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9A -i�3 Sept15,2003 Issue #36.2003 LEGISLATIVE RECESSES AFTER FLURRY OF Hot Bills "GUT-AND-AMEND" BILLS ANNUAL CONFERENCE ENHANCES CITIES' INFLUENCE .. Act Now IN SESSION'S FINAL DAYS : ■ ■ ■ ■ : ■ ■ Exhausted legislators officially began their interim recess September 13, when the Assembly finally shut down around 4 a.m. The last days of the The legislature is in session were marked by a return to the bad old days' "gut and amend" ap- Interim Recess. It will proach to legislating. This involves taking a bill that "died" for lack of support, reconvene January 5, or a bill which addressed other approaches, and completely or significantly amending it with new language a few days or even hours before adjournment. 2004. The pending gubernatorial recall election seemed to inspire new levels "artistry" in the gut and amend tradition. Interest groups supporting the Gover- nor were determined to put their favorite proposals on the Governor's desk before the October 7 recall, possibly viewing the election as a "last chance" to see their proposals signed into law. While some of these "gut and amend" proposals succeeded, many did not. (How the delay of the election required by the federal appeals court will impact the strategy on signatures remains to be seen.) For more, see page 2. ............... A WRAP UP OF KEY ISSUES AND BILLS Want more details on these and other bills? Log on to the League of California Cities Web site at www.caahes.orgl legtracking Below are summaries of the issues and bills discussed in the last days of the legislative session. Those that passed will now go to the Governor's desk for signature or veto. Those with insufficient votes for passage will become "two -year bills" — they can be brought up again next session. Many of the proposals have been reported previously in Priority Focus, through alerts or discussed at the League's recent Annual Conference in Sacramento. For more, see page 2. ............... LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITIES' DELEGATES VOTE UNANIMOUS SUPPORT FOR LOCAL PROTECTION INITIATIVE City delegates to the League of California Cities' annual conference today voted unanimously to support a statewide ballot initiative to require voter approval before state government may divert, confiscate, shift or otherwise take funds traditionally used to finance local services. For more, see page 5.