Wilson Extends Legislative Session to Handle Riot Aid

Gov. Pete Wilson acted Monday to expedite state assistance to victims of the Los Angeles riots.

He proclaimed that the Legislature should extend its special session--already under way because of previous crises--to enable quicker passage of relevant bills.

The governor’s proclamation called on the lawmakers to act quickly to assist those people, businesses and public entities that suffered losses.

It also called upon the Assembly and Senate to consider legislation to help retain jobs, create new ones and improve the business climate.

The special session agenda already includes the Los Angeles floods, the Oakland Hills fires, the state drought, the whitefly infestation, the Humboldt County earthquake and the state budget crisis.

Special sessions are usually held during a portion of a full legislative day, then are adjourned and, without a break, other bills are taken up in regular session. One major advantage of a special session is that bills that pass and are signed by the governor go into effect 90 days after the session adjourns instead of having to wait until Jan. 1.

Other advantages are that legislation does not have to be in print for 30 days before the first committee hearing, file notice requirements can be suspended and normal policy committee hearing deadlines can be waived.

Meanwhile, Assemblyman Curtis Tucker Jr. (D-Inglewood), chairman of a special committee appointed by Assembly Speaker Willie Brown (D-San Francisco) to investigate the Los Angeles riots, announced that he plans to hold a second local hearing Friday in Los Angeles to hear suggestions from the community.

Tucker’s committee took testimony all day Saturday from various federal, state, county and city officials.