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Bill amendment technique challenged

April 30, 2013

state capitolA legislative practice that has outraged voters for years and allowed lawmakers to surreptitiously slip into statute a variety of controversial measures will be challenged by a new proposal in the state Assembly. (Sacramento Bee)

The Capitol tradition known as “gut-and-amend” emerges in summertime sessions when legislators, at the last minute and usually in the dark of night, rip out the guts of an existing bill and substitute entirely new wording.

Often, the gutted and newly-constructed bill pertains to an issue that is controversial, such as abortion, immigration or tax policy.

Assemblywoman Kristin Olsen (R-Modesto) introduced the constitutional amendment, ACA4, Monday with bipartisan support, and it faces its first committee test today. It would require a bill to be in print for at least three days before lawmakers can vote on it.

Similar plans have failed in the past.

Lawmakers have complained that some bills become law without their having had a chance to read the contents.


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I thought people accepting welfare were not allowed to vote. I could be wrong.


God Bless


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You want american citizens to be prevented from voting based on economic status? Wtf.


Oh but don’t dare to take away there guns because you know they have rights.


You are confusing opinion articles with facts, that is the plan.


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democrats love gut-and-amend.

democrats have a super majority.

This effort will fail.

More failure will follow.


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And more comment failure too,


Your desire to blame one side/group/label for our problems is just what they want.


Both sides of the room love pork and over simplistic economic/political theories are a distraction.


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I heard on 60 minutes Sun. that the law about Congress not having the rights anymore of insider trading has taken a bath. The Congress has changed the law so they can continue to steal from us. Pathetic, you get a little bit of integrity in and boom it is no more. Insider trading within Congress should include jail time.


God Bless


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Had citizens in sufficient numbers taken action, we could have stopped it.


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Government by “amendment technique.”


Kinda neat.


Who needs voters anyway?


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So as I understand it, currently bait and switch is the legal way to have intercourse with voters. When did our law makers stop practicing safe votes? This being true, they need to wear integrity with each vote.


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Quite pithy & punny!


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what is santorum?


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Amen #2…

But, I will be very surprised if this ever makes it past the legislature.

They rely on these little nefarious techniques to ensure pork and ridiculous amendments make it into pending bills, at the last hour, on Friday, just before a holiday.

I for one want some accountability and prior notice, so those doing this are identified and held to account.

Barak Obama ran on 5 day public notification of all pending bills and a public posting on CSPAN, so the voters could see what their elected legislature were proposing, look where that got us…


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If they start being honest at the State level, they’ll never make it into their party’s national level.


Expecting a bunch of democrats and republicans to be honest? Heheh, I got a good chuckle out of that.


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AMEN. Look what happened to our gas tax for public transportation. AB 8 & 9 as well as SB 70 turned it into a Franchise Tax swap, reallocation of funds with weight given to the bay area as well as redirection of some monies to the General Fund. We all went to sleep on that one.


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Anyone who votes for more or new taxes is an ignorant asshat, plain and simple. I cannot think of one good reason to take someone else’s property for my own benefit. Ever.


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Well, r0y, hold onto your wallet, because they are coming and lucky you, you won’t even have to vote for taxes, our representatives will do it for you. Personally, I thought we had to vote on new taxes. Oh well, I’m sure they wouldn’t be deceitful and trick us…(lol)


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we are all in this alone!


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No, but when we’re out-numbered 100 to 1 (at least) by people who have a minimal thought-processes when it comes to grasping complex matters, yet can still vote, this is where we get.


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zaphod, you are extremely funny. Always the wit. You make reading all the bs worth while.


God Bless


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Not to mention the new lumber products assessment of 1% on wood and timber products . Wonder where tis money really goes?


“(01-10) 11:13 PST San Francisco — To the surprise of many, since Jan. 1, California retailers have been required to collect an extra 1 percent tax on sales of certain lumber products including plywood, 2-by-4s and unfinished decking, fencing and railings. But products that have had a little more work done – such as indoor finished flooring, baseboards, doors and windows – are exempt.

The state Senate and Assembly approved the tax with a slim two-thirds majority and Gov. Jerry Brown signed it in September, so there was no need to put it to voters. As a result, it escaped the attention of many consumers, contractors and retailers.

The new tax is expected to generate $30 million to $35 million a year to help the state enforce its stringent timber-harvesting regulations. ”


Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/business/networth/article/New-state-tax-on-wood-products-confusing-4181375.php#ixzz2RzCrAlfE


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I’m still wondering where the lottery money goes, you never see how well thats working for the schools and what great things they have done with it.

We’ll never get these people out of office on the state or national level, thye keep giving things away to illegals,homeless,direlicts,welfare cheats and so on, guess who these people vote back in.


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