Eminent domain measure stalls in Senate: Oroville (CA) Mercury-Register, 9/6/05

The [California] Assembly Rules Committee has declined to act on legislation proposed by Assemblyman Doug La LaMalfa (R-Butte County) that would eliminate the use of eminent domain for private uses.

The Rules Committee decided not to assign Assembly Constitutional Amendment 22 to a committee, thus not allowing a hearing, vote or further amendments to the bill introduced in response to a recent Supreme court ruling expanding the acceptable use of eminent domain.

"It's very disheartening to see this type of effort being waged against private property rights," LaMalfa said. "Californians have indicated they are very supportive of seeing eminent domain restricted to its previously understood uses-legitimate public uses such as roads and schools.

The identical measure in the State Senate, SCA 15 by Senator Tom McClintock, was killed on Tuesday on a party-line vote 2-3 with two members abstaining.

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Mercury-Register: www.orovillemr.com