Senate Limits Bills to 65 Every 2 Years

The Senate, imposing new restraints on itself, voted Friday to limit to 65 the number of bills its members can introduce during each two-year session.

The limit, enacted in the form of a resolution, passed on a 21-9 vote, getting the bare majority needed for passage in the 40-member house.

At the same time, the Senate sent to the Assembly, also on a 21-9 vote, a resolution that would limit to 40 the number of bills members of that house could introduce. The Assembly passed similar legislation last year, but it died in the Senate.

Lawmakers said the two resolutions reflected voters’ approval in November of Proposition 140, the initiative that imposed term limits and required a sharp cutback in spending by the Legislature.

Supporters hope the legislation will keep the introduction of unnecessary or redundant bills at a minimum and dampen the practice that many lawmakers have of introducing bills for public relations purposes.

Lawmakers say that they would have cut down on the number of bills introduced anyway, since the sharp staffing reductions mandated by Proposition 140 will limit their ability to analyze and work on bills. But they attached considerable importance to the act of imposing their own limits.

Sen. Gary K. Hart (D-Santa Barbara), who sponsored the bill with the backing of Senate President Pro Tem David A. Roberti (D-Los Angeles), said during the floor debate, “The electorate is looking to us to change the way we do business.” He warned lawmakers that “other Proposition 140s” could develop if the Legislature doesn’t act.

“The focus has got to be quality and major pieces of legislation. There is a lot of duplication, and there are a lot of bills introduced for PR consumption back in the district,” Hart told a reporter.

During the last two-year session, 2,912 bills were introduced in the Senate. Under the new rules, 2,600 bills could be introduced if every senator hit the maximum of 65. Sen. Alan Robbins (D-Tarzana) will feel the new rule the most. During the 1989-90 session, Robbins introduced 166 bills, with his closest challenger 55 bills behind.

Robbins predicted that the legislation will have relatively little impact. “You’ll see thicker bills, longer bills, more provisions packed into bills that are introduced,” he said.

In a slap at other unnamed lawmakers, Robbins added, “It will provide a convenient excuse for a few of the legislators who don’t want to work so hard. They can use the limit as an excuse for turning aside appeals by constituents for help.”

In the Assembly, 4,371 bills were introduced during the last session. Under a 40-bill limit, that number would drop to 3,200.

Assemblyman Richard E. Floyd (D-Carson) introduced the most bills in the Assembly, dropping 187 measures into the legislative hopper during the session.

In second place was Assemblywoman Gwen Moore (D-Los Angeles), with 158 bills.

A study during the 1985-86 session by the legislative analyst’s office showed that each bill cost $6,845 to process.

An analysis by Assemblyman Stan Statham (R-Oak Run), who is carrying legislation similar to Hart’s in the Assembly, showed that about half the bills introduced ultimately are passed and signed into law.