| The session ended early Saturday morning in a fit of panicked voting and negotiations. To put it mildly, there were a lot of questions left unanswered, and a lot of things left undone. Some of these uncompleted items will leave Californians in serious danger.
As the session was drawing towards a close, the Yacht Party Senators collectively said they would not vote for any supermajority measures unless some of their own proposals, already defeated, were resurrected. It is just another example of the Yacht Party using their minority veto to impose policies rejected by large majorities of the state. It is an act of political ransom, and entirely unacceptable.
However, this act has real consequences. Specifically, I point to the domestic violence shelters that Dave mentioned last week. Senator Yee's bill to take $16 million from non-general fund monies for the shelters was nearly unanimously approved by the assembly. However when it returned to the Senate for concurrence of a few minor changes, the Senate Republicans refused to support a measure they had only a few days ago supported.
"I am deeply disappointed that petty Sacramento politics and end-of session drills were put before the lives of victims," said Yee. "It was absolutely vital to approve this legislation. Failure to pass this bill only puts more lives at risk. I will reintroduce this bill again and again and again until we finally save our domestic violence shelters. Anything less is irresponsible, and not only increases health care and law enforcement costs, but puts victims and their children in grave danger."
Sen. Yee understates with "deeply disappointed." |
