Lawmakers counter ballot proposal with watered down transparency measures

Lawmakers will consider two transparency bills on Wednesday in an effort to head off a ballot measure that would go to greater lengths.

The Constitutional Legislative Transparency Act, backed by Republican donor Charles T. Munger, Jr., is a constitutional amendment requiring the Legislature make available online the final version of a bill at least 72 hours prior to a vote on either the Assembly or Senate floor. The Legislature-introduced versions, however, would make this apply to only votes in the second house.

The CLTA would also require all open legislative meetings be recorded with the videos posted online within 24 hours, while the Legislature-introduced versions only require it be done “promptly.”

Another provision of the Munger-backed measure gives permission to individuals to record and share their own videos of open meetings, while the Legislature-introduced versions do not.

“Unfortunately the current legislative proposal is not palatable, though we continue to work with the Legislature in hopes we can agree on a reform that takes transparency forward, not backward, from what’s already headed for the November ballot,” said Josh Rosa, a spokesman for the measure’s committee, Hold Politicians Accountable. 

State law requires lawmakers to hold informational hearings on voter-supported initiatives.