Assembly Approves Limits on Introducing Measures

In a cost-saving move, the Assembly on Monday overwhelmingly approved a resolution limiting to 50 the number of bills each member can introduce during each two-year legislative session.

The resolution, approved on a 61-8 vote, was authored by Assemblywoman Margaret E. Snyder (D-Modesto), who estimated that the state would have saved $9 million if the limit had been in place last session.

Noting the current state budget crisis, Snyder said: “We absolutely owe it to our constituents to put our own house in order and cut the cost of our doing business.”

The average cost of processing a bill is $13,733, Snyder said, including printing, publication, legislative counsel review, committee, floor and caucus staff services, and agency legislative liaison costs.

On average, an Assembly member introduces 53 bills a session; some introduce more than 75, others fewer than 20.

The limit does not apply to constitutional amendments, resolutions or committee bills. Members also can obtain special permission from the Rules Committee to introduce a bill if they go over the limit.

Several years ago, the Senate passed a similar rule limiting its members to 65 bills a session. The number of bills introduced has dropped by 30%, for an estimated $11-million saving.

Assemblyman Curtis Tucker Jr. (D-Inglewood) voted against the Assembly limit, saying: “We should not arbitrarily limit the number of bills that we can introduce. That number should not be set in stone. As you know, government is a fluid business.”

But Assemblyman John Burton (D-San Francisco), the chairman of the Rules Committee, spoke in favor of the resolution, calling it a “worthwhile reform.”

Assembly Republicans tried to amend the resolution to limit the number of bills to 25 per session, but majority Democrats scuttled the effort.