Letter: Skeleton bills may be downside of short Legislature

Wednesday, March 31, 1999 | 11:55 a.m.

That is, until I heard of a rule that allows our senators and assemblymen the option to spend the session doing what used to be an 11th hour, behind-the-scenes tweaking of legislation with little, if any, notice of hearing or public input. I assumed those were the very things our legislative rule-makers were trying to avoid.

I am talking about skeleton bills. These bills are good for the legislator or committee that introduced them, but bad for those who may never see the bills in their entire form (even those who vote on them).

So how much should we worry? We can't be sure. What's going to be the outcome? It's too soon to tell. Is this a state government of the people, by the people, for the people, or just a state of confusion?

Ask your senator or assemblyman what they think.

FRANK SPOONAMORE

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