www.montereycountynow.com MAY 23-29, 2024 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 13 California’s budget crunch is forcing the Legislature to scale back its agenda this session. Facing estimated deficits of tens of billions of dollars over the next two years, leaders of the State Senate’s Appropriations Committees said May 16 that they had to make especially difficult decisions as they held or amended hundreds of proposals with a significant cost during the biannual culling process known as the suspense file—though most of the bills in each committee still passed. “The budget had a huge impact on what we did,” says State Sen. Anna Caballero, D-Merced, who chairs the committee. “We were trying to keep costs down and really trying to live within our means.” Of the 341 bills on the Senate suspense file, 87 (about 25 percent) were held, in line with the average over the past decade. Another 121 were amended. “Authors were asked to amend their bills to take out the more expensive stuff,” Caballero says. “We don’t have the money.” The Assembly’s Appropriations Committee held 233 of the 668 bills on its suspense file, or about 35 percent, slightly higher than last May. Those included an attempt to establish a single-payer health care system in California. “We needed to be responsible with taxpayers’ money, so that’s why we had to make some tough calls,” says Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, D-Oakland, who chairs that chamber’s committee. Assemblymember Ash Kalra, who authored the single-payer bill, said after two years of negotiations, he was confident it would have passed the Assembly. “I am deeply disappointed the Assembly Appropriations Committee failed to recognize the significant cost-saving potential of AB 2200,” he said in a statement. “Study after study has shown that a single-payer system will not only cost less than our current system, but can safeguard the State from future deficits while stimulating economic growth.” Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled his proposed spending plan earlier this month to address a looming shortfall, estimated at $56 billion over the next two fiscal years. With more than $30 billion in cuts to education, public health, environmental and other programs on the line, Newsom is likely to have little appetite this year for pricey new legislation. He has already urged discipline over the past two sessions, vetoing dozens of bills that he said would add unaccounted costs to the budget. The suspense file has also long provided the Legislature with an easier way to kill controversial or undesirable bills. Caballero refused to discuss any of her specific decisions, citing only cost considerations, including shelving SB 1012, which would have legalized the use of hallucinogenic drugs in therapeutic settings. Newsom vetoed a broader decriminalization of psychedelics last year and supporters hoped their focus on therapy would provide a path forward. This story first appeared in CalMatters. Budget Blues California’s budget deficit spells the death of lots of legislative ideas, including single-payer health care. By Alexei Koseff and Sameea Kamal State Sen. Anna Caballero, D-Merced, still represents Salinas until the full scope of redistricting takes effect. She is shown above chairing the Senate’s Appropriations Committee on May 16. NEWS “We were really trying to live within our means.” FRED GREAVES FOR CALMATTERS Federally Insured by NCUA | Equal Housing Lender 831.479.6000 • www.bayfed.com • 888.4BAYFED Business Loans to Help You Grow Vehicle Loans Equipment Loans Lines of Credit Proudly serving the businesses that build our community. Visit a branch today! 1524 N. Main Street | Salinas
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