12-15-06 Ceremonies Mark the Official Kickoff to the 2007-08 Legislative Session

Volume 19 For Publication Date: December 15, 2006 No. 26

Ceremonies Mark the Official Kickoff to the
2007-08 Legislative Session

Text Box: On December 4, 2006, legislators were sworn into service, marking the official start to the 2007-08 legislative session. It came as no surprise that Democratic leaders Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez (D-Los Angeles) and President pro Tempore Don Perata (D‑Oakland) were both easily re-elected as the leaders of their party. However, things have not been as rosy for Senate and Assembly Republican minority leaders.

Last month, Assembly Member George Plescia (R-San Diego) was ousted as leader of his caucus and was replaced by Assembly Member Mike Villines (R-Clovis), who will now serve as the Assembly Minority Leader. And on December 5, the Senate Republican Caucus came close to replacing Senator Dick Ackerman (R-Irvine), its current leader, with Senator Jim Battin (R-La Quinta). According to reports, the margin was “razor thin” in this most recent attempt to oust Ackerman; Battin also attempted to replace Ackerman earlier this year. In both instances, it appears as though Assembly and Senate caucuses are concerned with the direction and political posture of their leaders when dealing with Governor Schwarzenegger and their Democratic counterparts. In his attempt to take a more moderate approach, the Republican Governor has sided with Democrats on such issues as increasing the minimum wage, reducing global warming, and, most recently, increasing the state’s debt load for public transit, school construction, and affordable housing—a position not shared by the more conservative members of the Republican caucus.

Also during the celebratory festivities, Assembly Speaker Núñez announced chairmanships for Assembly committees and subcommittees. Among them is Julia Brownley, the newly-minted Assembly Member from Santa Monica, who will serve as chair of the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance, a position previously held by Assembly Member Mervyn Dymally. Dymally will now serve as chair of the Assembly Health Committee.

Assembly Member Brownley previously served as board president and three-term board member of Santa Monica-Malibu School District. This is an important chairmanship since the Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance oversees the education portion of the State Budget, including both K-12 education and California’s public higher education. In the 2006-07 State Budget alone, this committee controlled the spending of nearly $52 billion.

With the official start to the session behind us, legislators will not be returning to full duty until early January. January also kicks off the next Budget cycle, with the Governor’s State-of-the-State address expected on January 9, and the release of the Governor’s proposed 2007-08 State Budget on January 10.

—Dave Heckler & Theresa Inslee