Capitol Roundup December XX, 2012 Vol. 1, No. 1 In This Issue: 2013-14 State Legislature Sworn In After being sworn into office on December 3rd, 2013-14 State the California Legislature will reconvene on Legislature January 7th for the 2013-2014 legislative Sworn In session. Speaker Peréz Announces Leadership & _______________________________________________________________________ Committee Chairs Speaker Peréz Announces Leadership & Committee Chairs New PPIC Study Speaker John A. Peréz recently announced chairmanships for Assembly policy Shows Voter committees as well as leadership positions: Optimism, Support for Appropriations Committee Mike Gatto Taxes Budget Committee Bob Blumenfield Education Committee Joan Buchanan November State Government Organizational Committee Isadore Hall II Revenues $806 Million Below Health Committee Dr. Richard Pan Projections Insurance Committee Henry Perea Local Government Katcho Achadjian (R) Recent LAO Revenue and Taxation Raul Bocanegra Publications Rules Committee Nancy Skinner Transportation Committee Bonnie Lowenthal 2013-14 Utilities and Commerce Committee Steven Bradford Legislative Composition Click HERE for a full list of Committee Chairs and Leadership positions. Remains to Be ____________________________________________________________________ Seen… News Watch New PPIC Study Shows Voter Optimism, Support for Taxes A recent PPIC study entitled “Californians & the Future” shows optimism among Californians, support for changes to Prop 13 and changing local voting thresholds from 2/3rds to 55% on certain tax increases. Click here for the FULL REPORT. ____________________________________________________________________ November State Revenues $806 Million Below Projections State Controller John Chiang released his monthly report covering California's cash balance, receipts and disbursements in November 2012, showing total revenues were $806.8 million below projections contained in the 2012-13 State budget. News Release can be found HERE. Recent LAO Publications (11/14) The 2013-14 Budget: California’s Fiscal Outlook (11/29) Understanding California’s Property Taxes (12/5) Restructuring CA’s Adult Education System (12/13) Univ. of CA Faculty Recruiting and Retention (12/18 Examining a Recent Issue in Local Govt Finance (12/19) Energy Efficiency & Alternative Energy Programs 1215 K St., Ste. 1150 ____________________________________________________________________ Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: (916) 446-3007 2013-14 Legislative Composition Remains to Be Seen… Fax: (916) 446-4202 The newly-elected and re-elected members of the Legislature include 39 freshman legislators, 38 in the Assembly and 1 in the Senate. This is the largest Email: freshman class that California has seen since the late 1960s. [email protected] [email protected] The most important aspect of this Legislature is that Democrats achieved a two- Visit SHJ on the Web! thirds “super majority” in both the Senate and the Assembly, which could allow www.shjlobby.com them to pass tax increases — without any Republican votes. The composition of the Legislature may change soon, however. Special elections will be held to fill the seats of two state senators, Gloria Negrete- McLeod (D) and Juan Vargas (D), who were elected to Congress. In addition, Senator Curren Price (D) and Assembly Member Bob Blumenfield (D) are running for Los Angeles City Council — if they win their elections in March, a special election will be held to fill both seats in the Senate and Assembly. If members of the Assembly run for these Senate vacancies and win, additional special elections will be needed to fill their Assembly seats. Thus, the final composition of the 2013-14 Legislature remains to be seen. ____________________________________________________________________ “Achieving results for our News Watch clients through strategic and Bob Huff reelected as California Senate Republican leader policy-oriented advocacy at all California revenue lags due to Facebook, corporate refunds levels of state Assembly Republicans form diversity outreach team government” Assemblyman wants Prop. 13 change for commercial property California Senate budget head wants to lower tax increase hurdle In Sacramento, plenty of new faces -- and a Democratic supermajority -- get to work on health care, state budget California's Democratic Supermajority Promises Not To Abuse New Power California Democrats' supermajority powers will be short-lived .