Senate Tempers Rise With Temperature

SACRAMENTO — In a sure sign that legislative tempers are fraying in the summer heat, the Senate got into a nasty debate Thursday over alleged lying and came to order only after President Pro Tem Bill Lockyer declared that “there’s no obligation that any member tell the truth.”

The extraordinary observation met a smattering of startled chuckles but accomplished the purpose of restoring calm to a chamber that historically has prided itself on courtesy, decorum, deliberation and honesty among members.

The high-decibel shouting match erupted over a presentation by freshman Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) of a bill that, starting Jan. 1, would permanently prohibit welfare payments to felons convicted of drug crimes, including possession, sale and transportation of illegal substances.

The bill (AB 1260) was approved 21-11 and sent to the Assembly. It was virtually identical to a bill passed earlier in the week as part of California’s overhaul of welfare. The first measure contained technical flaws that were corrected by the second bill.

“The question is can we justify spending our scarce welfare dollars on people who are dealing drugs?” Schiff said.

He drew angry interruptions and criticism from Sens. John Burton (D-San Francisco) and Steve Peace (D-El Cajon), who accused him of misrepresenting the bill in order to win favorable votes.

Burton charged that the bill would cast a much wider net than merely snagging current drug felons. He said it would deny aid to anyone ever convicted of a drug felony, even if the crime occurred many years ago and the offender had since reformed. Peace accused Schiff of lying.

Schiff sought to counter the attack. But in doing so managed to anger other senators, who were bystanders to the fight, when he told Peace and Burton, “I’m only ashamed of your conduct.”

Veteran presiding officer Jack O’Connell (D-Santa Barbara), a master at resolving floor disputes, tried repeatedly to restore calm but was overwhelmed. Finally, Lockyer (D-Hayward) strode to the podium, hefted an oversize ceremonial gavel and told senators they were not obligated to tell the truth during debates.

Even so, Lockyer said, it was up to each member to evaluate their colleagues’ “credibility” in deciding how to vote. In this case, Lockyer said he was making no judgment on whether anyone had “made any statement of misfact.’

Traditionally, the Senate gives wide latitude to orations by its members, refusing to censor anything, even slanderous and inaccurate statements.

However, behavior in both houses tends to deteriorate during the sweltering Sacramento summers. And this summer, because of ongoing state budget negotiations, the Legislature has already missed three weeks of its four-week vacation.