The following press release arrived via email:
- Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez (D-Los Angeles) today introduced a sweeping proposal to change the way the state’s political boundaries are drawn coupled with a revision in the state term limits law and a proposal to ban political contributions during the budget season.
“It’s time for real reform to make the legislature more efficient and effective,” said Speaker Nunez. “This proposal is workable, has bipartisan support, and will ensure that our Legislature continues to be diverse and represent all Californians.”
Speaker Nunez’s proposal includes an independent 17-person “hybrid” redistricting commission. No legislators would serve on the commission, and it excludes anyone who has recently run or been elected to state office. Political party officers, lobbyists, and employees of the Legislature, Congress, and other offices also would be banned from serving.
Fact sheets on the Speaker’s proposals, as well as a document highlighting the Speakership of Speaker Nunez, are attached.
Unlike other proposals, the Nunez proposal has strong protections to ensure diversity during all steps of process, including selection of the panel that screens commissioners, the nominees, and legislative selections to the commission. Most importantly, it puts compliance with the Voting Rights Act and respecting communities of interest among its top criteria.
The Nunez proposal also has the strongest transparency and public input provisions of any redistricting plan. The final redistricting plan also would be subject to referendum.
Congressional district boundaries will still be drawn by the Legislature, but the process would be bound by many of the same rules that apply to the commission.
The term limits provision would reduce the maximum amount of time of service in the legislature from 14 years to 12 years. It would allow a person to serve all their time in one house. The provisions included in Prop 93, which “grandfathered” several legislators, have been removed; the proposal has a transition period that allows sitting members of the legislature to serve no more than the total number of years permitted under current law.
The Nunez proposal also would prohibit campaign contributions to legislators and the Governor from May 15th until the budget is enacted. May 15 is the typical time for the release of the May Budget Revision.