Isn't it time we do away with outdated two-house California Legislature?
I have been trying to get those who want to reform the California Legislature to consider a fundamental change: getting rid of the Assembly and State Senate and having only one legislative chamber. This unicameral legislature makes a lot of sense. The only reason we have a two-house legislature is that it copies the federal model.
I argue again in Sunday's column that there are many reasons that a unicameral legislature suits California much better than the current system. You can read that column by clicking here.
Here are the relevant points:
"The way it works now, it's easy pickings for the special interests. If they don't get their way in the Assembly, they'll get their way in the Senate.
"A one-house legislature would be much more efficient, especially when working with the governor on the state's most contentious issues. It also would end the lawmakers' tendency to blame the other body for not getting anything done. Finger-pointing is an art form in Sacramento.
"I wouldn't even mind if the 80 members of the Assembly and the 40 members in the Senate became a 120-member house. Spread those 120 members across the state and the Legislature would be much more grass roots than it is now."
Nebraska is the only state with a unicameral legislature. Just consider the time that would be saved by not having to square up the competing versions of the same bill that come out of the Assembly and Senate. All the overlapping committees could be eliminated, as well as the redundant staff.
Lawmakers wouldn't want a single house because they couldn't bounce between the Assembly and Senate to extend their legislative careers under term limits. But that wouldn't be an issue if we followed through on other key legislative reforms. First, have an independent redistricting system to make races more competitive, and then loosen terms limits, or even do away with them.
Here are other reforms I'd like to see:
-- Change the requirement for passing the state budget from two-thirds of the legislators to 55%. This super majority will still ensure that minority interests are represented.
-- Limit the number of bills that can be introduced in each legislative session so the big issues get the full attention of lawmakers.
-- Require that a substantial portion of satte revenues be set aside in good economic times to get the state through the bad times.
The Legislature won't be doing this, but other groups interested in state governance just might. That would include the Commonwealth Club of California, California Forward, the League of Women Voters and California Common Cause. They have pushed for reforms and these ideas should be on their agenda.
Comments
But that would mean that politicians would have to do something intelligent, decent, and morally right!
Are we that naive to think that politicians are actually concerned about effectiveness of government?
Are we so gullible to actually think that anyone in state government has the best interests of the citizenry at heart?
Posted by: T C Morgan | May 27, 2008 9:39 AM
That is a marvelous idea. The state only needs one legislature. Having two just pits more crooked politicians against one another thus getting less done. They can't pass a budget on time to save their lives. They should have their pay stopped for every day they can't get their job done. The special interest folks will get in there either way but hopefully less.
Posted by: Jackie Krage | May 27, 2008 5:21 PM
here I am again in a medium
I don't understand. I am just typing away....a British America-watcher of yore made the comment that
the weakest link in American democracy is local
government because it usually is the most corrupt. I guess not too
much has changed. So don't
act surprised that the average citizen feels that
voting is for the birds. Many of today's candidate
start to resemble jail birds. And with chagrin, I
am forced to observe the emergence of dynasties...
families where evryone but
the family pooch is running
for some elective office,
with the Bushes having led
the pack. Wake up! Not to smell the coffee but to
smell the odor emitting from tainted government.
It seems that the price for a county supervisor
position has become one
million dollars. That is
obscene!
Posted by: Isabell lawson | June 2, 2008 2:26 PM