Senator’s bill would cut public transparency in California’s legislative process | Opinion

While the federal Department of Government Efficiency is taking a wrecking ball to our democracy at the national level, a bill is sailing through the Legislature that would eliminate basic transparency for laws passed at the local level.

Senate Bill 299, authored by Senator Christopher Cabaldon, D-Yolo, seeks to ensure that new laws will speed through the legislative process without the public being aware of them or having the opportunity to engage their elected officials.

Cabaldon’s bill eliminates the requirements that an ordinance be read twice or introduced at a regular meeting. Local governments wield immense power over their constituents’ crimes, Medi-Cal programs and behavioral health programs.

Cabaldon’s stated purpose is to “(reduce) bureaucratic delays to help local governments update their ordinances.” Translation: less public input on policies.

Waiting a week may seem an eternity to those in local government, like Cabaldon, the previous mayor of West Sacramento. Eliminating the voices of his constituents is not why he was voted into office.

As described by the California Supreme Court, the purpose of this requirement “is to give time for consideration, with a view to prevent hasty and ill-considered legislation.”

According to the Senate Environmental Quality committee analysis, “SB 299 could allow local officials to rush through ordinances that make significant changes to the lives of their constituents without sufficient time for them to review the ordinance. For example, a local government could publish a summary of an ordinance that city council or board of supervisors introduces, amends to do something different and adopts at a single hearing.”

The third section of Cabaldon’s bill relates to the California Environmental Quality Act and fast-tracking zoning ordinances. In this regard, the California News Publishers Association, of which I am president and CEO, has no opinion. In a letter to Cabaldon, we did convey that our opposition to his bill would be resolved if he removed the first two sections of the bill — the portion of the legislation that guts transparency and causes us grave concern.

Cabaldon claims that his bill will help quickly pass “uncontroversial” ordinances, but this bill applies to all ordinances and is far more likely to be used to quickly pass more controversial laws, silently sweeping in changes that would otherwise face robust public participation.

Limiting public participation flagrantly ignores the California Constitutional right to access and participate in government.

The elimination of this “bureaucracy” will harm the ability of local governments to enact meaningful laws that are often the result of robust conversation.

The legislature should be embarrassed they have advanced this bill that will harm their constituents. The intent may or may not be pure, but the Senate needs to stand up for democracy and vote no on SB 299, rather than giving their colleague the “courtesy” of passing horrible legislation.

This story was originally published May 26, 2025 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Senator’s bill would cut public transparency in California’s legislative process | Opinion."