With only a partial meeting left, the 2000-2001 Associated Students Legislative Council is running out of time to pass the budget and other bills before its time in office comes to an end.

A bill authored by Off-Campus Rep Josh Baker to freeze the money in student group trustee accounts, which drew over 40 negative responses last week, was withdrawn last night without any further discussion.

In 1998, students took over Cheadle Hall and presented Chancellor Henry Yang with nine demands intended to increase diversity at UCSB. Last night, Leg Council passed a resolution calling for a minor in gender and sexuality studies.

Off-Campus Rep Bill Flores said UCSB is one of the only UC schools without this field of study.

“The Women’s Studies Department offered to take it on,” Flores said. “They recently hired a professor specifically focused on this field of study.”

The 2001-2002 budget was tabled for the third week in a row last night, leaving Leg Council with less than one meeting left to approve the budget for next year. The budget must be passed before the new Leg Council takes over next Wednesday at approximately 8 p.m.

Leg Council has final say over the budget, and council members are required to attend 40 percent of budget hearings, which are run by Finance Board. Off-Campus Rep Vanessa Blau proposed legislation requiring leggies to attend 75 percent of the hearings.

Off-Campus Rep Ana Rizo said council members should attend more of the budget hearings in order to make educated decisions.

“I’m in favor of Vanessa’s bill because people on Leg Council are going to power trip and try to change things on the budget,” Rizo said. “If they’re going to power trip they should at least know what they’re talking about.”

Opponents of the bill argued 75 percent attendance was too much to ask of council members.

“I’m against this because I’m a realist,” Baker said, “and realistically, people aren’t going to go.”

The bill failed with a vote of 12-8-1.

Next week, this year’s Leg Council plans to approve the budget, vote on five bills and transition the newly elected council members, who will then take over halfway through the meeting. The meeting is scheduled to start one hour early next Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. in the Flying A Room in the UCen.