aGameOfThrones
02-22-2013, 08:20 PM
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Democrats who control California's legislature lost their supermajority in the state Senate on Friday when a business-friendly moderate from the state's Central Valley abruptly resigned.
Senator Michael Rubio, elected in 2010, said he was stepping down to take a job with Chevron Corp, which will leave fellow Democrats with 26 seats in the Senate. Two other Democratic-leaning seats in the 40-member Senate are vacant.
Rubio had been expected to spearhead the effort to overhaul environmental laws in a more business-friendly fashion.
With the loss of the 27-seat supermajority, Democrats will have to put on hold, at least temporarily, some of their more ambitious plans opposed by the Senate's Republican minority. Rubio is likely to be replaced by a member of his party in a special election.
Democrats in the November election won supermajorities in the Senate and Assembly, which notably gave them the power to pass tax hikes or put constitutional amendments before voters on their own.
http://news.yahoo.com/california-democrats-lose-supermajority-state-senate-010324698.html
Senator Michael Rubio, elected in 2010, said he was stepping down to take a job with Chevron Corp, which will leave fellow Democrats with 26 seats in the Senate. Two other Democratic-leaning seats in the 40-member Senate are vacant.
Rubio had been expected to spearhead the effort to overhaul environmental laws in a more business-friendly fashion.
With the loss of the 27-seat supermajority, Democrats will have to put on hold, at least temporarily, some of their more ambitious plans opposed by the Senate's Republican minority. Rubio is likely to be replaced by a member of his party in a special election.
Democrats in the November election won supermajorities in the Senate and Assembly, which notably gave them the power to pass tax hikes or put constitutional amendments before voters on their own.
http://news.yahoo.com/california-democrats-lose-supermajority-state-senate-010324698.html