On September 17, the California legislature sent SB 1322 to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. He must sign it or veto it, or let it become law without his signature, by September 30. Although it is not an election law bill, it has implications for election law and for minor parties. It deletes provisions of the Education Code that bar anyone who has been a member of the Communist Party for the last five years from being hired by Public Schools. If this bill is signed into law, it will probably make it somewhat likely that the legislature will also repeal election laws that make it illegal for any person who has been a member of the Communist Party from running for public office, and which bar subversive parties from the ballot. None of these laws (education code and election code alike) have been enforced in California since a 1967 decision of the California Supreme Court.
On September 18, the legislature sent AB 583 to the Governor. It sets up a pilot program for public funding for candidates for Secretary of State in the 2014 election.
Will this bill also do away with the oaths of allegiance that professors at state colleges are required to sign? These oaths became mandatory during the “red scare” days, I understand.
Another interesting bill was finally sent to the governor: the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, for the second time. See http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/sen/sb_0001-0050/sb_37_bill_20080917_history.html