This Week Inside The Capitol (7/27/2009)
July 27, 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.
On Friday, July 24, the Legislature approved most of the budget modifications needed to resolve California’s estimated $26.3 billion deficit. While a few matters remain to be addressed, the Legislature nonetheless recessed until August. The true effect of these changes to the budget is yet to be determined, but it is clear that the state still faces major budget problems in the future.
This Week Inside the Capitol will resume its distribution when the legislative session reconvenes. Upon the Legislature’s return in August, the budget will remain a focal point of legislative leaders. The Assembly failed to approve two parts of the budget compromise – $100 million in revenue from oil drilling and $1 billion in revenue from a gas tax shift – which must be addressed. Legislators must also identify the specific cuts to the Department of Corrections, which would allow for the $1.2 billion approved budget reduction without the early release of inmates.
Finally, legislators will have a month to address approximately 400 bills still moving through the Legislature. Several measures of great concern to CFC remain on the Assembly Floor. The following bills, authored by Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco), continue Leno’s efforts to undermine traditional marriage and parental authority.
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 children 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 continue your efforts to prevent passage of these measures by contacting your Assembly member and the Governor, asking them to vote “NO” 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 20, 2009
Week of July 20, 2009
On the Assembly Floor
ACA 10 – Taxation: Education Finance District: Majority Vote Taxation (Torlakson, D-Antioch)
Vote Not Taken
SB 54 – Out-of-state Same-sex marriages (Leno, D-San Francisco) OPPOSE
Vote Not Taken
SB 543 – Minors: Mental Health Treatment without Parental Consent (Leno, D-San Francisco) OPPOSE
Vote Not Taken
SB 557 – Human Trafficking: Property Nuisances (Yee, D-San Francisco) SUPPORT
Vote Not Taken
SB 572 – Harvey Milk Day: Official Designation (Leno, D-San Francisco) OPPOSE
Vote Not Taken
On the Senate Floor
AB 73 – Marriage Licenses: Fee for Domestic Violence (Hayashi, D-Castro Valley)
Vote Not Taken
AB 154 – Adoption Assistance: Federal Law (Evans, D-Santa Rosa)
Vote Not Taken
AB 595 – Placement of Children: Criminal Background Checks (Adams, R-Hesperia)
Vote Not Taken
AB 796 – Pupil Attendance: Civic (Political) Engagement Activities (Carter, D-Rialto)
Vote Not Taken
AB 941 – Adoption (Assembly Judiciary Committee)
Vote Not Taken
AB 1068 – Petitions: Signature Gathering (Saldana, D-San Diego) OPPOSE
Vote Not Taken
AB 1143 – Marriage: Name (Ma, San Francisco)
Vote Not Taken
AB 1185 – Birth Certificates: New Issuance - Venue, Gender Change (Lieu, D-Torrance) OPPOSE
Vote Not Taken
AB 1317 – Egg Donation: Advertisements (Block, D-San Diego) SUPPORT
Vote Not Taken
AB 1510 – Public Schools: Parental Access (Eng, D-Monterey Park) SUPPORT
Vote Not Taken
SB 635 – Marriage License: Fee for Domestic Violence Programs (Wiggins, D-Santa Rosa)
Vote Not Taken
Monday, July 20, 2009
Senate Appropriations Committee – 12:00 p.m.
SCA 16 – Initiatives: Indirect Initiatives (DeSaulnier, D-Concord)
Placed on the Suspense File
Upcoming Committee Hearings
Week of July 27, 2009
Week of July 27, 2009
Summer Recess, No Committee Meeting
*Note: Not all bills reflect a CFC position. Others are included for informational purposes.
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Visit California Family Council’s Web site for more information about these and other bills.
