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11 Winning Proposals in “There Oughta Be a Law” Contest Have Become California Law

By Joe Simitian
California State Senator

The local elections throughout our region last week were proof positive to anyone who needed it that folks in our area can and will engage in the political process - and in substantial numbers. The more interesting question is whether or not the public has the will and the ability to engage in the day-to-day work of governance.

As I kick off my seventh annual "There Oughta Be A Law" contest, I can tell you without a doubt that the answer is "yes."

Six years ago when I invited my constituents, by way of a contest, to submit their ideas for state legislation, I was cautiously optimistic. My experience in local government taught me that the folks I represent are active and engaged - and care deeply about the quality of life in their community.

But what I quickly discovered was that a lot of folks were truly hungry for a chance to make a difference. And it’s made me that much more determined to open up the process for public participation.

I never imagined in that first year that close to 100 local folks would take the time to craft and submit thoughtful proposals for changes in state law; or that so many of those proposals would be real contenders.

I had hoped to find at least one promising entry to be introduced in the Legislature. In fact, three were so good I chose all of them. And there were a great many more that might well have been chosen were it not for questions of cost, or the need to consider political realities.

What was clear from the start was that this invitation to participate in the process struck a chord with people. People who thought state government was something that took place far away.

People who thought that only the insiders had a role to play. Or that state government was something done for them (or worse yet, done to them), rather than something done by them.

Close to 100 local residents overcame their initial skepticism, and submitted their entries. And when the first three winners were announced, it became clear that one person really could make a difference.

I was also struck by the determination of those first three "citizen legislators," and the subsequent winners who followed them. Every one of them made the long haul to Sacramento to present testimony in Committee at least once, and sometimes more. Some even went from office to office in the Capitol to lobby for their bills.

As their bills moved through the process, the contest winners discovered that the system worked; in a sometimes flawed and imperfect way, but it worked.

I was impressed by how effective these contest winners could be, offering common sense solutions to everyday problems. Amidst the crowd of professional lobbyists and interest group advocates, their stories were compelling.

Compelling enough that all three of the winning proposals that first year were passed by the Legislature and signed into law. Now, after six years, a total of 11 winning proposals have become law – in fact, the Governor signed the most recent winning bill just last month. The winning proposals are striking in their diversity: identity theft, highway safety, the use of pesticides, and teenage drinking, to name a few. They’ve all been the basis for successful legislation.

As the success of the contest has grown, so has the number of entries. More than 250 folks now enter the contest every year. Even those entries that aren't selected as winners, however, have an impact.

Because I personally review every entry, I become better informed about the concerns of my constituents. I learn a lot about a wide range of issues, some of which I'm hearing about for the very first time. And I carry that newfound knowledge with me whenever I step onto the floor of the California Senate.

So it’s up to you. Do you let other people call the shots? Do you let “those people” in the Capitol make all the decisions for you? Or do you step up with your own good ideas, and help shape the state we live in? If you want to play a part in the process - if you've ever said, "there oughta be a law” – then I hope to hear from you.

State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) represents the 11th State SenateDistrict. If you have an idea for a new law (or a law you think should be eliminated) that you'd like to enter in Senator Simitian's "There Oughta Be A Law" contest, you may submit your idea on his website at www.senatorsimitian.com or call his offices at (650) 688-6384 or (831) 425-0401. The contest deadline has been extended until December 3.

Posted on November 16, 2007

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