1. The End of the Beginning?
2011 Legislative Session
The End of the Beginning?

2. Bills to be signed? 600+ on his desk
Key bills important to unions, liberals
Change the timing for initiatives – SB 202
Child care unions – AB 101
Amazon tax – AB 155
Bisphenol A ban - AB1319
Business interests bills
SB 617 – regulation reform : the benefit of the benefit, economic impacts
AB 361 – benefit corporation

3. SB 201 (DeSaulnier)
Why is this hybrid organization needed?
Competition w non-profits
Limited scrutiny – lobbying, resources
Likely tax advantages

4. Redistricting Initiative process – referendum
Signatures needed by November 14th
Supreme Court - to block the new Senate
Districts - unconstitutional

5. Budget August revenue up by 2% Income taxes up 4.1% Sales tax up 0.3%
Corporate taxes up 51.4%
Current deficit is $13.9 b
Governor vetoed SBx6 – would have allowed legislators say in emergency budget cuts
On his desk:
SB 14 (Wolk) performance based budgets to begin , implementation by 2018
SB 15 (DeSaulnier) –DOF to project revenues & expenditures for 5 yrs with UC to determine effects of budget on economy, due 12/12

6. INITIATIVES 25 cleared for circulation Pension reform - 4
Direct democracy , fourth branch of government Only need a majority to make change AB 651 would require firms to register w SOS and pay a fee, education & training for those collecting signatures
25 cleared for circulation
Pension reform - 4
Eliminates collective bargaining for public employees
Overturns the fire prevention fee
Makes home ownership a “right”

7. What’s Next California -Deliberative Polling
The Problem
Citizens are often uninformed about key public issues. Conventional polls represent the public's surface impressions of sound bites and headlines. The public, subject to what social scientists have called "rational ignorance," has little reason to confront trade-offs or invest time and effort in acquiring information or coming to a considered judgment.
The Approach
Deliberative Polling® is an attempt to use television and public opinion research in a new and constructive way. and present results with a human face.
Topics to be discussed:
State-Local Reform
Taxation and Fiscal Reform
Initiative Process
Representation
Process
Administer a survey to a random, representative sample of the public
Random, representative sample is chosen to engage in the deliberative poll
Prior to the event, balanced information is provided to participants
At the event, groups are divided into small groups with trained moderators
Questions are posed by participants and given to experts and policy makers
Event concludes with a final questionnaire capturing participants considered opinions
Events are analyzed and released to the media