Dozens of bills vetoed during the final legislative session of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s administration have found new life with Jerry Brown in the governor’s office, a California Watch analysis has found.
The bills range from high-profile initiatives like the California Dream Act, which grants financial aid to illegal immigrants attending public universities, to legislation that regulates tattoo parlors, increases penalties for animal abuse and prohibits the purchase of alcohol at self-service checkouts.
Taken as a whole, the bills represent a release of pent-up demand for lawmakers, many of whom saw their legislation vetoed repeatedly under the Schwarzenegger administration.
In all, California Watch found at least three dozen bills that were vetoed by Schwarzenegger during the 2009-10 legislative session, only to be signed by Brown this year. That number is likely conservative because it does not contain some bills that changed substantially between sessions but may still accomplish similar goals.
