By E.J. Schultz / Bee Capitol Bureau

 Welcome to Fresno. Capital city of California?

An Assembly subcommittee stacked with three Valley representatives passed a measure Tuesday that would move the state capital to Fresno County.

But don't roll out the red carpet for Arnold and the gang just yet -- it's a joke.

"This was just comedy at the end," said Assembly Member Mike Villines, R-Clovis.

By "the end," he means the last meeting of the year for Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 4. Three of the five members on the subcommittee represent central San Joaquin Valley districts: Villines; Nicole Parra, D-Hanford; and Juan Arambula, D-Fresno.

They earned the nickname "Fresno County Assembly Caucus" for their cohesion on Valley issues. "They've been homers for the Valley," said subcommittee chairman Rudy Bermudez, D-Norwalk.

Under Legislature rules, the measure, which passed 3-2, will go next to the Senate-Assembly budget conference committee.

"I'm sure they'll give it the utmost consideration," Bermudez said jokingly.

As for specifics, the measure "hereby proposes a relocation of California's state capital city and all related functions from the City of Sacramento to the County of Fresno and appropriates $10,000,000,000 to facilitate this required relocation."

It was Parra's idea. "We thought it would be a good ending to the last subcommittee hearing."

The reporter can be reached at eschultz@fresnobee.com or (916) 326-5541.