By Steven Harmon, MEDIANEWS SACRAMENTO BUREAU
Inside Bay Area

December 5, 2006

SACRAMENTO - Promises of bipartisan unity flowed freely as legislators were sworn in Monday at the Capitol - even as cracks of partisan division already began to emerge.

Among those sworn in was Castro Valley Democrat Mary Hayashi, who replaces Johan Klehs in representing the 18th Assembly District, and San Leandro Democrat Ellen Corbett, who replaces Liz Figueroa in the 10th Senate District.

"It is a privilege and honor to represent the residents of the 18th Assembly District," Hayashi said in a written statement. "Public service and advocacy has been the cornerstone of my career. After taking the oath today, I am more committed than ever to improving the lives of working families in California. I will convene with my fellow legislators to ensure Californians have adequate and affordable health care, a quality education system for lifelong learning, safe neighborhoods, a clean environment and a robust economy that produces good jobs with living wages."

After taking the oath of office, Assembly Speaker Fabian Nez, D-Los Angeles, announced Hayashi's appointment to his leadership team as the assistant majority whip, a position in which she will help guide major pieces of legislation and promote unity in voting.

Although it was a largely ceremonial day - Chinese firecrackers exploded on the Capitol lawn, buffet breakfasts greeted lawmakers inside - legislators offered up a flurry of bills that will likely eat away at whatever friendliness that exists heading into the 2007-08 session, which begins Jan. 3.

A pair of bills - both submitted Monday by Mountain View Democratic Assemblywoman Sally Lieber, just sworn in as speaker pro tempore - exemplified what could be divisive battles. One bill would require an increase in spending on parolee rehabilitation, an effort that has previously been opposed by Republicans. Another would require that girls be immunized against the human papillomavirus before entering the sixth grade, which conservatives have criticized as advocating sexual activities for minors.

And Republicans are already threatening to stand up to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger more than they did during his re-election campaign. Both Republican leaders vowed to be vigilant on the budget and on how the $43 billion in bonds to pay for new roads, schools, housing and repairing levees are to be implemented.

Through it all, though, both Democratic leaders - Senate President Pro Tem Donald Perata, D-Oakland, and Nez - promised to add to the legacy of cooperation they created this year.

"We'll still be the party of civil rights that ensures everybody has a place at the table," Nez said. "But we're going to be driven by the idea, the guiding principle that in California, in order to get things done, we got to be results-oriented and that we want to continue on the path of bipartisanship."

Perata, who led the campaign on infrastructure bonds, said one of his top priorities is to make sure the bonds are enacted quickly and that Democrats intend to push hard on health care reform.

"We have people uncovered, and everybody should be concerned," Perata said. "Break your finger and go to the emergency room, and there you realize all health care is equal. ... That's the equalizer, and that's what's happening to the state."

Hayashi's written statement revealed a focus on health care issues.

"For the past 15 years, I have dedicated my life to addressing a broad range of health care issues," said Hayashi, formerly a member of the California Board of Registered Nursing. "Today, access to quality health care is one of the most important problems facing California. This is especially true for the estimated 6 million residents, including over 1 million children, who lack adequate health care coverage. One of my top priorities as a legislator will be to bring together all sectors involved in health care, identify innovative strategies and increase access."

New Assembly Minority Leader Michael Villines, R-Fresno, insisted that any health care plan would not include employer mandates and that tax increases won't be part of the solution. He also called for strong oversight on how the infrastructure bonds are implemented.

And Senate Minority Leader Dick Ackerman, R-Irvine, who narrowly survived a challenge for his leadership post by Sen. Jim Battin, R-La Quinta, suggested the GOP will be less accommodating toward the governor and Democrats than it was last year, particularly on tax and spend ing issues.

This year, Republicans "were trying to get the governor re-elected," Ackerman said. In the future, he said, the GOP would take "stronger positions" even if it meant opposing Schwarzenegger at times. Budget negotiations in particular are unlikely to be as smooth next year as they were this year, Ackerman said.

Republicans plan to push for a lean budget, with a focus on closing the $5.5billion budget deficit, which is partially offset by a $3 billion carryover from this year's surplus.

"We may have extra dollars, and if enough revenues come in like last year, we may be able to close a significant piece of (the deficit)," Villines said. "It's important we do close the gap and we set a path to next year to having closed it."

As an illustration of how important the issue of drawing more competitive legislative lines is to his caucus, Villines introduced an Assembly Constitutional Amendment on redistricting, ACA 1.

Immediately, a fissure developed between the parties, when Democratic leaders spoke of linking redistricting plans to an extension of term limits. Republicans said they wanted to keep the issues separate.

"Any time you start to taint the product, start trying to get things that benefit us, goes right to what people believe in their hearts," Villines said, "that those are selfish legislators more involved in self-interest."

Perata signaled that redistricting was a lower priority than term limits, saying, "We'll wait and see what develops."

He said that term limits were "savaging this building and making this branch negligible. From a pure civics point of view, (the Legislature) should be stabilized with term extensions."

The new Legislature represents the most turnover since term limit laws were passed in 1990. In the Assembly, 36 of the 80 members are new, and in the Senate 12 of 40 are new.