With a veto threat looming, lawmakers on Monday missed a deadline to replace November's $9.9 billion high-speed rail bond ballot measure with an updated version.
Or did they?
Rail supporters believe the clock hasn't run out yet.
"We can still get it on the ballot," said Jo Linda Thompson, a lobbyist for the Association for California High Speed Trains. "We are pursuing it with all the energy we can."
The current bond, Proposition 1, was first drafted in 2002 and is widely considered to have flaws. The language lacks fiscal controls and makes it tough to spend bond money on routes that aren't part of the first phase, planned to run from San Francisco to Los Angeles through the southern San Joaquin Valley.
Secretary of State Debra Bowen gave lawmakers until 5 p.m. Monday to remove and replace Prop. 1. Time appeared to run out when the Assembly canceled its session and never voted on a bill to replace Prop. 1 with Prop. 1a, which includes more oversight and spending flexibility.
The legislation, Assembly Bill 3034, faces an uncertain future anyway because Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who supports it, has vowed to veto all legislation until lawmakers pass a state budget, now 43 days late.
But there might be wiggle room.
Lawmakers still have until Saturday to add a measure to the ballot, in this case Prop. 1a. The question is whether they could still remove Prop. 1, which will be included on guides mailed to voters that are scheduled to go to print soon.
Having two propositions on the same ballot dealing with the same topic could confuse voters.
Kate Folmar, a spokeswoman for Bowen, said it would be unprecedented for lawmakers to remove a ballot measure that's on a voter guide.
"We are aware of no instance in which something has appeared in a voter information guide that has not later appeared on the ballot," she said.
But she did not rule it out because lawmakers have control over such rules.
The Assembly is scheduled to meet this morning.
Call E.J. Schultz, Bee Capitol Bureau, (916) 326-5541.
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