Legislative Remapping Plan OKd by Panel

A Senate committee voted bipartisan approval Monday for a newly fashioned proposal that not only would keep legislative reapportionment firmly in the hands of incumbent lawmakers but also cut the governor out of the action.

The Constitutional Amendments Committee acted swiftly on the plan developed quietly by a group of Senate Democrats in the face of proposed ballot initiatives, some which would strip the Legislature of its power to redraw political boundaries.

Realignment of election districts is perhaps the biggest self-interest issue to incumbents because a lawmaker’s political survival can be determined in large part by whether the lines are drawn in politically “friendly” or “hostile” territory. At the same time, the majority party traditionally shapes the districts to maximize the advantage of its own candidates and thus perpetuates itself in power.

Measure Moves On

On a 4-1 vote, the committee sent the proposed state constitutional amendment by Sen. Bill Lockyer (D-San Leandro) to the Appropriations Committee. Senate Republican floor leader Ken Maddy of Fresno and three Democrats voted for it, while Chairman Edward R. Royce (R-Anaheim) voted no.

Lockyer said his proposal was fashioned chiefly by Senate Democratic floor leader Barry Keene of Benicia and is supported by other Senate Democrats.

Maddy, although deploring parts of the proposal, voted for it nevertheless in order to “keep something alive so that we may ultimately put together a bill that both parties can agree on.”

As a proposed constitutional amendment, Lockyer’s measure would not require the signature of Gov. George Deukmejian, who traditionally opposes anything that diminishes the authority of the chief executive. Gubernatorial press secretary Kevin Brett said the governor believes, based on “his working relationship with Republicans,” that the GOP will not provide enough votes to put the legislation on next year’s ballot.

Six Proposed Initiatives

Six proposed reapportionment initiatives are being circulated in an effort to gain enough signatures to qualify them for next year’s ballot. Some of the proposals envision turning over the redrawing of legislative, U.S. House and state Board of Equalization districts to appointed committees of citizens.

Critics have long maintained that it is a built-in conflict of interest for the Legislature to realign its own districts. Based on population changes reflected in the federal census, the districts remain in place for 10 years.

Under the Lockyer proposal, the Legislature would devise reapportionment plans and submit them to an appointed citizens commission for review and possible changes. The plans then would return within 60 days to the Legislature, which could adopt or rewrite them. The legislation would become law if approved by a two-thirds vote of both houses and would not be subject to a governor’s signature or veto.

Thus, a governor would be powerless to veto a bill he considered unfair to his party.

But Maddy said the two-thirds vote provision constitutes a “real benefit” to the minority party--now the GOP--because for the first time in 20 years “it gets us a place at the table.” The majority party--now Democrats--presumably would have to appease enough of the minority party to get a two-thirds vote for its reapportionment plan.

Lockyer claimed his proposed independent citizens redistricting commission attempts to “take the most extremely partisan actors out of the effort,” including the Legislature.

Gubernatorial Role

Lockyer deplored a governor’s participation in the reapportionment business as “totally a partisan bomb” because the state chief executive usually guards the interests of his own party.

But committee chairman Royce insisted that the proposal would enhance “a situation of incumbent protection” and that the Legislature would persist in drawing district lines “essentially as they are today” without the threat of a veto.

Tom Huening, a San Mateo County supervisor and architect of one of the reapportionment initiatives, said: “If there is one thing that the legislators can get together on, it is preserving their seats.” Huening’s initiative is being co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters, anti-tax activist Paul Gann and former Legislative Analyst A. Alan Post.