The state Legislature returned to Sacramento this week to conclude the first year of the 2015-16 session. In the next 30 days, hundreds of bills will be discussed, debated, amended and voted on. Some bills will pass both houses of the Legislature and move to the governor for a signature or veto, whereas others will fail.
An all-too-common practice during the final days of the legislative session is to substantially modify bills at the 11th hour. Legislation can be hurriedly pushed through the process, with the contents of a bill being replaced with entirely new language—often having nothing to do with the original bill. In fact, we fully expect to see some of this occur in the coming weeks.
This practice, known as “gutting and amending” bills, is done very quickly and many times without the input of those who will be impacted most by the passage of those bills. Your Farm Bureau staff will be diligently watching what occurs and taking appropriate action, but we need your help, too. When FARM TEAM puts out a call for action, let your voice be heard—it may be the only opportunity for you to provide your input.
The Legislature is scheduled to adjourn on Sept. 11. The short timeframe means things will move quickly and the status of the various bills of concern to Farm Bureau may change daily. Here, you will find a list of key bills that could have significant impacts on California family farmers and ranchers.
Help us defeat harmful legislation, and support legislation that is good for business and agriculture, by weighing in when needed. Register for real-time online alerts through Farm Team at www.cfbf.com or read weekly updates in the Capitol Alert column in Ag Alert®.
Story by Rich Matteis and Casey Gudel from the California Farm Bureau Federation. They may be reached at cfbf@cfbf.com. Story reprinted with permission from California Farm Bureau’s AgAlert.