Chronicle Spotlights Irresponsible Lawmakers

You, too, can weigh in on Assemblymembers "taking a walk" on important environmental bills

Where are your Assemblymembers during key environmental votes? If they're one of a growing group of legislators, perhaps they're out taking a walk.

In an editorial last Thursday entitled "Walked to death: Bills sink when legislators fail to vote," the San Francisco Chronicle continued a commendable and ongoing effort to shed light on a dangerous trend in the California Assembly. The practice of "walking" or "taking a walk" on bills, which is when elected lawmakers refuse to vote yes or no on bills that affect all of us as Californians, continues to prevent the passage of good laws.

Disturbingly, four of the five bills highlighted in the Chronicle have environmental implications. None of the bills in the article passed.

Read the article, then take action:

1. Give your feedback to the editor of the Chronicle on the Assembly's walking trend using our web form.
2. Write a letter to your Assemblymember. Depending on their record, thank them for taking a stand in favor of environmental issues, or encourage them to vote on the bills in front of them, as they were elected to do. See their recent votes on the Chronicle chart.

Primary elections are a year away; let your Assemblymembers know they risk losing your vote if they continue to take the easy way out of fulfilling their responsibilities as your elected representatives.

Forward this message to your e-mail contacts! If you received this message from a friend, subscribe here.

CLCV events:

Tuesday, June 21, 2005, CLCV will hold an Environmental Leadership Forum with California State Controller Steve Westly from 12:00 noon - 1:30 pm in San Francisco. For more information and to RSVP, see the invitation.

The CLCV E-newsletter is distributed no more than twice a month to members, non-profit partners, and other California citizens who are interested in helping elect the best environmental lawmakers and maintain California's status as the nation's environmental leader. About CLCV.