One of the most radical bills in California history is set for a vote tomorrow. AB 1993 forces every business to mandate the COVID vaccine for workers.
But first, about yesterday. The Supermajority finally allowed a hearing on my gas tax suspension bill. I knew something was up, as I was only notified by the Transportation Committee two hours in advance; usually you get two weeks’ notice.
Still, I showed up and presented AB 1638. They not only proceeded to vote against it, but used the occasion to turn the bill into a massive tax increase. As James Gallagher put it, “you can’t make this stuff up.”
By hijacking my bill, the Chair of the committee thought she’d come up with a clever way to raise taxes without having to take responsibility. Instead, she suffered one of the most humiliating moments at our Capitol in recent memory.
The tax hike proposal was so odious the Chair refused to put her name on it, even as she rammed it through. This elicited quite a reaction from the packed committee room. You can watch her fall apart during my questioning here.
The net result for the Supermajority was not just egg on their face but a huge self-inflicted wound. They brought more attention to their refusal to suspend the gas tax, appeared cartoonishly out-of-touch, and escalated the outrage of countless Californians.
But that’s nothing compared to the outrage if the employer mandate passes. The bill to defund police departments that don’t enforce mask mandates will also be heard tomorrow. This is our first chance to kill these bills. Details how to participate are here.