Brown Says He Will Call for Summit to Prod State Economy : Legislature: The Assembly leader says he will invite business and academic leaders to January gathering. Idea gets a positive response from a Wilson aide.

Seeking to take the initiative on one of the state’s major issues, Democratic Assembly Speaker Willie Brown said Monday he plans to take a cue from President-elect Bill Clinton and call an economic summit to discuss ways to improve California’s sagging economy.

Addressing the first floor session of the new Legislature--and following his reelection as Speaker--Brown (D-San Francisco) said he would invite business and academic leaders from around the state to convene in Sacramento in late January.

The Speaker said the summit would have before it a “full and complete agenda” of ways to revive the state economy, adding that he believes “this house (the Assembly) can provide the leadership” to do the job.

Brown’s proposal, presented to an Assembly body where his Democratic majority was enlarged by one member in the November elections, immediately raised speculation that he was attempting to upstage Republican Gov. Pete Wilson, whose issues and candidates took an Election Day beating.

But Dan Schnur, Wilson’s communications director, said: “It (the summit) could potentially be a very good idea. For the most part, the answers are out there already, but if this can highlight the need for action, it could be useful.”

Noting that the Administration already is seeking the same answers, Schnur said: “This isn’t about Republicans or Democrats or liberals or conservatives. It’s about jobs and the economic growth of California. This is a perfect example how the Legislature and the governor can work together.”

Wilson last year appointed the Council on California Competitiveness, headed by business leader Peter V. Ueberroth, which studied the state’s economic problems and issued recommendations that have been largely ignored.

Speaker Brown said his approach was inspired by Clinton, who has announced plans for an economic conference at the national level next week.

Assembly Republican Leader Jim Brulte of Rancho Cucamonga said he wants to see more details about Brown’s proposal for an economic summit before commenting.

Brown also said he wants the Assembly to readdress the 1992-93 state budget in view of recent voter repeal of the snack tax and reports that revenues will fall below projected estimates. “I intend to do that sooner rather than later,” he said.

Senate President Pro Tem David A. Roberti (D-Van Nuys), who was unanimously reelected to his leadership post, was noncommittal on the Speaker’s economic summit idea.

Roberti said the bigger issue facing California is how Clinton’s program to revive the economy of the entire nation impacts California. He indicated that he favors a jump-start stimulus for California’s especially hard-hit economy as opposed to a slower solution. “What we can do is going to depend on what (Washington’s) greater program is,” Roberti told reporters.

As for attacking the state’s projected budget shortfall of $7.5 billion, he said it should be dealt with quickly before it worsens, and opening up the budget for repairs as Brown suggested “may be one way to go.”

Opening day swearing-in ceremonies included 27 new faces in the Assembly and four in the Senate who took the oath of office in front of families and friends.

Brown was reelected Speaker on a 47-32 vote with Democrats voting yes and Republicans no. One Democrat, Bruce Bronzan of Fresno, has announced his intention to resign and did not vote Monday.

The real legislative business begins Jan. 4 when lawmakers return to tackle the projected budget shortfall, the third deficit in as many years, and other festering problems such as workers’ compensation reform.

In the summer, a bitter stalemate developed between the Republican governor and the Democratic-controlled Legislature that was not broken until more than two months into the new fiscal year.

The delay forced California to pay some bills with IOUs for the first time since the Great Depression.

On Monday, Assemblywoman Jackie Speier (D-South San Francisco) introduced a bill to require legislators to forfeit their $100-a-day expense allowances for each day the state budget remains blocked after July 1, the start of the new fiscal year.

It also would prohibit the state controller from issuing paychecks to legislators in a new fiscal year unless they have approved a budget.

The 27 new members of the Assembly represent the largest crop of lower house newcomers in 26 years. They include 14 Democrats and 13 Republicans. The house is 48-32 Democratic over the GOP, a one-seat greater advantage for the Democrats.

There are 22 women members of the Assembly, up from 17; seven Latinos, up from four; seven African-Americans, no change, and one Japanese-American, the first Asian-American elected to the Legislature in 14 years.

New and returning members of the Assembly were greeted by remodeled bathrooms, a $48,000 job designed to expand the women’s facilities for the growing number of females in the Assembly.

The old women’s bathroom had just two stalls for the 17 members. The new design has four stalls for 22 members. “It’s not elaborate but it’s nice,” said Assemblywoman Doris Allen (R-Cypress).

Men’s facilities also were expanded.

All four new senators, two Democrats and two Republicans, are former members of the lower house. Overall, the house contains 23 Democrats, 14 Republicans, two independents and one vacancy.

There are six women senators--up from five. There are three Latinos and two African-Americans, which represents no change.

Times staff writer Daniel Weintraub also contributed to this story.