Dan Walters: Issues hang as session nears close

Sacramento Bee ^ | 8/28/7 | Dan Walters

[SmithL]

Their budget stalemate finally behind them, at least until next year, state legislators turned Monday to the rest of their agenda with precious little time before the clock runs out on this year's session -- so little time that it may be extended.

There were nearly 1,000 bills still awaiting final action Monday with just 14 working days remaining before the Sept. 14 adjournment -- or fewer if legislative leaders adjourn, as they hope to, before the Jewish High Holy Days begin. And with three of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's very contentious issues -- health care, water development and redistricting reform -- still unresolved, there's growing speculation that he may keep the Legislature working by calling one or more special sessions.

Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders are at loggerheads on how to pay for extending health insurance coverage to the 6.5 million Californians who lack it. His plans for new reservoirs and canals are drawing heavy opposition from environmental groups. And while Democratic leaders endorse redistricting reform in principle, there's wide disagreement on details.

There's no particular reason why health care and water have to be resolved this year, other than Schwarzenegger's making them priorities.

The health insurance gap has plagued California for decades, although it appears to be worsening due to changes in the economy that have left fewer workers with employer-provided coverage. As adjournment approaches, the danger is not so much that the issue won't be addressed but that having promised to do something about it this year, politicians will enact some complicated scheme that has not been fully vetted and will collapse of its own ponderous weight.

The many politicians, lobbyists and others involved in health care have often raised the specter of what happened 11 years ago, when the Legislature hastily enacted a far-reaching energy "deregulation" bill thatbackfired

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

Say NO to state run health care!!