Orange County Register Endorses Prop. 54

October 10, 2016 – The Orange County Register, Los Angeles Daily News, Long Beach Press Telegram, along with the rest of the Southern California News Group newspapers have endorsed Prop. 54.

Below are excerpts from the editorial, “Yes on Proposition 54”:

“Among a number of highly controversial measures on the Nov. 8 ballot, Proposition 54 is pretty straightforward. Prop. 54 would require a minimum 72-hour “cooling-off” period between the time a new or amended bill is posted online and distributed to legislators and the time a branch of the Legislature votes on the bill. An exception is made for public emergencies.

…The centerpiece of the measure, the three-day waiting period, is intended to allow for public information and debate, particularly on lengthy, complex legislation. It also combats the insidious practice of adopting last-minute “gut-and-amend” bills, in which the amendment process is used to swap out most or all of the substance of an existing bill, oftentimes just a placeholder bill never really intended for passage, with completely new language which may cover a different topic altogether.

…Prop. 54’s common-sense provisions will offer legislators, the media and the general public a greater opportunity to expose and debate the results of deals made behind closed doors, discussed only on obscure committee meetings or rushed through at the end of legislative sessions. It brings more transparency and accountability to the legislative process, which is particularly important since trust in government has deteriorated to such incredibly low levels.

The Editorial Board recommends a yes vote on Proposition 54.”

Read the entire article on the Orange County Register website: http://tinyurl.com/hnhv7yr

To learn more about Proposition 54 or to join the coalition, visit the website at www.YesProp54.org.

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