Governor Brown has just vetoed AB-2037 a bill sponsored by State Assemblyman Jim Frazier. The Governor appoints 5 of the 9 voting members of the HSR Board (plus 2 ex-officio – non-voting members). This bill would have simply have made any of the Governor’s appointees subject to approval by the State Senate.
The Governor’s veto message is disingenuous to say the least, since he includes the 2 ex-officio (non-voting members) as an indication that the Legislature has enough control
Assemblyman Frazier issued a statement on the Governor’s veto, noting that his bill would have brought into compliance State Senate approval for HSR Board Appointments; this approval is now needed for many state boards and commissions.
Frazier’s statement indicates no more is to be done, since he says he will just re-introduce the bill next term. That is too bad!
As past actions by the Governor have always indicated, he wants to keep full control of the HSR project in his hands, and the less oversight, the better. Reality is the current HSR Board members, simply rubber stamp all issues that come before them. The latest example was the Board’s unanimous approval of the 2018 Business Plan, with no comments other than complimenting the Staff for its outstanding work.
AB-2037 passed though the Legislature on unanimous votes in both the Assembly and State Senate.
Which brings up the question as to whether the Legislature will make an effort to over-turn the veto? Such a veto over-turn, would be a first for Governor Brown.