*Debate on plastic bags cut off

Senate Republicans have called a caucus, says Capitol Weekly. No telling when lawmakers will vote on a bill that would ban plastic bags.

*Anthony York explains the nonsense:

Lawmakers must adjourn by midnight, as required by the state constitution. That means if Democrats - or anybody else, for that matter--want their bills to get to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's desk, they need the Senate and Assembly to act quickly. Judging from the actions of Senate Republican leader Dennis Hollingsworth (R-Murrieta) Tuesday afternoon, Republicans aren't quite as eager as their Democratic counterparts to work their way through that stack of bills.

The one exception to the midnight rule would be legislation that receives a two-thirds vote in each house. That means the bag ban would need at least some Republican support.