SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - Leaders of the California Assembly say they have no plans to change their longstanding practice of adding and changing their votes after they're cast on the Legislature floor, despite criticism of the practice.
An Associated Press analysis found that lawmakers in the 80-member Assembly changed their votes more than 5,000 times during the 2012 legislative session.
The AP contacted all 38 freshman members of the newly sworn in Assembly. Staff for many of the lawmakers were unaware of the policy allowing additions and changes, and most had no comment.
Good government groups want to reign in the practice.
Jim Mayer, executive director of California Forward, says voters have more tools to hold lawmakers accountable now, so they should consider the optics of adding and changing their votes.
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