For those who wanted a quick fix to California's prison woes, some advice: don't hold your breath.

Eleven days after the state Senate narrowly approved a wide-ranging plan to change the prison system, the Assembly has now approved a much narrower version... one which seems destined to sit for a little while, as policy and politics matters are sorted out.
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As we reported in this morning's radio story for The California Report, yesterday's action (and inaction) by the Legislature on a major prison reform bill fell victim to one of the essential truths in politics: a deal's not done until it's done.

And this one wasn't done... which is why we all get to come back Monday and try again.
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It won't be the only proposal before the Legislature on Thursday, but it will definitely be the main event: a plan to save money and lower the population of California's prisons.

That plan, endorsed both by legislative Democrats, is expected to be heard first in the Senate and later Thursday in the Assembly. A spokesperson for Governor Schwarzenegger would only say that for now, administration support depends on whether the bill conforms to Schwarzenegger's prison reform framework.
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That was the sentiment this morning from the President pro Tempore of the California Senate, universally known as a nice guy but perhaps ready to make sure that no one equates nice guy with pushover.

Implicit in that comment from Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg is that Governor Schwarzenegger's public prodding on a number of pending issues won't help; one wonders, too, how it will affect the work in private, beginning with this afternoon's 'Big 5' leadership meeting.
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As the Legislature reconvenes for its final sprint on issues small and large, a new compilation of campaign finance data shows that almost $61 million was raised in the first six months of 2009 for campaigns near and distant, expenses small and large.
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Summer doesn't officially end until September 22. But the state's Summer of Debt -- at least from a cash perspective -- will end on September 4, according to Controller John Chiang.
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A bipartisan group of seasoned ex-politicians and policy wonks has settled on a package of government reform proposals while sending a pretty simple message to those inside the state Capitol: work with us or stand aside.

The leaders of the group California Forward sent a letter today to Governor Schwarzenegger and the leaders of the Legislature outlining a detailed set of proposals crafted after the group's long listening tour around the state.
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Quick, jot down the following numbers: 167,000... $1.2 billion... $3 million... 4%... 37%... 2.4. They're going to come in handy when lawmakers soon wrap themselves in a one of the most complicated and controversial areas of public policy: prisons.

The return of the Legislature next week will feature an intense debate on not just how to reduce prison overcrowding in response to the recent ruling by federal judges, but also on how to save cut prison spending as part of the state's budget crisis. A lot. And fast.
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With the Legislature on recess and our Capital Notes Podcast back after a pause, it's a good time for a reset on budget politics.

Capitol Weekly's Anthony York and I recap Governor Schwarzenegger's budget vetoes, the likely legal kerfuffle over those vetoes, and new developments in the very long kerfuffle over prison overcrowding.

And now, we're formally retiring the word "kerfuffle."

My Wesbter's Dictionary defines an appropriation as "money officially authorized to be paid from a public treasury."

If only it were that simple. Expect a heated debate in the near future as to whether Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's decision last week to line-item veto almost $500 million in spending was within his powers as chief executive... or not.

The latest salvo comes today, as the office of Legislative Counsel says Schwarzenegger overstepped his authority.
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