While most of the national attention during last November’s election was devoted to the presidential race, an event critical to the state of California also created news. With all the votes counted, one party has garnered enough seats in both houses of California’s legislature to now govern the state with a supermajority that can overturn a governor’s veto.
Democrats now hold 54 seats of California’s 80-seat assembly and 25 of the 40 state senate seats. With a supermajority, Democrats will no longer need Republican support to pass tax increases. Article 13A of California’s constitution notes that “any change in state statute which results in any taxpayer paying a higher tax must be imposed by an act passed by not less than two-thirds of all members elected to each of the two houses of the Legislature.”
For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.