Amid the chaos of the budget crisis and the recall election of Gov. Gray Davis, the Legislature is about to set up a powerful new regulatory agency in an effort to protect Indian sacred sites. While the sacred places of American Indians should be protected, the imperious method chosen by lawmakers and the haste with which this new bureaucracy is being formed would scare Californians — if they knew about it. By rushing the sacred sites bill through in the last days of the legislative session, lawmakers are severely restricting public debate on the measure. The law of unintended consequences...