Why do people have little respect or trust for our Sacramento government? Maybe it is because bills are voted on and passed with NO public notice, no public hearings, no public input. These are called “gut and amend bills”. A legislator authors a bill about education, when it gets to the Floor in the last days of Session, it is gutted, with ALL language taken out, then amended with new words—the only thing left of the original bill is the bill number.
One bill was to provide housing—it now allows a law breaker, illegal alien, to become an attorney (please, no attorney jokes). Democrats prefer criminals to housing.
- “Assembly Bill (AB) 640 pertained to cigarettes and tobacco but now requires condoms to be used in pornography.
- AB 604 pertained to eyewitness identification of criminals but now regulates medical cannabis.
- AB 1024 pertained to cooperative housing but now would allow undocumented immigrants who pass the California state bar exam to obtain a law license.”
Assemblyman Jones Condemns the “Gut and Amend” Process
No Public Review in Exchange for Political Favors, “Are You Kidding Me?”
Assemblyman Brian Jones, 9/10/13
SACRAMENTO – As the first year of the 2013-14 Legislative Session comes to a close, Assemblyman Jones (R-Santee) condemns the “gut and amend” process. A common practice in the final days of session that circumvents public review, a “gut and amend” is when a bill is stripped and replaced with completely unrelated language. Jones says, “It’s one of their favorite, sneaky maneuvers to keep the public out of the process.”
Some of the most recent examples include:
- Assembly Bill (AB) 640 pertained to cigarettes and tobacco but now requires condoms to be used in pornography.
- AB 604 pertained to eyewitness identification of criminals but now regulates medical cannabis.
- AB 1024 pertained to cooperative housing but now would allow undocumented immigrants who pass the California state bar exam to obtain a law license.
Jones added, “This outrageous practice signals to you, the voter, that the legislature just doesn’t care what you think. This last minute funny business is good for only the power hungry government unions and special interests.”
