California Sen. Sam Blakeslee (R-San Luis Obispo) has hit the governmental ground running. The newly appointed chair of the Committee on Reform introduced the first elements of his 2011-12 legislative package earlier this month. His first bills as a state Senator include legislation limiting political campaign “robocalls”—automated pre-recorded messages used during election season. The bills also prohibit lawmakers from accepting lavish gifts from special interest groups, and mandate all budget and legislation be available for public reviewing at least 72 hours in advance of a vote. “It’s time for Sacramento to get serious about political reform,” Blakeslee said in a press release. “This first day of the legislative session can be our fresh start. It can be the day that we show voters that we are ready to take the necessary steps to fix what is broken in Sacramento and return California to health and prosperity.” SB 19, the anti-robocall bill, would allow voters to join a “do-not-call” list registry, as well as strengthen the enforcement of disclosure requirements so voters are aware of the interests behind the automated messages. SB 18 seeks to limit the ability of special interest groups, including lobbyist employers, to give gifts of influence and access to legislators. “Legislators do not require Pebble Beach tee-times, box tickets to the Lakers, or international getaways to do their jobs,” Blakeslee said in the release. “This type of extravagant gifting in a time when California families are struggling to pay their bills fosters the wrong culture in Sacramento and sends the wrong message to the public.” SB 17, the final bill in Blakeslee’s package, would require greater transparency in the budget process and state spending by mandating all budget-related documents be publicly posted no less than 72 hours before a scheduled vote. “It’s no secret that California is facing an extraordinary budget crisis, so why is it necessary to keep the public in the dark about how lawmakers are planning to deal with it?” Blakeslee added in the release. “It’s reckless to demand that lawmakers vote on a multi-billion budget that affects millions of California families, while providing sometimes less than 90 minutes for lawmakers and the public to review and digest the material.”
This article appears in Dec 23-30, 2010.
