No Budget, Vacation

Right on. Speaker of the Assembly Fabian Nunez just declared that there will be no break for the legislature until a budget is passed. That means working weekends and holding off on any summer recesses, until there is a signed budget. SacBee:

Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez ordered the 48 Democrats and 32 Republicans in the lower house to stay within close proximity of the Capitol every day, including weekends, until a budget is passed.

Specifically, Núñez's memorandum to lawmakers' offices said that if an unplanned floor session is called, legislators must be close enough to reach the Capitol within one hour.

All of those Bay Area and Central Valley folks who drive a few hours to the Capitol will have to stay in their Sacramento residences. It's not simply a daily check-in, but a one hour notice that Nunez has slapped on the legislators. If they choose not to comply, then no travel reimbursements.

The Assembly will pay for no plane fare or other travel by its 80 members during negotiations for a state budget, which was supposed to have been adopted before the new fiscal year began July 1.

"Is that a big pressure point?" Núñez said when asked about the travel restriction. "I don't know. Probably not. But I'll tell you what, I do know a lot of people who have vacation plans this week - Republicans and Democrats."

Legislators do still get their salaries, even if they do not show up. Nunez does not have control over that, but this public stance will allow him to put leverage on the legislators to stick around. Can you imagine the TV ads if a legislator skipped town when a budget was missing?

Senate President Pro Tem Perata has not yet put a similar restriction on the Senate.