Surprise Vetoes By Governor Brown

By Shari Rendall | October 4, 2018

California Governor Jerry Brown (D) stunned observers on September 27 by vetoing two of the most extreme pro-illegal alien bills passed by the Golden State’s legislature this session.

Senate Bill (SB) 174 would have allowed illegal aliens to occupy an appointed public office. SB 349 would have attempted to keep Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) out of the state’s courthouses.

Despite signing California’s sanctuary law last year, Brown has provided a somewhat moderating voice to the legislature’s seemingly endless pandering to illegal aliens. Perhaps most notably in the past, he also vetoed a bill in 2013 that would have allowed non-citizens to serve on California juries.

Opponents of illegal immigration treated the vetoes as a pleasant surprise. West Covina City Councilman Mike Spence (R) said, “[g]overnance belongs to a nation’s citizens. Even Jerry Brown understands citizenship has to mean something,” while activist Robin Hvidston of We the People Rising described herself as “elated.”

The sponsor of both bills, Senator Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens), described the vetoes as “short-sighted” and predicted similar legislation would be back in the near future.

It is highly unlikely that the legislature will override Brown’s vetoes. The veto power of a California governor has been described as “unchecked” in recent decades, as the legislature has not succeeded in overriding a veto since 1979. In addition to requiring a 2/3 supermajority of both chambers, an override can only be considered within 60 days of the veto. The 60-day clock is set to start on November 30. This means the incoming legislature that will be elected in November would consider the veto override.

Governor Brown is term-limited and won’t be Governor next year, so Sen. Lara is probably right, and Californians should anticipate seeing these bills or ones like them again soon.