SACRAMENTO – By a 47-18 vote, the California Assembly today narrowly rejected SB 8xxx, a bill that would close a loophole that lets wealthy yacht owners dodge taxes by stashing their boats out of state for three months.

“We have just had to make serious cuts in health care and education to keep the state solvent,” Speaker Fabian Núñez (D-Los Angeles) said. “For Assembly Republicans to then turn around and cover up for wealthy yacht owners who hide their boats so they’ll pay less tax is nothing short of reckless and callous. The fact that even some Republicans who had previously supported this measure didn’t vote for it today is particularly troubling. Instead of closing ranks Republicans should be closing the yacht loophole. Be assured this matter is not finished: closing the ‘sloophole’ will be the top item I bring up in every budget discussion before any further cuts are to be considered.”

Speaker Núñez scheduled the vote on Friday after the bill cleared the California State Senate but failed to clear the Assembly. Other bills approved Friday slashed billions from the current fiscal year’s budget, eliminating or delaying funding for dozens of state services, including Medi-Cal and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). All Democrats voted for SB 8xxx, but it requires a two-thirds vote to pass.

Some 18 Republicans voted against closing the yacht tax loophole. They were: Assemblymembers Joel Anderson, R-La Mesa; John Benoit, R-Palm Desert; Tom Berryhill, R-Modesto; Mike Duvall, R-Brea; Ted Gaines, R-Roseville; Martin Garrick, R-Carlsbad; Guy Houston-R-San Ramon; Bob Huff, R-Diamond Bar; Kevin Jeffries, R-Riverside; Rick Keene, R-Chico; Doug LaMalfa, R-Biggs; Bill Maze, R-Visalia; George Plescia, R-San Diego; Jim Silva, R-Huntington Beach; Cameron Smyth, R-Santa Clarita; Todd Spitzer, R-Orange; Audra Strickland, R-Camarillo; and Mimi Walters, R-Laguna Niguel.

Another 13 Republicans "took a walk" -- failing to vote on the bill despite being in the Assembly. They included Republican Assembly Leader Mike Villines; Assemblymembers Anthony Adams, R-Hesperia; Greg Aghazarian, R-Stockton; Sam Blakeslee, R-San Luis Obispo; Paul Cook, R-Yucaipa; Chuck DeVore, R-Irvine; Bill Emmerson, R-Redlands; Jean Fuller, R-Bakersfield; Shirley Horton, R-San Diego; Alan Nakanishi, R-Lodi; Roger Niello, R-Sacramento; Sharon Runner, R-Lancaster; and Van Tran, R-Costa Mesa.