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TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ....... Contra
FROM: f Costa
Phil Batchelor, County Administrator �, _ `� �7
s
September 5, 1991 County'o.. �'`
DATE: rTq.cooN
LEGISLATION: SB 458 (KILLEA)
SUBJECT:
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Adopt a position in SUPPORT' of SB 458 (Killea) which would create
a Constitution Revision Commission and require it to report to
the Legislature on specified issues regarding the budget process
and a unicameral Legislature.
BACKGROUND:
On July 9, 1991, the Board of Supervisors received and referred
to this office a letter and related documents from Mr. Donald
Fibush, urging that the Board of Supervisors indicate its support
for SB 458 by Senator Lucy Killea., As introduced, SB 458 would
do all of the following:
1. Adopt Legislative findings to the effect that smaller
legislative districts have specified advantages.
2. Create a California Constitution Revision. Commission,
consisting of 20 members, 10 appointed by the Governor and 5
each by the ,Senate and Assembly.
3 . Specify the duties of the Commission as follows:
* Examine , the process by which the annual budget is
formulated and enacted.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENIeS YES SIGNATURE:
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURE(S):
ACTION OF BOARD ON September 10, 1991 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED _ OTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
y - I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
L UNANIMOUS(ABSENT ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
ABSENT: ABSTAIrt OF SUPERVISORS N THE DATE SHOWN.
County Administrator
CC: County Counsel ATTESTED
Donald. H. F1bl1Sh
2301 Pine Knoll Dr. , # 10 PHIL BATCHELOR,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
Walnut Creek, CA 94595 SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
Les Spahnn, SRJ. Jackson, Barish & Assoc.
BY DEPUTY
M382 (10/88)
* Propose amendments to the Constitution which would
replace the current bicameral Legislature with a
unicameral Legislature of not less than 120 members.
4. Make recommendations on the following in regard to a
unicameral Legislature:
* The appropriate size and number of districts.
* The process by which these districts should be
apportioned.
* The length and limit on number of. terms of member of
the Legislature.
* Rules for how the Legislature would be organized.
* A schedule for implementing a transition to a one-house
system.
5 . The bill also sets forth the powers of the Commission
regarding issuing subpoenas, administer oaths, contract . and
otherwise provide for obtaining the information necessary
for the Commission to conduct its work.
Attached is a fact sheet from Senator Killea setting forth
information regarding SB 458. The typical 'justification for a
two-house Legislature stems from the Congressional model, in
which one House represents the people on a one-person, one-vote
basis, while the other House represents the states - equally,
thereby balancing urban and rural power and large versus small
states. This is no longer a valid justification in California
since the Supreme Court has ruled that both houses of the
Legislature must be elected on a one-person, one-vote basis.
The current organization of the Legislature duplicates committees
and hearing processes and frequently leaves the final writing of
important legislation to a 6 member conference committee of the
two houses. A unicameral Legislature eliminates this
inefficiency and would result in all legislation having to be
fashioned by the entire house.
In receiving Mr. Fibush' s comments on July 9, 1991, the majority
of the members of the Board of Supervisors indicated their
support conceptually for a unicameral Legislature. It is,
therefore, recommended that the Board indicate its support for SB
458 .