An end to the ‘Jungle Primary?’ + Senate Rs urge veto on SB 357 + Rivas out, Cervantes in

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KILEY INTRODUCES AMENDMENT TO END THE ‘JUNGLE PRIMARY’

Sick of California’s so-called “jungle primary,” where the top two vote-getters move on to the general election, regardless of party? Assemblyman Kevin Kiley, R-Rocklin, is, and he’s introduced a constitutional amendment, ACA 16, to abolish the system — adopted 10 years ago — in favor of the traditional, partisan primary model.

“The Top 2 Primary is making a farce of our democracy with gamesmanship, fluke outcomes, and the disenfranchisement of independent voters,” Kiley said in a statement. “After 10 years of broken promises, it’s time to end this failed experiment once and for all.”

To support his bid to abolish the jungle primary, Kiley cites a variety of sources who have recently written columns critical of the process, including former Los Angeles Times Sacramento bureau chief John Myers, CalMatters reporter Ben Christopher and Sacramento Bee deputy opinion editor Josh Gohlke.

Then there’s this column, jointly written by Democratic strategist Steven Maviglio and former California Republican Party chair Ron Nehring.

“The top-two primary has spawned cynical campaign tactics, forced millions of voters to choose between two unsatisfactory options in the fall and produced bizarre results. It’s time to declare this experiment a failure and move on,” the two veteran politicos wrote in a piece published by The Bee.

Because it’s an amendment to the state constitution, ACA 16 would require a two-thirds vote in both the Assembly and the Senate, as well as approval from a majority of California voters.

It’s unclear whether there’s enough support to send the amendment to voters. But complaints about the jungle primary system are not new. A simple Google search for “California jungle primary” yields a raft of 2018 articles and columns blasting the system.

SENATE REPUBLICANS URGE VETO ON SB 357

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has just days to decide whether to sign SB 357 — a bill decriminalizing loitering for the purposes of prostitution — into law or to issue a veto.

Check out my story on the bill, and where it currently stands.

A group of Senate Republicans are hoping to nudge the Democratic governor into choosing the latter. In a brief letter to Newsom, they said signing would have unintended consequences, such as preventing police from arresting suspected sex trafficking victims and thus freeing them from their traffickers.

The letter, which you can read here, notes that the bill’s author, Democratic San Francisco Sen. Scott Wiener, said police can still go after suspected sex traffickers using undercover work. But Republicans add that “those operations require extensive time, resource and personnel relative to the number of cases.”

The letter is signed by Republican Sens. Scott Wilk, Brian Jones, Brian Dahle, Jim Nielsen, Andreas Borgeas, Shannon Grove, Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh, Melissa Melendez and Patricia Bates.

Wiener argues that SB 357 simply prevents police from being able to discriminate against Black, Brown and LGBTQ people because of their clothing or makeup choices. His office cites disproportionate police violence against Black and transgender people.

Wiener’s office also noted the timing of his decision to submit the bill to the governor: June is Pride Month.

“Pride isn’t just about rainbow flags and parades. It’s about protecting the most marginalized in our community. I urge Gov. Newsom to sign SB 357,” Wiener said in a statement

CERVANTES REPLACES RIVAS AS VICE CHAIR OF LATINO LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS

Here’s the latest sign that Assemblyman Robert Rivas is confident he will be the next Assembly speaker. He has given up the vice-chair position of the California Latino Legislative Caucus.

Taking his place is Assemblywoman Sabrina Cervantes, D-Riverside.

Cervantes ticks a number of “first” boxes: She’s the first openly LGBTQ lawmaker, the first millennial and the first Inland Empire representative to hold the position.

Cervantes also chairs the Assembly Jobs Committee and the Assembly Select Committee on Veteran Employment and Education.

“I look forward to working with our Chair, Sen. Maria Elena Durazo, and my colleagues in the Latino Caucus to address the critical issues affecting the nearly 16 million Latinos who are the backbone of California’s economy, the fifth largest in the world. I also want to thank Assemblymember Robert Rivas for his work as Vice Chair, especially in fighting for the Latinos in our agricultural industry who empower California to feed the United States and the world,” Cervantes said in a statement.

In a statement, Rivas, a rural Democrat from Hollister, said that the Latino Caucus needs leaders who reflect the geographic diversity of the state.

“By representing the Inland Empire, Assemblymember Cervantes is well-suited to help ensure that Latinos across our entire state have their voices heard in Sacramento,” Rivas said.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“This is an important civics lesson. I want (composer, playwright and actor Lin-Manuel Miranda) to write a musical about a President threatening state officials to ‘find 11,780 votes’ and trying to install fake electors to retain the presidency and power.”

- Rep. Jackie Speier, D-San Mateo, discussing Tuesday’s House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack findings, via Twitter.

Best of the Bee:

• The California Employment Development Department (EDD) has recovered $1.1 billion in fraudulent payments from federal COVID relief programs, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office announced Tuesday, via Andrew Sheeler.

• A bill that would have forced California’s public pension systems to sell their oil and gas holdings has been dropped from a state Assembly committee agenda for Wednesday, signaling that it won’t move forward this year, via Wes Venteicher.

• Californians get the rare opportunity to cast ballots for candidates of any party in primaries. But in a state dominated by Democrats, these first-round races can devolve into petty partisan infighting that continues into the general election, via Lindsey Holden and Owen Tucker-Smith.

• California’s general election ballot is likely not complete, but big money and attack ads are swirling around the four questions that have qualified so far for spots in November. California voters will be asked to make decisions on the environment, sports betting, tobacco bans and arts funding in schools, via Owen Tucker-Smith.