45 million to pump up the project north of the border. The money will go towards producing a fleet of 20 hydrogen busses and development of hydrogen fueling stations in Whistler, British Columbia and Victoria.

Posted by: One Continent For All at May 31, 2007 02:34 PM

Thank you Mr. Russo for explaining this process.

Posted by: Morris1 at June 1, 2007 10:19 AM

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