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California’s looney laws in the making!

The California Legislature loves looney laws. Although they tend to favor goofy laws infringing the Second Amendment rights of Californians, their scope is by no means limited to that topic!

THIS year, California’s lawmakers have introduced 2,323 bills (so far), including ones to revise the definition of olive oil (some primitive cultures with human sacrifices had ways of dealing with their “extra virgins” :-) ) and to enact “Spay Day” to encourage the spaying of animals.

The state budget deficit (this year, it’s $25 billion – “eat your heart out, Wisconsin!” :-) ) has never stopped California legislators was wasting their time and OUR money on the consideration and processing of goofy bills into looney laws! The LA Times mentions some of these “less pressing” issues: caffeinated beer, regulation of the reflectivity of pavement to help with global warming, creation of a “Parks Make Life Better” month (hard to argue with THAT! :-) ), and tax credits for commercial space vehicles being developed in the Mojave Desert. (Ah… back to the Mojave Desert, again!)

Believe it or not, the 2,323 bills that the California Legislature are considering are SLIGHTLY LESS THAN AVERAGE this year! A cap was applied in the early 1990s (and none too SOON! :-) ), and the number of new bills has been dropping since then.

Governor Jerry Brown was quoted by the LA Times:

“I definitely think there are too many laws, just as there are probably too many regulations, Brown said. “… We have chosen over our whole history to increasingly resort to laws, to lawyers and to courts – and it’s a heavy burden.”

… and THAT was from a lawyer! :-)

There is even a bill that would require fewer bills to be introduced! (Yea! :-) ) Assemblyman Brian Nestande (R-Palm Desert) wants to restrict each Assembly member to 30 bills, which is 10 fewer than now allowed and which could shelve up to 800 bills each session! (Yea, again! :-) )

Many bills are strictly self-serving, with lawmakers hoping to make names for themselves and raise campaign money. Term limits create a very real sense of urgency. Back when California was paying its bills with IOUs, then-governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, chided legislators for arguing the merits of dairies cropping the tails of cattle, debating what really constituted honey, and creating a state blueberry commission (instead of working on the budget)!

Bob Hertzberg, who is a former Democratic Assembly speaker and now co-chairs the California Forward think tank, believes that the many bills reinforces the state’s image as being unfocused during crises.

… or its reputation as a “laughing stock.”

In the last legislative session, the leaders attempted to eliminate superfluous bills and the rank-and-file legislators revolted!

They created “Motorcycle Awareness Month,” instead.

Yes, I am aware of mine (usually, while riding)! You should be aware of mine, too! :-)

-Bill at

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