BILL NUMBER: ACA 5INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Grove MARCH 11, 2015 A resolution to propose to the people of the State of California an amendment to the Constitution of the State, relating to the Legislature. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST ACA 5, as introduced, Grove. Legislature: 2-year budget. The California Constitution provides that the Legislature meets in a biennial regular session, commencing with the first Monday in December in each even-numbered year, when each house is required to immediately organize, and concluding at midnight on November 30 of the next even-numbered year. The California Constitution requires the Governor to submit to the Legislature a budget for the ensuing fiscal year within the first 10 days of each calendar year and requires the Legislature to pass the Budget Bill by midnight on June 15 of each year. The California Constitution authorizes the Legislature or either house, by resolution, to provide for the selection of committees. This measure would provide that it is the intent of the Legislature to propose to the people of the State of California amendments to the Constitution that, commencing in 2019, would require the Legislature to consider or act only upon the Budget Bill and related bills, and up to 5 bills introduced by the standing committees of the Legislature in the regular session in each odd-numbered year, would require the Governor to submit to the Legislature a budget for the ensuing 2 fiscal years within the first 10 days of the first calendar year of the biennium of the legislative session, and would require the Legislature to adopt, by June 15 of the first calendar year of the biennium of the legislative session, a Budget Bill that provides a budget for the next 2-year fiscal period commencing on July 1. Vote: 2/3. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no. Resolved by the Assembly, the Senate concurring, That the Legislature of the State of California at its 2015-16 Regular Session commencing on the first day of December 2014, two-thirds of the membership of each house concurring, hereby proposes to the people of the State of California, that the Constitution of the State be amended as follows: First-- That it is the intent of the Legislature to propose to the people of the State of California amendments to the California Constitution that, commencing in 2019, would provide for all of the following: (a) The Governor would submit a budget proposal for the next two-year fiscal period during the first 10 days of the first calendar year of the biennium of a legislative session. (b) In the regular session in each odd-numbered year, the Legislature would do both of the following: (1) Only consider or act upon the budget bill, other bills providing for appropriations related to the budget bill, and bills introduced by a standing committee. (2) Only conduct hearings for either of the following purposes: (A) To consider, develop, and adopt the budget for the next two-year fiscal period. (B) (i) Oversight of state department operations and state programs. (ii) A standing committee of the Legislature would be able to introduce up to five bills authored by a majority of the standing committee if the bill would improve state department operations or state programs deficiencies discussed during an oversight hearing. (c) In the regular session of each even-numbered year, the Legislature would only consider or act upon legislation other than the budget bill or other bills providing for appropriations related to the budget bill. (d) (1) After the budget for the next two-year fiscal period has been enacted, the Governor would be able to submit budget updates to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee for its approval. (2) (A) The Joint Legislative Budget Committee would be able to approve any budget updates proposed by the Governor to the enacted budget by a resolution adopted by a majority of the committee members. A budget update so approved would take immediate effect as a statute. (B) The Legislature would be able to pass a bill, approved by two-thirds of the membership, that makes a change to the enacted budget without the Governor proposing the change or changes. (e) (1) The Joint Legislative Budget Committee would be established to ascertain facts and make recommendations to the Legislature and to the houses thereof concerning the State Budget, the revenues and expenditures of the state, and the organization and functions of the state and its departments, subdivisions, and agencies. (2) Each political party represented in each house would, to the greatest extent possible, be proportionately represented in the Joint Legislative Budget Committee and the membership of the committee would be as follows: (A) Eight members of the Assembly appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly. (B) Eight members of the Senate appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules. Second-- That it is the intent of the Legislature that the amendments to the California Constitution proposed to the people of the State of California by this measure would not affect any of the following: (a) The Legislature's requirements and deadlines related to passing a Budget Bill, including, but not limited to, passing a Budget Bill by June 15. (b) The Governor's authority to issue a proclamation declaring a fiscal emergency and the provisions related thereto. (c) The requirements to set apart the moneys to be applied for support of the public school system and public institutions of higher education, as required by Sections 8 and 8.5 of Article XVI of the California Constitution. (d) The requirement to deposit moneys into the Budget Stabilization Account or the Public School System Stabilization Account, as required by Sections 20 and 21 of Article XVI of the California Constitution. (e) The Legislature's authority to introduce and adopt urgency legislation. (f) The Governor's authority to call a special session, as described in subdivision (b) of Section 3 of Article IV of the California Constitution.