If State Senator Roy Ashburn has his way, California voters will be deciding some key political reforms in February. The Republican is pushing a mega ballot measure that includes everything from changing the way political lines are drawn to when lawmakers can fundraise. From Sacramento, Marianne Russ reports.
Ashburn admits the ideas aren’t new -- but putting them all together is.
Ashburn : This is an all-encompassing measure that incorporates many of the ideas that have been kicked around, talked about in the Capitol, to fundamentally change the way in which the people’s business is conducted in the state capitol.
Ashburn wants to take the job of drawing legislative districts away from lawmakers, and give it to an independent citizens' commission.
He would also shorten term limits from 14 years to 12, but allow lawmakers to serve them all in one house. That’s similar to a measure already likely to be on the February ballot.
He wants to ban lawmakers from accepting donations while the budget is being debated, and he wants the state to withhold their pay if a budget isn’t passed on time. Democratic leaders say they're ready for the debate -- and a spokesman for the Governor says he's pleased about the discussion.
