BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  AB 18
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:  May 13, 2009

                       ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT
                             Anna Marie Caballero, Chair
                     AB 18 (Knight) - As Amended:  April 27, 2009
           
          SUBJECT  :  Local government: city councils.

           SUMMARY  :  Requires a city council, within 60 days of a vacancy  
          in an elective office, to fill the vacancy by appointment or by  
          calling a special election.  

           EXISTING LAW  requires a city council, within 30 days of a  
          vacancy in an elective office, to fill the vacancy by  
          appointment or by calling a special election.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :  None

           COMMENTS  :   

          1)The author states that current law requiring a city council to  
            fill a vacancy in an elective office within 30 days or hold a  
            special election results in an unnecessary financial burden.   
            Current law results in an unnecessary financial burden on the  
            citizens of the city when the council is only provided 30 days  
            to not only agree upon a replacement but also to go through  
            the process of appointing the chosen replacement.  The author  
            says AB 18 would, in most cases, allow the necessary time  
            needed for city council members to appoint a replacement to a  
            vacant seat and eliminate the need for a special election,  
            saving the city and its taxpayers tens of thousands of  
            dollars.

          2)This bill was double-referred to the Committees on Elections  
            and Redistricting, where it passed with a 7-0 vote on May 5,  
            2009, and to Local Government.

           REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION  :   

           Support 
           
          Cities of Lakewood, Palm Desert, and Thousand Oaks
          League of CA Cities

           Opposition 








                                                                 AB 18
                                                                  Page  2

           
          None on file
           
          Analysis Prepared by  :    Jennifer R. Klein / L. GOV. / (916)  
          319-3958