By John Myers, The California Report
At this time of year, when California lawmakers are rushing to pass bills before the end of the legislative session, they often resort to a gruesome-sounding tactic: the “gut and amend.”
The process of emptying an existing Assembly or Senate bill of its language — the gutting — and then shoving it full of brand new language — the amending — has been around for more than a century in Sacramento, says legislative historian Alex Vassar. It’s noted as being a favorite tactic of the powerful railroads in the early days.
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