California Insider

Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez spoke with reporters Monday after legislators in his house were sworn in for the new session. Núñez, who said in his speech to the house that he wanted to focus on health care, education and the environment, didn’t add much in his meeting with the press. He said Democrats would stand for “fundamental health care reform” and noted that they passed a plan (in concept) for a single payer system last year and most of them still support it. He also said he would be going to Washington this week for meetings with Sen. Barbara Boxer, Rep. Nancy Pelosi and others, in hopes of increasing the state’s share of federal aid. “We want to bring home the bacon for California,” he said.

Núñez said he was committed to maintaining the bipartisan spirit he enjoyed with the governor last year and urged Republican lawmakers to join them. He noted that Schwarzenegger, despite agreeing with Democrats on a number of high-profile issues, still managed to win a huge share of the Republican vote on Nov. 7.

“Why? Because Republican like bipartisan cooperation.”

Núñez stood at the lectern surrounded by his leadership team, which included seven women, a black man, a Latino and two gay men. He said California has the “most diverse state Legislative body” anywhere in the world.

Mark Leno, the San Francisco lawmaker who is the new chairman of the powerful Appropriations Committee, looked around at the team and quipped:

“I want to put a good word in for the straight white men in our caucus.”

Mile Villines, the new Assembly Republican Leader, held his first press availability with Capitol reporters this morning and laid out his positions on a host of issues. Among them:

--Redistricting reform. He's for it and will introduce a constitutional amendment calling for a citizens commission to draw compact, nested and (he hopes) more competitive districts.

--Term limits. He's fine with the status quo. He doesn't think the issue should be linked to redistricting.

--Health care. No mandates, no new taxes (or fees), free-market approach. He said a tax increase "will not pass" in the Legislature.

--Budget. He thinks they can do an on-time budget that narrows the gap, even if it does not close it this year. He thinks the state is likely to "get lucky" again with a surge in revenues in the spring.

--Workers' comp. He won't support rolling back any of the changes passed in 2003 and 2004.

Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez will do his thing this afternoon, after the swearing-in session.