The California Legislature is again: 5 key questions

A hovering homeless inhabitants. A bitter battle with the oil trade over gasoline costs. A spending plan for a state with the world’s fourth-largest economic system as threats of a recession hover.

There’s loads for the California Legislature to cope with this yr — and it made little headway Wednesday, its first day again on the Capitol since swearing-in a brand new class of members final month. The temporary ground classes within the state Senate and Meeting centered extra on the dearly departed than the challenges forward.

The gradual begin to the legislative session is nothing new, but it surely does depart loads of time for reflection. Listed below are some key questions for the yr to return:

What would be the Legislature’s priorities? 

By the afternoon, Senate and Meeting workers reported that simply two new measures had been launched in every home. (Greater than 140 had been already submitted final month.) With a invoice introduction deadline of Feb. 17, committee hearings and votes for many proposals are nonetheless months away.

So till then, ground classes are largely a possibility for lawmakers to examine in — and obtain their per diem, the supplemental $214 paid every day to legislators for housing and residing bills, so long as they don’t depart Sacramento greater than three days at a time.

The primary ground classes on Wednesday, for instance, lasted a couple of half hour every within the Senate and Meeting, largely taken up by speeches memorializing family and friends who had died. Assemblymember Greg Wallis, a Bermuda Dunes Republican who received his seat by 85 votes, made his inaugural look on the ground; his race had not but been known as in time for the ceremonial swearing-in on Dec. 5.

In an interview, Meeting Speaker Anthony Rendon mentioned housing points would stay a central focus for the Legislature this session, together with accountability for the billions of the {dollars} that California has spent on homelessness and improvement applications lately.

“Housing is the ten,000-pound gorilla that received’t go away,” the Lakewood Democrat mentioned.

Rendon mentioned he would additionally prefer to construct on the momentum of a sweeping package deal of laws handed final yr to handle local weather change by tackling how transportation, the biggest supply of greenhouse gasoline emissions in California, contributes to the issue.

“Local weather change is one thing we’ve been a pacesetter on as a state,” he mentioned. “Now we have to verify we don’t fall behind once more.”

How a lot impression will the finances deficit have?

Looming over the Legislature’s plans this yr is the opportunity of an financial downturn. Its fiscal and coverage advisory workplace estimates a $24 billion finances deficit, and Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is ready to unveil his preliminary spending plan subsequent week, has additionally been urging warning for months.

Legislative leaders are projecting optimism about California’s potential to climate any income shortfalls, pointing to the tens of billions of {dollars} that now sit in state reserves. Sen. Nancy Skinner, a Berkeley Democrat who leads the Senate finances committee, mentioned that whereas it might not be the time to create any extra new applications, California’s funds are sound.

“With the kind of surplus we had final yr,” almost $50 billion that was largely directed to one-time expenditures over the following a number of years, Skinner mentioned, “we’ve the area proper now to make some changes to these if obligatory.”

But when the financial image grows gloomier within the months forward, lawmakers could also be pressured to downsize their boldest coverage concepts.

Sen. Susan Eggman, a Stockton Democrat, mentioned this session was the fitting time to step again and study whether or not new applications that the state has launched lately are working as supposed.

“This session ought to be about a whole lot of oversight,” she mentioned. “We nonetheless have bold packages, however we’re all very acutely aware of the value tags.”

What concerning the oil particular session?

Whereas Newsom continues to go after the oil trade — his workplace revealed a press launch final week highlighting “Large Oil’s prime lies” — there have been no important developments on his “value gouging penalty” proposal because it was formally launched a month in the past.

The main points of the penalty that Newsom desires to impose on oil corporations for extreme income, to not point out the particular session through which the measure is being thought-about, stay elusive. However Rendon mentioned the Legislature nonetheless plans to take up the problem, whilst gasoline costs fall, doubtless earlier within the yr when there may be extra time to give attention to it.

“No matter what occurs with gasoline costs, it’s an excellent alternative to ask the questions that we’ve been eager to ask for some time of oil corporations,” he mentioned. “Their income are staggering.”

How will various Legislature have an effect on coverage?  

Having essentially the most various Legislature in historical past doesn’t imply a lot with out that illustration translating into coverage.

Some new lawmakers are already making makes an attempt to try this. 

Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains, a health care provider and Democrat from Bakersfield, has launched a invoice that she says represents the considerations of her district: a process drive to handle fentanyl dependancy within the Central Valley. That includes making certain entry to healthcare, dependancy and rehabilitation providers — and getting fentanyl off the streets, she mentioned. 

“I feel the most important actuality that we see up in right here in Sacramento is a failure of the Legislature to actively management our drug downside, our drug disaster,” she mentioned. “In California, I don’t assume very many individuals perceive how dangerous the issue is, with publicity to issues like fentanyl on the streets.”

Assemblymember Corey Jackson, the primary brazenly homosexual Black legislator, mentioned his top priorities embrace addressing psychological well being and persevering with to be taught classes from the pandemic, such because the significance of childcare. The Democrat from the Riverside space launched a invoice to create an Inexpensive California Fee, tasked with tackling the state’s excessive value of residing. 

“I come from a working class neighborhood. The sixtieth Meeting District are people who find themselves simply attempting to outlive every single day,” he mentioned. “And I needed to ship the message: ‘It’s not okay simply to outlive. You need to thrive.’”   

Jackson additionally plans to deal with what he expects shall be an increase in racism and xenophobia forward of the 2024 election. 

“I intend to take an lively position in rooting out racism, even within the very constructions and even within the chambers of the state legislature itself,” he mentioned. “Keep tuned, as a result of there’s going to be an entire legislative package deal on anti-racism and systemic racism.”

Like Jackson, new state Sen. Caroline Menjivar additionally plans to handle psychological well being. She has launched a invoice to prioritize extra full-time counselors to Cal State campuses who can help the diverse student populations. 

Public transportation and infrastructure are different key areas for her. She notes that in her San Fernando space district, it floods incessantly — and usually within the areas the place folks of shade stay. 

“Lots of what I converse to comes from lived experiences,” Menjivar mentioned. “You already know, after we discuss concerning the lack of reasonably priced housing, it’s my mother who has been on a ready listing for over 5 years, proper. So these are points which might be private to me.”

What’s occurring with the recount?

Whereas the November elections are largely a wrap, one seat stays contested: Democratic Sen. Melissa Hurtado’s Central Valley seat in District 16.

It was an in depth vote — the second closest legislative contest (primarily based on percentages) in California historical past, mentioned Alex Vassar, communications supervisor for the California State Library. 

Hurtado, the incumbent, was sworn into workplace on Dec. 10 after eking out a 20-vote victory. Republican David Shepard formally requested a recount on Dec. 13. 

That includes recounting ballots from Fresno, Kern, Kings and Tulare counties. Preliminary outcomes from Fresno, Kern and Tulare counties confirmed Hurtado holding on to her seat: Shepard gained simply two votes in Fresno County, two in Kings and three in Tulare.

After Shepard’s marketing campaign requested a recount in about 20% of Kern County, Hurtado has now requested for a recount of some remaining parts. Whereas a recount may be requested for simply a part of a county, a second recount can’t be requested for a similar parts. 

If Shepard had been to drag off a win, although, it wouldn’t change something Hurtado has achieved since being sworn in, Vassar mentioned.

“She is a totally lively seated member. All of her votes are being solid as a member,” he mentioned. “Identical to if somebody had been to resign — the whole lot they’ve achieved nonetheless stands.”