New ballot measure could make California lawmakers part-time employees

SACRAMENTO, CA - Californians don't think much of their state lawmakers; the Legislature's approval rating is at 22 percent, according to a field poll done last month.

Now, a ballot initiative, introduced by Assem. Shannon Grove, R-Bakersfield, is in the works to make the Legislature part time by:

• Cutting pay from $95,000 to just $18,000 a year, plus limited expenses
• Shortening sessions to 30 days in January and 60 days in May and June
• Converting state budgets to two years
• Banning state government jobs and lobbying while in office and 5 years after

"The bottom line is to return the California state legislature back to the citizens of the state of California and reduce their time in office and make them live under the same rules they create," Grove said.

A new analysis by the non-partisan Legislative Analyst Office said California could save $9 million just from cutting salaries and tens of millions of dollars more eliminating staff and travel.

"You save money, but at what cost?" California Common Cause Phillip Ung asked.

California Common Cause, a government watchdog, said a part-time Legislature will cause conflicts of interest because lawmakers will need full time jobs, many in industries that could have business before the state.

FACEBOOK POLL: Do you think lawmakers should be part-time?

"The conflict would be, what is their full-time priority?" Ung said. "Is it their full-time job? Or is it the part-time job that they're earning $18,000 in?"

Critics also said its unclear what type of candidate would be attracted to a part-time elected office and how a part-time Legislature would work with a full time governor and full time lobbyists.

It may also be difficult to run California just three months out of the year.

"California is a big state. We have a huge budget," Assem. Tony Mendoza, D-Artesia, said. "We're the 8 th or 9th biggest economy in the world and a part-time Legislature would be really devastating for the work we have to do in this great state."

"We need to be responsive to the state. We need to be responsive to the 38 million people who live here," Assem. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, said. "You can't do that for three months of the year."

The lengths of Legislative sessions around the country vary, but the National Conference of State Legislatures said eight other states, including New York, are essentially full time.

The initiative still needs a title and a summary. However, initiative proponents believe it will be ready in two weeks.

The next step will be to take the initiative to the street and collect signatures in order to get the measure on the November 2012 ballot.

Nannette Miranda
ABC7

CTNS and ABC7/KGO