Lawmakers call for Legislature to pause five bills until Californians know the impact to their pockets
SACRAMENTO— Assembly Republicans today called on the Legislature to pause consideration of five bills until an independent analysis determines what they could cost Californians.
The lawmakers requested Citizen Cost Impact Reports from the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office on legislation that increases everyday costs for California families and businesses. With roughly 900 pieces of legislation left in the final week of session, Republicans say lawmakers should not vote without knowing the costs to the public.
“Sacramento spent the last two years promising to make California more affordable, but lawmakers are preparing to vote on hundreds of bills without knowing what they could cost the people we represent,” said Assemblyman Josh Hoover (R-Folsom). “Californians deserve to know the price before we vote, not after.”
Under Joint Rule 37.1, lawmakers can request Citizen Cost Impact Reports to examine the economic effects of proposed legislation on Californians.
“Families are already stretching every paycheck to cover groceries, gas, utilities and other necessities,” said Assemblywoman Leticia Castillo (R-Corona). “Taking the time to understand what these bills will cost is more important than rushing them through before the end of session.”
Republicans also asked the LAO to review the consumer costs of AB 844 (Nation, Statutes of 2003), which was recently used by the California Energy Commission to possibly remove roughly 70% of existing tire models in the state, with lower-cost and budget options among those expected to face some of the biggest impacts.
“We’re seeing regulations that tell Californians what products they can and cannot buy, all while Sacramento claims these policies will somehow make life more affordable,” said Assemblyman Jeff Gonzalez (R-Indio). “California families deserve choice, and before we ask them to comply with another regulation, we should know what it will actually cost the people who have to live with it.”
The requests to pause the five pending pieces of legislation will be submitted to the Assembly Rules Committee for approval.
A digital copy of the letter can be found HERE