California’s November ballot is a crowded one, no doubt about it. With 17 initiatives proposed to the people, there are a lot of issues for voters to sort through. But one measure, Prop. 54, stands out as the “no brainer” of the bunch.
Prop. 54 will fix a long-term problem that negatively impacts all Californians. Unlike the transparency rules under which city and county governments operate, California’s state legislature is allowed to conduct business out of the public eye in many respects. Proposed state laws can be written or changed behind closed doors by special interests and then rushed through the legislative process within a matter of hours, leaving no time for proper review and input by the very people the laws impact. The result of this practice is often ill-conceived policy that has unintended consequences for all of us.
In addition, only select legislative proceedings are televised and not all are recorded for later viewing. This means those who live away from Sacramento or cannot hire a lobbyist to attend hearings are left in the dark when it comes to following legislation they care about. Cities and counties are required to let the public know what they are doing, why not the legislature?
Fortunately, Prop. 54 will finally shine some light on the legislative process. Prop. 54 will not only ensure adequate time for consideration of legislation, it will also provide increased access to the legislative process for the people of our state.
Proposition 54 contains three key provisions: It requires the Legislature to distribute and post online legislation in its final form for at least 72 hours before a final floor vote by either house; requires the Legislature to post online – within 24 hours - a video record of every legislative meeting that is supposed to be open to the public; and it will allow all individuals to create and share their own recordings of legislative proceedings.
Enactment of Prop. 54 will help ensure the legislative process is conducted fairly and openly, and enable the public to observe and share what is happening so citizens may more fully participate in their state government. No longer will proposed laws be rushed through the legislature without the ability of the public to know what is going on or weigh in on policy that impacts them. And, Prop. 54 contains no new costs to taxpayers as funding for legislative recordings will come out of the legislatures existing operating budget.
Prop. 54 supporters include organizations and individuals with differing points of view on many issues, but who do agree that the public has a right to understand and provide input on proposed laws they will live under. Supporters include the League of Women Voters of California, the League of California Cities, the California Chamber of Commerce, California Common Cause, the National Federation of Independent Business/CA, Latin Business Association, the California NAACP, the California Senior Advocates League, and the Planning and Conservation League, among many others.
While the November ballot may look cluttered and daunting, a yes vote on Prop. 54 is clearly a no-brainer.
You can sign on to support Proposition 54 here.
Submitted by our friends at Yes on Proposition 54.
Paid for by Yes on 54 – Voters First, Not Special Interests, sponsored by Hold Politicians Accountable, with major funding by Charles T. Munger, Jr. | 2350 Kerner Blvd #250, San Rafael, CA 94901