This Week Inside The Capitol (7/13/2009)
July 13, 2009
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This Week Inside the Capitol is a weekly e-mail update of bills monitored by California Family Council. This Week is intended as a brief synopsis to alert you about which bills are being heard and when. CFC’s complete legislative analyses about these and other bills can be found at www.californiafamily.org.
Today, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders will continue their efforts to resolve the state’s $26.3 billion deficit. After weeks of sparring, protests, and boycotts over proposed spending cuts and budget reforms, the leaders returned to the negotiation table over the weekend. With several U.S. banks refusing to continue to honor state-issued IOUs, the governor and legislative leaders have been forced to realize that inaction is not an option. In fact, they have expressed optimism that a resolution can be found by week’s end.
Legislative leaders have also realized that their failure to approve budget modifications by the end of the week will likely interfere with the Legislature’s summer break. This is the final week before legislators are scheduled to recess for the summer. Unfortunately, recent budget impasses have commonly lasted through the summer months, requiring the Legislature to remain in session.
Whether or not the budget deficit is addressed prior to the Legislature’s scheduled recess, several controversial measures remain alive on the Assembly Floor. Senate Bills (SB) 54, 543 and 572, authored by Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco), are direct assaults on California families and children. These measures can be taken up at any time while on the Assembly Floor. If they pass the Legislature, they will be sent to Governor Schwarzenegger for his approval.
SB 54 would allow out-of-state same-gender marriages that were performed before November 5, 2008 to be legally recognized in California. One day earlier, Proposition 8 – the express will of the people – was placed into law, re-affirming the traditional definition of marriage between only a man and a woman.
SB 543 wrongly permits a child as young as 12 to receive mental health treatment and counseling without the consent or knowledge of their parents. This measure undermines parental authority and places children at risk.
Last, SB 572 would sacrifice important time in public school classrooms in order to conduct “commemorative” services in honor of Harvey Milk, the first known openly homosexual politician.
Please join the California Family Council in opposing these measures by contacting your Assembly members, asking for a “NO” vote on SB 54, SB 543, and SB 572. To find your elected representative, visit our Legislative Action Center on the CFC Web site.
You can stay updated on the latest Capitol activities by following CFC on Facebook, MySpace and Twitter. All can be found on our new and improved Web site.
RESULTS FROM LAST WEEK
Week of July 6, 2009
Week of July 6, 2009
On the Assembly Floor
ACA 10 – Taxation: Education Finance District: Majority Vote Taxation (Torlakson, D-Antioch)
Vote Not Taken
SB 572 – Harvey Milk Day: Official Designation (Leno, D-San Francisco) OPPOSE
Vote Not Taken
SB 668 – Sex Offenders (Hollingsworth, R-Murrieta) SUPPORT
Passed, 74-0
SB 669 – Sexually Violent Predators (Hollingsworth, R-Murrieta) SUPPORT
Vote Not Taken
On the Senate Floor
AB 73 – Marriage Licenses: Fee for Domestic Violence (Hayashi, D-Castro Valley)
Vote Not Taken
AB 796 – Pupil Attendance: Civic (Political) Engagement Activities (Carter, D-Rialto)
Vote Not Taken
AB 1185 – Birth Certificates: New Issuance - Venue, Gender Change (Lieu, D-Torrance) OPPOSE
Vote Not Taken
AB 1510 – Public Schools: Parental Access (Eng, D-Monterey Park) SUPPORT
Vote Not Taken
Monday, July 6, 2009
Senate Appropriations Committee – 9:00 a.m.
SCA 14 – Initiative Measure: Funding Source (Ducheny, D-San Diego)
Placed on Suspense File
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Senate Judiciary Committee – 1:00 p.m.
AB 82 – Dependent Children: Psychotropic Medications (Evans, D-Santa Rosa)
Hearing Postponed
AB 375 – Child Custody: Child Sexual Abuse (Nielsen, R-Gerber)
Hearing Canceled
AB 428 – Criminal History Records: Adoption (Fletcher, R-San Diego) SUPPORT
Passed, 5-0
AB 612 – Custody and Visitation: Nonscientific Theories (Beall, D-San Jose)
Hearing Postponed
AB 1325 – Tribal Customary Adoptions (Cook, R-Yucca Valley)
Hearing Postponed
Assembly Elections and Redistricting Committee – 1:30 p.m.
ACA 5 – Initiatives: State General Obligation Bonds (Calderon C, D-Montebello)
Passed, 6-0
Assembly Health Committee – 1:30 p.m.
SB 761 – Health Manpower Pilot Projects (Aanestad, R-Grass Valley)
Failed, 8-4
Senate Elections, Reapportionment and Constitutional Amendments – 1:30 p.m.
AB 6 – Initiatives: Paid Circulators (Saldana, D-San Diego)
Passed, 3-2
AB 436 – Elections: Initiatives (Saldana, D-San Diego)
Passed, 3-2
AB 1068 – Petitions: Signature Gathering (Saldana, D-San Diego) OPPOSE
Passed, 3-2
SCA 16 – Initiatives: Indirect Initiatives (DeSaulnier, D-Concord) OPPOSE
Passed, 3-2
SCR 3 – Constitutional Convention (DeSaulnier, D-Concord)
Hearing Postponed
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Assembly Education Committee – 1:30 p.m.
SB 223 – History-Social Sciences Curriculum: Financial Literacy (Wyland, R-Solana Beach)
Passed, 11-0
SB 471 – Stem Cell and Biotechnology Workforce Development (Romero, D-Los Angeles) OPPOSE
Passed, 7-2
SB 552 – Schools: Health Education (Padilla, D-Pacoima)
Passed, 9-1
Senate Health Committee – 1:30 p.m.
AB 1397 – HIV-Infected Sperm Donation (Hill, D-San Mateo)
Passed, 11-0
Thursday, July 9. 2009
Assembly Judiciary Committee – Following the Floor Session
SB 54 – Out-of-state Same-gender Marriages (Leno, D-San Francisco) OPPOSE
Passed, 7-0
SB 782 – Residential Tenancies: Domestic Violence (Yee, D-San Francisco)
Hearing Postponed
Upcoming Committee Hearings
Week of July 13, 2009
Week of July 13, 2009
On the Assembly Floor
ACA 10 – Taxation: Education Finance District: Majority Vote Taxation (Torlakson, D-Antioch)
SB 54 – Out-of-state Same-sex marriages (Leno, D-San Francisco) OPPOSE
SB 543 – Minors: Mental Health Treatment without Parental Consent (Leno, D-San Francisco) OPPOSE
SB 572 – Harvey Milk Day: Official Designation (Leno, D-San Francisco) OPPOSE
SB 669 – Sexually Violent Predators (Hollingsworth, R-Murrieta) SUPPORT
On the Senate Floor
AB 73 – Marriage Licenses: Fee for Domestic Violence (Hayashi, D-Castro Valley)
AB 796 – Pupil Attendance: Civic (Political) Engagement Activities (Carter, D-Rialto)
AB 941 – Adoption (Assembly Judiciary Committee)
AB 1068 – Petitions: Signature Gathering (Saldana, D-San Diego) OPPOSE
AB 1143 – Marriage: Name (Ma, San Francisco)
AB 1185 – Birth Certificates: New Issuance - Venue, Gender Change (Lieu, D-Torrance) OPPOSE
AB 1317 – Egg Donation: Advertisements (Block, D-San Diego) SUPPORT
AB 1510 – Public Schools: Parental Access (Eng, D-Monterey Park) SUPPORT
Monday, July 13, 2009
Senate Appropriations Committee – 11:00 a.m.
AB 595 – Placement of Children: Criminal Background Checks (Adams, R-Hesperia)
AB 938 – Dependent Children: Relative Caregivers and Foster Parents (Assembly Judiciary Committee)
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Senate Public Safety Committee – 9:30 a.m.
AB 17 – Human Trafficking (Swanson, D-Oakland) SUPPORT
Senate Judiciary Committee – 1:00 p.m.
AB 82 – Dependent Children: Psychotropic Medications (Evans, D-Santa Rosa)
AB 612 – Custody and Visitation: Nonscientific Theories (Beall, D-San Jose)
AB 1325 – Tribal Customary Adoptions (Cook, R-Yucca Valley)
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Assembly Appropriations Committee – 9:00 a.m.
ACA 13 – Initiative Process (Hernandez, D-West Covina)
SB 557 – Human Trafficking: Property Nuisances (Yee, D-San Francisco) SUPPORT
SB 680 – School Attendance: Interdistrict Transfers (Romero, D-Los Angeles) SUPPORT
Upcoming Committee Hearings
Week of July 20, 2009
Week of July 20, 2009
No Hearings Currently Scheduled
*Note: Not all bills reflect a CFC position. Others are included for informational purposes.
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