I'm in the Assembly gallery for the Committee of the Whole. It's the first time in a quarter century that the Assembly has used the process, which allows members to focus and discuss one topic without taking a vote. Today's topic: CA's dire state budget outlook.
76 members have scattered throughout the gallery, with some pocketed in corners or the press bay, others at their desks and in chairs scooted off to the side.
Rendon said today's goal is to allow members to discuss the budget freely, without "limitations" of traditional voting processes.
Today is an opportunity for *every* member to ask questions to the Department of Finance and the LAO. We were told the meeting should last about four hours.😬Probably an optimistic estimate.
.@JayObernolte previews what his concerns are, including budget deferrals and billions in borrowing.
"That's just kicking the can down the road," he said. "We need to be the adults in the room here and face the fiscal realities of this year’s budget."
"That's just kicking the can down the road," he said. "We need to be the adults in the room here and face the fiscal realities of this year’s budget."
Both Keely Bosler with the DoF and Gabe Petek with the LAO have explained the state's financial footing, which, as has already been reported, is not good. Some stories for you below as reference. sacbee.com/news/politics-…
Members will be allowed 4 minutes to ask questions and have them answered. 4x76=304 minutes or 5 hours. 🙃
A little looksie from above 
.@KevinMcCartyCA said Newsom's budget could end up handing a pink slip to 50,000 teachers and increase class sizes by up to 20 percent.
Bosler responds to McCarty's comments by saying the decimated education budget raises a concern that "keeps me up at night."
The LAO said the second quarter, the current quarter, will probably include the "peak" unemployment rate of about 18 percent. Reminder that earlier this year the rate was 3.9 percent.
"It's clear this administration does not understand prevention," said @JimWoodAD2.
Wood references cuts to critical services that keep vulnerable Californians, specifically seniors, safe and healthy.
Wood references cuts to critical services that keep vulnerable Californians, specifically seniors, safe and healthy.
"This is nuts," he said. "This budget eliminates a lot of programs, eliminates them. Going away. No pause. This is wrong."
To no surprise, the members are repeating one after the other their concerns with budget's deep cuts to California schools.
"Let's be clear what this is," @KevinKileyCA said of the budget's AB 5 enforcement money. "This is $21 million to take aim at small businesses...to bully and harass them."
I don't have a good angle to capture @LorenaSGonzalez's reaction as Kiley reads out AB 5 testimony he's collected.
Four hours later, still going strong here in the Assembly. Members have trickled out, however, so it's less a Committee of the Whole and more like a Committee of the Half.
Five hours later and it’s more like a Committee of the Fifth
