Senate Committee Rosters Late!

07 Jan, 2011 by CalWatchdog Staff

Print this article Font size -16+

Katy Grimes: It’s January 7, 2011 and the Senate President Pro Tem just announced the legislative committee assignments.

The Assembly committee assignments have been done since early December.

As I shared this information with colleagues, everyone wanted to know what Senators have been doing for the last month?

On Wednesday Jan. 5, Senators received a memo (below) from Steinberg asking Senators to name their top six committee preferences.

Many Capitol staffers are questioning the leadership, and have commented on the changes. Gone is the Senate Local Government Committee, and the Revenue and Tax Committee. I’ve been told that there are plans to make one “super committee” that deals with those issues, as well as “initiative reforms.”

I heard that Senate leadership was close to confirming committee assignments when there was Mutiny on the Bounty – Democratic Senators were not happy with their assignments, so Steinberg asked them all to resubmit their requests and priorities.

Described as another episodic bungle, it appears to some that Steinberg retains the leadership post because no one else wants it…. yet.

Are things at the capitol really this precarious?

MEMORANDUM

To: Senate Colleagues

From: Darrell Steinberg, Senate President proTem

Date: Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Re: COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP PRIORITIES

To assist in the Committee member selection process, please indicate below your top six (6) preferences, in priority order (1-6), for the Standing Committees on which you hope to serve this session.

Please return this form no later than Friday, January 7, by NOON. Although preferences are not guaranteed, we will make every effort to accommodate Senators’ wishes, given the constraints of committee meeting times and the number of members required.

Please note that the jurisdictions of some committees will be split and others combined. Names of these newly-constructed committees may change somewhat.

AGRICULTURE ———————————————– ___________

APPROPRIATIONS ——————————————– ___________

BANKING & FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS —————- ___________

BUDGET AND FISCAL REVIEW ————————— ___________

Please note Subcommittee preference by checking one (X) below:

#1 – Education ______

#2 – Resources, Environment, Energy, Trans ______

#3 – Health, Human Services, Labor, Vets Affairs ______

#4 – State Admin, General Govt, Judiciary ______

#5 –Corrections, Public Safety ______

BUSINESS, PROFESSIONS & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT — ____________

EDUCATION ————————————————————– ____________

ELECTIONS & CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDS ——————— ___________

ENERGY, UTILITIES & COMMUNICATIONS ——————– ____________

ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ————————————— ____________

GOVERNANCE & FISCAL ALIGNMENT ————————— ____________

(combines jurisdictions of Local Government and Rev and Tax)

GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION ——————————- ____________

HEALTH ——————————————————————- ____________

HUMAN SERVICES —————————————————– ____________

JUDICIARY —————————————————————- ____________

INSURANCE—————————————————————– ____________

LABOR & INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ——————————- ____________

LEGISLATIVE ETHICS ————————————————– ____________

NATURAL RESOURCES & WATER ———————————- ____________

PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT & RETIREMENT ————————– ____________

PUBLIC SAFETY ———————————————————- ____________

TRANSPORTATION & HOUSING ————————————— ____________

VETERAN’S AFFAIRS —————————————————- ____________

Thank you for your prompt assistance in helping to organize the Senate Standing Committees. Please sign and return to Pro Tem’s Office (Room #205) this completed 2-page form no later than Friday, January 7, 2011 NOON. Questions?

Contact: Kathy Dresslar, 651-4006.

_______________________________ ______________________________

SENATOR SIGNATURE

JAN. 7, 2011