Though the legislative session is less than two weeks old, many legislators have already introduced bills (ABs and SBs) and constitutional amendments (ACAs and SCAs), and certain trends are emerging. Two popular targets, perhaps unsurprisingly, are the state’s budget and initiative processes. Below are some of the highlights.

AB 21, by Assembly Member Brian Nestande, would require the Governor to include with his annual budget plan information about the state’s “key liabilities,” including deferred payments, infrastructure debt, retirement-related debt, and budget debt. It would also prohibit the Governor from including revenue to be generated from future actions.

AB 27, by Assembly Member Jeff Gorell, would require the Budget Bill to be in print online for at least 72 hours before the Legislature could pass it, and would also require each state agency to submit to the Department of Finance a budget that reduces its General Fund (GF) appropriation by 20 percent from the previous year.

AB 65, by Assembly Member Mike Gatto, would require that the statewide ballot pamphlet include information about the effects of passing initiatives that cost the GF money.

ACA 3, by Assembly Member Kevin Jeffries, would revise the Legislature’s biennial session so that odd-numbered years given over to budgeting and oversight or existing programs, and even-numbered years would be spent in general session.

ACA 5, by Assembly Member Anthony Portantino, would, until 2020, require initiative measures and proposed statutes that require higher state spending to provide for savings or revenue enough to bridge the gap. It would also prohibit the Treasurer from selling any bond, including those already approved by voters, unless the authorizing measure provided enough revenue or savings to repay the bond.

ACA 6 and ACA 7, by Assembly Members Mike Gatto and Mike Feuer, are similar to ACA 5, but would apply only to non-bond initiative measures that result in higher state or local government costs and do not provide sufficient revenue to pay for those costs.

ACA 8, by Assembly Member Kristin Olsen, would require the Governor to submit, along with his budget proposal, a budget proposal for the following year, which must also be balanced.

ACA 10, by Assembly Member Mike Gatto, would give the Legislature the power to amend or repeal initiative statutes (not initiative constitutional amendments) after four years; the action would require a higher percentage of legislative votes than the ballot measure received from voters.

ACA 12, by Assembly Member Mike Gatto, would allow the Legislature to propose amendments to proponents of initiatives that have qualified for the ballot. If a majority the proponents agree, the alternative would appear on the ballot in place of the original measure; if the proponents decline, then ballot materials would include information about the proposed alternative.

SB 14, by Senator Lois Wolk, would require Governors’ budget proposals from 2014 on to be developed using performance-based budgeting methods.

SB 15, by Senator Mark DeSaulnier, would make several budget process changes, including performance measurements, estimates of one-time revenues, and a three-year projection of revenue and expenditures.

SB 17, by Senator Sam Blakeslee, would require the Budget Bill and trailer bills to be be in print and in public for at least 72 hours before the Legislature could vote on it.

SCA 2, by Senator Mark Wyland, would require the Legislature to spend odd-numbered years passing two consecutive budgets, and performing oversight and fiscal review.

SCA 3, by Senator Mark Wyland, would require the Budget Bill and its implementing bills to be printed and available at least 21 days before votes on those bills.

SCA 4, by Senator Mark DeSaulnier, exactly mirrors ACAs 6 and 7 above.