We received this commentary from Assemblywoman Audra Strickland…
A State Bureaucrat’s License to Lie
“Truth in Government” measure on Governor’s desk would penalize Department Heads up to $20,000 for knowingly lying
Today, State bureaucrats are not required to tell the truth to the public – unless they are giving testimony under oath in a legislative committee hearing or in a court of law. This is amazing since one of the most common type of legislation that we see in the Capitol are measure requiring state department to study an issue and report back to the Legislature on their findings.
The Governor has on his desk a “truth in government” bill that would change that if he signs it into law.
I, along with joint author Assemblyman Todd Spitzer, have introduced Assembly Bill 1135, which would allow the Attorney General to fine the head of a state department a civil penalty up to $20,000 for knowingly providing false information in any certified written communications or reports requested by legislators.
The civil penalty provided for in AB 1135 exempts forecasts, predictions, recommendations and/or opinions. It only applies to material facts contained in written reports, documents, summaries or statements requested by the Legislature as a whole or an individual legislator.
AB 1135 passed overwhelming out of both houses with a 72 to 1 vote in the 80 member Assembly and a 35 to 2 vote in the 40 member Senate. Predictably, major opposition came from solely from department heads, who testified against the bill in committee.
Compliance with the provisions of AB 1135 is very simple. In order to avoid the civil penalty, department heads only need to preface unverified statements as an opinion.
Having near unanimous support in both houses of the state Legislature, AB 1135 is now on the Governor’s desk. I urge the Governor to ignore the pleas of his department heads, who will view a veto of AB 1135 as a license to lie, and sign this important good government legislation.
September 28th, 2007 at 12:00 am
Here’s an opportunity to put your words into action – who owns Charter Resource Services and what is yours and Tony’s relationship with that organization? Vista Real Charter School?
September 28th, 2007 at 12:00 am
Here’s a randomly selected excerpt from the minutes of the July 2007 meeting of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy.
Agenda Item 10: Presentation on scope and objective of Proposition 84 as it pertains to the Santa
Monica Mountains Conservancy:
Comments were made by the Executive Director.
Questions were propounded by Ms. Yañez.
Comments were made by the Executive Director and Mr. Cash.
Questions were propounded by Messrs. Yegparian and Gonzalez.
Comments were made by the Executive Director.
It goes on and on like that and this isn’t the exception to the rule. The rest of the SMMC’s minutes are basically just as enlightening.
My point?
While we certainly have to give Assembly Members Strickland and Spitzer credit for at least trying to do the right thing…….. and, remember, AB 1135 only applies to material facts contained in written reports, documents, summaries or statements requested by the Legislature as a whole or an individual legislator……
Still….Welcome to the new “Truth” in Government.
Looks a lot like the old “Truth”, doesn’t it?