In December, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas certainly talked a good game at the start of the 2024-25 legislative session.
“Our constituents don’t feel the state of California is working for them,” he declared. “That’s their lived experience in this moment. Our task this session is urgent and clear: We must chart a new path forward.”
Accordingly, he set out on an ambitious agenda promoting affordability in California. That’s great. Things are expensive. California families are struggling. And there’s no doubt that much of the high cost of things in California is due to government policy.
Alas, as CalMatters recently reported, for all of Rivas’ talk, “Five months later, the state Legislature has little to show for it.”
CalMatters reporter Yue Stella Yu continued, “Just last week, Rivas announced four new ‘select committees’ tasked with pitching ideas to lower the cost of housing, fuel, child care and food, but they won’t meet until June, and Rivas did not specify when he expects legislation from the committees.”
So that’s not great. One might think for all his talk, Rivas might prioritize results. But his recent handling of Assembly Bill 379 shows he might just be in over his head.
The legislation by Assemblywoman Maggy Krell, D-Sacramento, proposed making it a felony to solicit sex from 16- and 17-year olds in California and also proposed making it a misdemeanor for anyone to loiter in public to purchase sex.
When Democrats on the public safety committee struck the provision pertaining to 16- and 17-year olds, Krell understandably fought back and garnered support to reinstate the language.
But as columnist Dan Walters noted, “Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas beat back the effort and punished Krell by taking her name off the bill and inserting a phrase declaring an intent to deal with the issue later.”
Meanwhile, the California Democratic Party put out misleading ads — dare we call it misinformation? — blaming Republicans, yes, Republicans, for not protecting minors.
Days later, Rivas reversed himself, added Krell back to the bill and reinserted the provision back into it.
If this is what leadership looks like, no wonder California is such a mess.
