Some Sacramento watchdog groups are calling for change in how members of the State Assembly cast their vote on bills.
Right now, Assembly members have the option to change their mind after they've already voted.
Critics call the practice 'misleading.'
An analysis by the Associated Press found lawmakers in the 80-member Assembly changed their votes more than 5,000 times, and that's just in 2012.
It also found Republicans are twice as likely as Democrats to change their vote.
While it doesn't change the outcome of a piece of legislation, it does change the record on how a lawmaker voted. So if, for example, they voted 'no' on a contentious bill, but later changed their mind, the official record will reflect a 'yes' vote.
Critics argue the rule allows lawmakers to mislead their constituents on how they actually voted.
Others say, it's in place for a reason.
"The only honest reason for this rule is for the very legitimate reasons, that someone can be running out to get a sandwich. You know, they go into session at the end for 14 hours a day, and if you're not at your desk every ten seconds you might miss a vote and then you want to vote or you didn't get to see a bill until a minute before it was voted on," said 17 News Political Analyst Cathy Abernathy.
There is a deadline for lawmakers to change their vote.
It has to be done the same day, before the session is over.
The executive director of the government reform group "California Forward" says a ballot initiative may be necessary to change the Assembly rule.
In the Senate, only the two party leaders are allowed to switch their vote.
Right now, Assembly members have the option to change their mind after they've already voted.
Critics call the practice 'misleading.'
An analysis by the Associated Press found lawmakers in the 80-member Assembly changed their votes more than 5,000 times, and that's just in 2012.
It also found Republicans are twice as likely as Democrats to change their vote.
While it doesn't change the outcome of a piece of legislation, it does change the record on how a lawmaker voted. So if, for example, they voted 'no' on a contentious bill, but later changed their mind, the official record will reflect a 'yes' vote.
Critics argue the rule allows lawmakers to mislead their constituents on how they actually voted.
Others say, it's in place for a reason.
"The only honest reason for this rule is for the very legitimate reasons, that someone can be running out to get a sandwich. You know, they go into session at the end for 14 hours a day, and if you're not at your desk every ten seconds you might miss a vote and then you want to vote or you didn't get to see a bill until a minute before it was voted on," said 17 News Political Analyst Cathy Abernathy.
There is a deadline for lawmakers to change their vote.
It has to be done the same day, before the session is over.
The executive director of the government reform group "California Forward" says a ballot initiative may be necessary to change the Assembly rule.
In the Senate, only the two party leaders are allowed to switch their vote.