Gut-and-Amend Bill Takes Counties Out of the Action
SB 594 Would Silence Voice of Local Governments on Vital Statewide Issues
It is that time of year in Sacramento. Four weeks are left in the legislative session, and that means it’s time for “gut-and-amend bills” where entire contents are stripped out of legislation and replaced with new content that often has nothing to do with the original language and usually engenders controversy. One such gut-and-amend, if passed, would silence the voice of local governments on vital statewide issues.
Senate Bill 594, by Senator Jerry Hill, a gut-and-amend bill about a week old, would place significant new restrictions on nonprofit organizations that receive public funds and participate in campaign activities. It broadly expands definitions of public resources, expenditures, and contributions in a manner that would effectively preclude CSAC and similar organizations from participating, financially or otherwise, in ballot measure campaigns. Because county supervisors serve as our Officers, Executive Committee members, and Board of Directors members, their participation in CSAC is also caught up in these restrictions.