California Assembly members limit speechmaking

Sometimes, brevity is the soul of policymaking.

The final weeks of California’s legislative session require lawmakers to churn through hundreds of bills in marathon, hours-long floor sessions. Some of those measures prompt lively and probing debate. In other cases, legislators seem to be racing each other.

“Request your aye vote,” Assemblyman Bill Quirk, D-Hayward, offered on Wednesday as the full extent of debate or description for his bill governing temporary restraining orders.

Not to be outdone, Assemblyman Rocky Chavez, R-Oceanside, followed with a presentation half the length of Quirk’s.

“Vote aye,” Chavez argued for his bill tweaking the Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Program, prompting a gentle rebuke from his colleague managing the session.

“This is not a contest, members,” said Assemblyman Kevin Mullin, D-South San Francisco.

“I’d like to have a long discussion on AB 413,” Chavez began.

“Clerk will open the roll!” Mullin interjected. It passed, 72-0.

This story was originally published September 2, 2015 at 4:44 PM.