Brown, ‘Gang of Five’ Will Meet to Discuss ‘Reforms’

Bowing to a request from the rebel “Gang of Five,” Assembly Speaker Willie Brown agreed Thursday to meet with them by next week to discuss their “reform” proposals that would fundamentally strip Brown of much of his power and change the inner workings of the house.

As a result of the Speaker’s willingness to hold the meeting, the Assembly got down to business and passed 60 bills and killed three others, substantially reducing a 150-bill logjam that had been created by the house’s time-consuming power struggle.

Among the bills the lawmakers plowed through and passed were measures to increase unemployment insurance, restrict routes for transporting toxic materials, ban the sale of aerosol paint cans to minors, require a study on automobile insurance premiums and continue the state’s acid rain research program.

Brown’s agreement to talk with the dissidents stopped, at least temporarily, the escalating floor debate over motions sponsored by the Democratic Gang of Five and some Republicans to force him to step down, which in recent days had brought regular work in the Assembly to a virtual standstill.

While Brown, who has held the speakership longer than anyone in state history, consented to the meeting, it was clear from statements by both sides that there is no basic agreement over the proposed “reforms.” And, in fact, members of the dissident group said they still ardently favor Brown’s ouster.

“The agreement to meet is not an agreement to agree,” said gang member Steve Peace (D-Chula Vista). “But you take solace in small steps.”

Assemblyman Charles Calderon (D-Alhambra), another member of the five, said, “We perceive for the first time in the (Democratic) leadership that they might want to consider meaningful reform in the house.”

Brown was less enthusiastic.

“They’ve asked for a meeting and I responded,” said Brown, who testily denied an assertion by Calderon that he had previously rejected invitations to discuss the so-called reforms. Brown also contended that he was not familiar with details of the reform package.

The changes proposed by the Gang of Five, contained in bills and in two white papers, go to the heart of how the Assembly functions and the foundation of the Speaker’s power. The dissidents say the changes are necessary to ensure the independence of individual Assembly members while protecting them from the kind of reprisal that the Speaker has used on the five Democrats, including loss of prized committee assignments, prime office space and staff.

Campaign Donations

Among the proposals is a ban on the transfer of campaign contributions among political candidates, which is one instrument that Brown uses to keep his Speakership by giving money to needy political allies.

There are several others, including a limit on campaign contributions; a restriction on outside speaking fees; a requirement that the Speaker submit a written statement citing the cause for removal of any Assembly member from a committee, and that such an ouster must be ratified by a house ethics committee, and a six-year ceiling on the tenure of any Speaker.

In addition, the package calls for a constitutional amendment making it illegal for any legislative leader to coerce a vote from a state lawmaker and an increase in legislative terms from two to four years in the Assembly and from four years to six in the Senate.

Both the constitutional amendment and the rules change require a two-thirds vote of the 80-member Assembly.

Republicans in the Assembly took advantage of Brown’s meeting announcement to ask that they, too, be allowed to submit their own proposals for house reforms. Brown agreed. Assemblyman William H. Lancaster (R-Covina) is chairman of a task force that is drafting the GOP recommendations.

Once Brown agreed to the meeting, the Assembly then began work on its 150-bill logjam.

Unemployment Pay

A bill by Assemblyman Patrick Johnston (D-Stockton) to increase weekly unemployment insurance benefits from $166 to $186 narrowly passed on a 41-36 vote. It would be the first hike in five years.

The Assembly voted 54 to 16 to approve a bill by Assemblyman Richard Katz (D-Sepulveda) to require routes for trucks carrying highly toxic materials to be pre-approved by the California Highway Patrol. It also would require relief drivers, vehicle escorts and on-board emergency equipment to help prevent accidents.

Another Katz bill to prohibit the sale of aerosol paint cans to minors passed on a 54-24 vote. Katz noted that such paint is used for the graffiti that stakes out the territory of violent street gangs.

A bill requiring the state insurance commissioner to report to the Legislature on the effect of basing automobile insurance premiums solely on individual driving records instead of a driver’s residence received a 45-31 vote. The report is due Sept. 1, 1989, under the bill by Assemblywoman Gwen Moore (D-Los Angeles).

A 55-21 vote sent to the Senate a measure by Assemblyman Byron Sher (D-Palo Alto) to continue the state’s acid rain research program until the end of 1993. It is scheduled to end Dec. 31.