Despite Vetoes, Wilson Shows Flexibility on Bills

Freshman Gov. Pete Wilson has vetoed bills at nearly twice the rate as his predecessor, “Iron Duke” Gov. George Deukmejian, during the same period of his first year in office.

But on several measures, including two high-profile ones, Wilson has shown a willingness to compromise if legislators want to press their rejected proposals again next year.

“Gov. Wilson seems to be reflecting first-year optimism that he can successfully negotiate with the Legislature over the long term,” said Larry Thomas, a former Deukmejian press secretary who also worked for Wilson when Wilson was mayor of San Diego. “Gov. Deukmejian took similar action in the early years, but found out his optimism was not rewarded as time passed.”

On some bills Wilson signed, he apparently obtained the authors’ agreement beforehand to seek future changes if necessary.

On the controversial forestry protection and sexual harassment measures he vetoed, Wilson showed himself willing to ask legislators to talk about revising their legislation, with an eye to bringing the measures back next year.

But on his Administration’s most controversial veto to date, a gay rights measure, Wilson indicated no such flexibility.

In all, the Democratic-controlled Legislature sent the new Republican governor 1,504 bills. He signed 1,240 of them and allowed five more to become law without his signature. He vetoed 259 measures, or 17.2% of the total.

By comparison, Deukmejian signed or let 1,327 bills become law without his signature and vetoed 138 others or 9.4% of the total during his first year as governor in 1983.

Nicknamed the “Iron Duke” by Democrats and Republicans alike for his inflexibility, Deukmejian vetoed a record 2,298 bills or 18.6% of the 12,364 measures sent to him during his eight years in office.

Wilson also signed into law several major bills that had been vetoed by his predecessor, including one requiring motorcycle riders to wear safety helmets.

Other big bills vetoed by Deukmejian that ended up receiving Wilson’s signature, call for junior and senior high school students to receive instruction about the dangers of AIDS, and let workers take up to four months of unpaid leave to care for newborn or sick children or elderly parents.

Two examples where Wilson issued a veto, but then showed flexibility, were also among the hottest issues he had to handle: a Democratic-backed forest protection measure and Republican-sponsored sexual harassment legislation.

After the forest bill veto, Wilson wrote, “I will convene a meeting with interested parties to begin developing a revised legislative package for action when the Legislature convenes in January.”

A spokesman for author Assemblyman Byron Sher (D-Palo Alto) said Sher will wait and see whether he can agree.

On sexual harassment, the governor said, “I invite (the backers) to work with my Administration in seeking an equitable and workable response to the problem of employment discrimination.”

The author, Sen. Marian Bergeson (R-Newport Beach), agreed to further discussions.

Wilson also vetoed a Democratic-sponsored bill aimed at curbing frivolous lawsuits, nicknamed SLAPP suits, filed against citizens who speak out on public issues. Afterward, he said, “I commend the author for the amount of work he has accomplished to address this issue, and I look forward to working with him to resolve the final issue.”

A spokesman for the author, Sen. Bill Lockyer (D-Hayward), agreed to new negotiations with the Administration, with the aim of reintroducing the bill next year.

Wilson also made his wishes clear in some of bills that he did sign.

On a measure requesting that the University of California conduct a study of the status of businesses owned or operated by minorities and women in California, Wilson said:

“This study is estimated to cost $200,000. I have signed this legislation with the clear understanding from the University of California that no (state) general fund monies will be used to fund this study.”