Lockyer Secession Bill Clears Rules Committee

A bill that would make it possible for the San Fernando Valley to secede from Los Angeles cleared another committee hurdle in Sacramento on Monday.

The legislation, sponsored by Senate President Pro Tem Bill Lockyer (D-Hayward), passed out of the Rules Committee on a 4-1 vote after a perfunctory discussion among the committee members.

None of the backers or opponents of the bill testified.

The bill’s fate at the Rules Committee was never in question because as chairman and Senate leader, Lockyer controls the committee.

State Sen. Teresa Hughes (D-Los Angeles) cast the lone dissenting vote, without stating her reason. She opposed a similar bill last year as divisive.

The next step for Lockyer’s bill, which would take away City Council veto power over secession applications and give all Los Angeles residents a vote, is the state Senate Appropriations Committee.

That hearing would not take place until sometime in April, after the Legislature’s spring recess.

Three competing measures have been introduced in the state Assembly but none of them have been acted upon.

Lockyer press secretary Sandy Harrison said the Rules Committee discussion on the bill revolved around who would make the appointments to a commission that would study the ramifications of dividing Los Angeles.

Under Lockyer’s proposal, four members of the commission would be appointed by the governor from a list provided by Valley community groups and four would be appointed by the City Council.

That remains a thorny issue because of mistrust between Valley supporters of the legislation and City Hall.

Lockyer said there was no way to make both sides comfortable that the selection process would be fair, but that he was open to fine-tuning that part of the bill.

In addition to the commission to study the impacts of splitting up Los Angeles, Lockyer’s bill provides for a statewide commission to study detachment and incorporation law.

The legislation includes a $1.2-million appropriation to fund the commissions’ work.