A bill to allow Amsterdam-style cannabis cafes in California has been vetoed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, according to Assemblymember Matt Haney, who authored the legislation.
In theory they can, but it's very unlikely, as it requires a 2/3rds majority in both the Assembly and the Senate. One of the things I severely dislike about California politics is that the Governor's veto power is near absolute in practice. On top of that this state has an entrenched political machine that has invested in Newsom since he ran for Mayor of San Francisco - and many in Sacramento owe their careers to him. There's no realistic chance any of these vetoes get overridden.
They have the numbers they need to do it, but like you suggest they are more loyal to Newsom than they are to their constituents. My guess is the only reason these bills are reaching his desk is so he can veto them; giving the legislators a chance to build a progressive portfolio for more local races while he gets to establish himself as more centrist.
So, is the legislature just going to override the vetoes on a lot of these measures?
In theory they can, but it's very unlikely, as it requires a 2/3rds majority in both the Assembly and the Senate. One of the things I severely dislike about California politics is that the Governor's veto power is near absolute in practice. On top of that this state has an entrenched political machine that has invested in Newsom since he ran for Mayor of San Francisco - and many in Sacramento owe their careers to him. There's no realistic chance any of these vetoes get overridden.
They have the numbers they need to do it, but like you suggest they are more loyal to Newsom than they are to their constituents. My guess is the only reason these bills are reaching his desk is so he can veto them; giving the legislators a chance to build a progressive portfolio for more local races while he gets to establish himself as more centrist.
Barf.