County’s Legislators Usually Stick With GOP on Key Issues

Members of Orange County’s all-Republican delegation in the Assembly voted as a bloc on most key issues during 1987, and those who broke away usually took positions more conservative than their GOP colleagues, a review of the year’s voting patterns shows.

In the Senate, Orange County’s four Republican members appeared evenly split between the GOP’s conservative and moderate wings. Sen. Cecil Green of Norwalk, the lone Democrat representing a portion of Orange County, almost always voted with the party leaders who helped him win his seat in a special election earlier this year.

The Times’ review of voting patterns included 17 bills affecting taxes, education, AIDS, abortion, smoking and the minimum wage. Also included were measures on toll roads, “parenting leave” for workers, the civil justice system and affirmative action.

Although lawmakers in a typical year vote on hundreds of bills--more than 3,000 in 1987--relatively few are still controversial by the time they reach the floor of the Assembly or Senate. It is the partisan clashes these bills provoke that often tell the most about the leanings or loyalty of a particular legislator.

In such fights, the seven men and one woman who represent Orange County in the Assembly usually can be expected to toe the Republican Party line. Or, as they like to say, their thoughts are the party line.

“It’s obvious that the Orange County group is pretty much the center part of the conservative movement in the Republican Party,” said Assemblyman Gil Ferguson (R-Newport Beach). “It isn’t that we vote like they do. It’s that the Republican Caucus votes pretty much like the Orange County assemblymen.”

Of the 17 Assembly votes reviewed by The Times, the Orange County Republicans voted as a bloc 10 times. On five others, the Orange County members were split, but a majority voted in line with the majority of Assembly Republicans from the rest of the state.

Dissent on 2 Issues

On only two of the 17 measures did a majority of Orange County members vote differently from a majority of the Assembly GOP:

- Just three of Orange County’s eight members voted for a measure to protect local governments and elected officials from personal injury lawsuits, while a majority of the other GOP members of the Assembly approved it.

- Orange County’s Assembly members voted 5 to 2, with one absention, in favor of a nonpartisan bill to ban smoking on California airline flights, while a majority of Republicans rejected it. Gov. George Deukmejian signed both bills.

The Orange County member who broke ranks with the GOP leadership most often on key issues this year was Assemblywoman Doris Allen of Cypress. She was the only Assembly member from the county to vote for two Democrat-backed bills to allow parents to prepay their children’s college tuition at today’s prices and to eliminate the tax deduction for business expenses at clubs that discriminate against women and minorities.

“I believe it’s fine to go ahead and have clubs, if they want to, that would be all male or female, but I don’t think it’s appropriate to have a tax deduction for it if there’s not the opportunity for anyone to attend,” Allen said. “If you’re going to ask for a tax deduction, you’re saying there’s some business benefit to people who belong. If that’s the case, then you’re excluding some other people who should be able to take advantage of it.”

No Renegade

Despite Allen’s occasional forays of independence, however, her voting record indicates she is no renegade.

Like her Orange County Assembly colleagues, Allen voted against extending bilingual education requirements, against allowing workers to take four weeks of unpaid “parenting leave” and against requiring affirmative action goals in any work done on a proposed federal atom smasher, or super collider.

The county’s Assembly members also were united in favor of toll roads in Orange County, against increasing the minimum wage to $4.25 an hour from the current $3.35, and for requiring unwed teen-agers to obtain a parent’s consent or a court order before having an abortion.

Often, when members of the Orange County delegation broke ranks, they did so to stake out more conservative positions.

Assemblymen Nolan Frizzelle of Huntington Beach, Dennis Brown of Signal Hill and John Lewis of Orange voted against the proposed super collider project, saying they believed the high-tech research effort should be financed by the private sector rather than the government.

Brown, whose district includes Seal Beach, Huntington Beach, Sunset Beach and Westminster, had the distinction of voting “no” more than any other member of the Assembly in 1987--31% of the time. He said those votes reflect his desire for as little government as possible.

Royce’s ‘No’ Votes

“It’s a cliche, but it’s true: The government that governs least governs best,” Brown said. “Government in a free society should not be the dominant entity that it is in our society today. Its only function should be to do things people cannot do for themselves and therefore believe they should bind together and do as a group.”

Another Orange County lawmaker--Republican Edward R. Royce of Anaheim--voted “no” more than any other state senator in 1987. And while Royce’s rate of rejection--10%--was only a third of Brown’s, he still voted against twice as many bills as any other Orange County senator.

Royce said most of his “no” votes are based on the impact he believes legislation will have on government spending.

“It’s far easier to go to each small constituency and tell them that you’ve voted for all their bills,” Royce said, “than it is to face them and say, ‘No, I’ve weighed this decision and come to the conclusion that we have to make a stand somewhere, and I’m going to vote against this piece of legislation because of the increased cost to the taxpayers.”

Sen. John Seymour, also an Anaheim Republican, voted against eliminating the tax deduction for business expenses at clubs that discriminate.

“If you have a group of Armenians or Italians or Germans or Jews or what have you, I think they have a right to discriminate relative to whoever they want in that club,” Seymour said.

Key Votes Missed

Sen. William Campbell (R-Hacienda Heights) missed several key votes on which his Republican colleagues were united. Two of them were on bills they opposed--”parental leave” and the minimum-wage increase. Two others were bills they supported--toll roads for Orange County and major changes in the civil justice system to make it harder to sue businesses and doctors for wrongdoing.

Democrat Green voted most of the time with Senate Leader David Roberti (D-Los Angeles), whose support was crucial to Green’s victory in a special election last spring.

Green broke with Roberti to support toll roads for Orange County and to support the smoking ban on California airline flights. Green did not vote on the bill to allow parents four weeks of unpaid leave to care for their children; Roberti supported it.

The Republican Caucus--a minority of 36 members in the 80-member lower house--sticks together more than the Democrats in the Assembly, or either party in the Senate. On each day that the Assembly meets, every GOP member receives a “floor alert” that analyzes each bill on the agenda and tells how Republicans have voted on the measures as they moved through committees and onto the floor. The package also includes a position on each bill recommended by the caucus staff.

This efficient flow of information helps breed party unity even without the coercion of the old “unit rule.” Under that procedure, abandoned when Assemblyman Pat Nolan (R-Glendale) became party leader, the caucus used to vote on issues and then require the dissenting members to vote in concert with the majority of their party colleagues.

Caucus unity, in turn, translates into power when Gov. Deukmejian starts sifting through the hundreds of bills the Legislature sends his way each year. Statistics show that most measures opposed by 30 or so Republicans in the Assembly might as well be dead on arrival at the governor’s office. He vetoes nearly all of them.

Members of the Orange County delegation, whose eight members form the largest single geographic bloc in the Assembly GOP Caucus, therefore believe it is important to stay united whenever possible.

“My first priority is to represent my district and to analyze each bill individually,” Lewis said. “But you also have to keep in mind that our power and influence are magnified on those occasions when we stick together.”

1987 KEY ISSUES FOR ORANGE COUNTY LEGISLATORS NOTE: Votes in CAPITAL LETTERS indicates member’s vote differed with majority of member’s party. BILINGUAL EDUCATION (AB 37) Extends requirements for local bilingual education classes. Vetoed. Marian Bergeson (Sen., R-Newport Beach) abs William Campbell (Sen. R-Hacienda Heights) abs Cecil Green (Sen., D-Norwalk) yes Ed Royce (Sen., R-Anaheim) abs John Seymour (Sen., R-Anaheim) YES Doris Allen (R-Cypress) no Dennis Brown (R-Signal Hill) no Gil Ferguson (R-Newport Beach) no Robert Frazee (R-Carlsbad) no Nolan Frizzelle (R-Huntington Beach) abs Ross Johnson (R-La Habra) no John Lewis (R-Orange) no Richard Longshore (R-Santa Ana) no TAX, INDIVIDUAL (AB 53) Conforms California tax code for individuals to recent changes made in federal law. Signed. Marian Bergeson (Sen., R-Newport Beach) no William Campbell (Sen. R-Hacienda Heights) YES Cecil Green (Sen., D-Norwalk) yes Ed Royce (Sen., R-Anaheim) no John Seymour (Sen., R-Anaheim) no Doris Allen (R-Cypress) NO Dennis Brown (R-Signal Hill) ABS Gil Ferguson (R-Newport Beach) yes Robert Frazee (R-Carlsbad) NO Nolan Frizzelle (R-Huntington Beach) yes Ross Johnson (R-La Habra) yes John Lewis (R-Orange) yes Richard Longshore (R-Santa Ana) yes TAX, CORPORATE (SB 572) Conforms tax code for corporations to recent changes made in federal law. Signed. Marian Bergeson (Sen., R-Newport Beach) yes William Campbell (Sen. R-Hacienda Heights) yes Cecil Green (Sen., D-Norwalk) yes Ed Royce (Sen., R-Anaheim) NO John Seymour (Sen., R-Anaheim) NO Doris Allen (R-Cypress) NO Dennis Brown (R-Signal Hill) yes Gil Ferguson (R-Newport Beach) yes Robert Frazee (R-Carlsbad) NO Nolan Frizzelle (R-Huntington Beach) NO Ross Johnson (R-La Habra) yes John Lewis (R-Orange) yes Richard Longshore (R-Santa Ana) yes TAX WRITE-OFF (AB 239) Ends tax write-off for business expenses at clubs that discriminate against women and minorities. Signed. Marian Bergeson (Sen., R-Newport Beach) YES William Campbell (Sen. R-Hacienda Heights) YES Cecil Green (Sen., D-Norwalk) yes Ed Royce (Sen., R-Anaheim) abs John Seymour (Sen., R-Anaheim) no Doris Allen (R-Cypress) YES Dennis Brown (R-Signal Hill) no Gil Ferguson (R-Newport Beach) no Robert Frazee (R-Carlsbad) no Nolan Frizzelle (R-Huntington Beach) YES Ross Johnson (R-La Habra) no John Lewis (R-Orange) no Richard Longshore (R-Santa Ana) no TUITION (AB 278) Allows parents to prepay their children’s college tuition costs at today’s prices. Vetoed. Marian Bergeson (Sen., R-Newport Beach) abs William Campbell (Sen. R-Hacienda Heights) YES Cecil Green (Sen., D-Norwalk) yes Ed Royce (Sen., R-Anaheim) no John Seymour (Sen., R-Anaheim) no Doris Allen (R-Cypress) YES Dennis Brown (R-Signal Hill) no Gil Ferguson (R-Newport Beach) no Robert Frazee (R-Carlsbad) YES Nolan Frizzelle (R-Huntington Beach) no Ross Johnson (R-La Habra) no John Lewis (R-Orange) no Richard Longshore (R-Santa Ana) abs PARENT LEAVE (AB 368) Allows most California private-sector employees to take up to four months of unpaid “Parenting leave” and then return to their jobs. Marian Bergeson (Sen., R-Newport Beach) no William Campbell (Sen. R-Hacienda Heights) abs Cecil Green (Sen., D-Norwalk) ABS Ed Royce (Sen., R-Anaheim) no John Seymour (Sen., R-Anaheim) no Doris Allen (R-Cypress) no Dennis Brown (R-Signal Hill) no Gil Ferguson (R-Newport Beach) no Robert Frazee (R-Carlsbad) no Nolan Frizzelle (R-Huntington Beach) no Ross Johnson (R-La Habra) no John Lewis (R-Orange) no Richard Longshore (R-Santa Ana) no GOVERNMENT LIABILITY (AB 1173) Makes it harder to sue public agencies and elected officials for liability for personal injury. Signed. Marian Bergeson (Sen., R-Newport Beach) yes William Campbell (Sen. R-Hacienda Heights) yes Cecil Green (Sen., D-Norwalk) yes Ed Royce (Sen., R-Anaheim) yes John Seymour (Sen., R-Anaheim) yes Doris Allen (R-Cypress) yes Dennis Brown (R-Signal Hill) yes Gil Ferguson (R-Newport Beach) NO Robert Frazee (R-Carlsbad) yes Nolan Frizzelle (R-Huntington Beach) ABS Ross Johnson (R-La Habra) ABS John Lewis (R-Orange) NO Richard Longshore (R-Santa Ana) NO CIVIL SUITS (SB 241) Makes it harder to sue manufactures, doctor, and businesses for civil wrongdoing and makes it more difficult to collect punitive changes. Signed. Marian Bergeson (Sen., R-Newport Beach) yes William Campbell (Sen. R-Hacienda Heights) ABS Cecil Green (Sen., D-Norwalk) yes Ed Royce (Sen., R-Anaheim) yes John Seymour (Sen., R-Anaheim) yes Doris Allen (R-Cypress) yes Dennis Brown (R-Signal Hill) yes Gil Ferguson (R-Newport Beach) yes Robert Frazee (R-Carlsbad) yes Nolan Frizzelle (R-Huntington Beach) yes Ross Johnson (R-La Habra) yes John Lewis (R-Orange) yes Richard Longshore (R-Santa Ana) yes MINORITY HIRING (AB 1752) Requires state to seek 15% participation from minority-owned firms and 5% from women-owned firms in any work done on proposed federal atom smasher. Signed. Marian Bergeson (Sen., R-Newport Beach) yes William Campbell (Sen. R-Hacienda Heights) yes Cecil Green (Sen., D-Norwalk) yes Ed Royce (Sen., R-Anaheim) NO John Seymour (Sen., R-Anaheim) ABS Doris Allen (R-Cypress) no Dennis Brown (R-Signal Hill) abs Gil Ferguson (R-Newport Beach) no Robert Frazee (R-Carlsbad) no Nolan Frizzelle (R-Huntington Beach) no Ross Johnson (R-La Habra) abs John Lewis (R-Orange) no Richard Longshore (R-Santa Ana) no SUPER COLLIDER (SB 566) Allows state to issue $500 million in revenue bonds to fund proposed federal atom smasher, also known as the superconducting super collider. Signed. Marian Bergeson (Sen., R-Newport Beach) yes William Campbell (Sen. R-Hacienda Heights) yes Cecil Green (Sen., D-Norwalk) yes Ed Royce (Sen., R-Anaheim) yes John Seymour (Sen., R-Anaheim) yes Doris Allen (R-Cypress) yes Dennis Brown (R-Signal Hill) ABS Gil Ferguson (R-Newport Beach) yes Robert Frazee (R-Carlsbad) yes Nolan Frizzelle (R-Huntington Beach) NO Ross Johnson (R-La Habra) yes John Lewis (R-Orange) NO Richard Longshore (R-Santa Ana) yes ABORTION CONSENT (AB 2274) Requires unwed minors to obtain parent’s consent or a court order before having an abortion. Signed. Marian Bergeson (Sen., R-Newport Beach) yes William Campbell (Sen. R-Hacienda Heights) yes Cecil Green (Sen., D-Norwalk) YES Ed Royce (Sen., R-Anaheim) yes John Seymour (Sen., R-Anaheim) yes Doris Allen (R-Cypress) yes Dennis Brown (R-Signal Hill) yes Gil Ferguson (R-Newport Beach) yes Robert Frazee (R-Carlsbad) yes Nolan Frizzelle (R-Huntington Beach) yes Ross Johnson (R-La Habra) yes John Lewis (R-Orange) yes Richard Longshore (R-Santa Ana) yes TAX REBATE (SB 63) Allocates $700 million to schools and local government rather than refund it to taxpayers. Vetoed. Marian Bergeson (Sen., R-Newport Beach) no William Campbell (Sen. R-Hacienda Heights) no Cecil Green (Sen., D-Norwalk) yes Ed Royce (Sen., R-Anaheim) no John Seymour (Sen., R-Anaheim) no Doris Allen (R-Cypress) abs Dennis Brown (R-Signal Hill) no Gil Ferguson (R-Newport Beach) no Robert Frazee (R-Carlsbad) no Nolan Frizzelle (R-Huntington Beach) no Ross Johnson (R-La Habra) no John Lewis (R-Orange) no Richard Longshore (R-Santa Ana) no AIDS TAPE (SB 136) Requires distribution of educational video tape on AIDS to junior and senior high schools. Vetoed. Marian Bergeson (Sen., R-Newport Beach) yes William Campbell (Sen. R-Hacienda Heights) ABS Cecil Green (Sen., D-Norwalk) yes Ed Royce (Sen., R-Anaheim) NO John Seymour (Sen., R-Anaheim) yes Doris Allen (R-Cypress) abs Dennis Brown (R-Signal Hill) no Gil Ferguson (R-Newport Beach) no Robert Frazee (R-Carlsbad) no Nolan Frizzelle (R-Huntington Beach) no Ross Johnson (R-La Habra) no John Lewis (R-Orange) no Richard Longshore (R-Santa Ana) no CALTRANS (SB 516) Allows Caltrans to use private engineers for freeway construction but requires department to seek 20% minority and women participation. Passed by Assembly, stalled in Senate. Marian Bergeson (Sen., R-Newport Beach) n/a William Campbell (Sen. R-Hacienda Heights) n/a Cecil Green (Sen., D-Norwalk) n/a Ed Royce (Sen., R-Anaheim) n/a John Seymour (Sen., R-Anaheim) n/a Doris Allen (R-Cypress) abs Dennis Brown (R-Signal Hill) no Gil Ferguson (R-Newport Beach) no Robert Frazee (R-Carlsbad) no Nolan Frizzelle (R-Huntington Beach) no Ross Johnson (R-La Habra) no John Lewis (R-Orange) no Richard Longshore (R-Santa Ana) no SMOKING (SB 1067) Seeks to ban smoking on airline flights and bus and train trips that begin and end in California. Signed. Marian Bergeson (Sen., R-Newport Beach) YES William Campbell (Sen. R-Hacienda Heights) YES Cecil Green (Sen., D-Norwalk) yes Ed Royce (Sen., R-Anaheim) no John Seymour (Sen., R-Anaheim) no Doris Allen (R-Cypress) no Dennis Brown (R-Signal Hill) YES Gil Ferguson (R-Newport Beach) YES Robert Frazee (R-Carlsbad) YES Nolan Frizzelle (R-Huntington Beach) YES Ross Johnson (R-La Habra) YES John Lewis (R-Orange) abs Richard Longshore (R-Santa Ana) no TOLL ROADS (SB 1413) Allows construction of California’s first public toll roads in Orange County. Signed. Marian Bergeson (Sen., R-Newport Beach) yes William Campbell (Sen. R-Hacienda Heights) ABS Cecil Green (Sen., D-Norwalk) yes Ed Royce (Sen., R-Anaheim) yes John Seymour (Sen., R-Anaheim) yes Doris Allen (R-Cypress) yes Dennis Brown (R-Signal Hill) yes Gil Ferguson (R-Newport Beach) yes Robert Frazee (R-Carlsbad) yes Nolan Frizzelle (R-Huntington Beach) yes Ross Johnson (R-La Habra) yes John Lewis (R-Orange) yes Richard Longshore (R-Santa Ana) yes MINIMUM WAGE (SB 1658) Increases minimum wage to $4.25 an hour from $3.35. Vetoed. Marian Bergeson (Sen., R-Newport Beach) no William Campbell (Sen. R-Hacienda Heights) abs Cecil Green (Sen., D-Norwalk) yes Ed Royce (Sen., R-Anaheim) no John Seymour (Sen., R-Anaheim) no Doris Allen (R-Cypress) no Dennis Brown (R-Signal Hill) no Gil Ferguson (R-Newport Beach) no Robert Frazee (R-Carlsbad) no Nolan Frizzelle (R-Huntington Beach) no Ross Johnson (R-La Habra) no John Lewis (R-Orange) no Richard Longshore (R-Santa Ana) no abs = absent or did not vote (same impact as voting “no”) bold face = indicate member’s vote differed with majority of fellow party members n/a = no final vote in that house Votes in CAPITAL LETTERS indicates member’s vote differed with majority of member’s party.