On April 3rd, Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount) announced the 2020 Legislative Session will resume on May 4th should the guidance of public health officials warrant it. The recess, which began in mid-March, has been extended as California continues to grapple with the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). And, contingent upon the guidance of public health officials who seek to minimize COVID-19 infections, the May 4th date may need to be delayed for several additional weeks.
Currently, it is unclear how the traditional legislative process of considering and acting upon bills will occur as the timeframe begins to compress (the Legislature faces a constitutionally-mandated adjournment date of its Regular Session on August 31st). As the Legislature assesses the extraordinary impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is expected that the Legislature and the Newsom Administration will face daunting challenges and difficult budgetary decisions in the weeks and months ahead.
During the current recess period, RCRC staff continues to monitor and work with key legislative staff on pending legislation that impacts California’s rural counties. For more information regarding state legislative activities, please contact the RCRC Governmental Affairs staff at (916) 447-4806.