This Week Inside The Capitol (8/24/2009)
August 24, 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.
The Legislature returned last week after a month-long summer recess. The week began with legislators addressing California’s dire water situation. After three years of severe drought, California must resolve its declining water supply, storage capabilities and address ecosystem erosion. Informational hearings started last week and will continue through Friday. While negotiations between Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders continue, a conference committee is scheduled for next week in hopes of approving a compromise plan.
The second priority commanding the Legislature’s attention is the passage of the $1.2 billion in cuts to the Department of Corrections budget. Last week, the legislature attempted to pass the governor’s proposal to make cuts, which were agreed to by legislative democrats. However, while the measure was approved in the Senate with a bare majority (21-19), the bill failed in the Assembly. Negotiations among democrat legislators continued into the evening hours, but were unsuccessful. This week they will once again attempt to find the necessary votes to approve the proposal.
The proposed measure includes several controversial provisions which are opposed by Republicans and law enforcement entities. They object specifically to the provisions that permit early release of inmates and the creation of a sentencing commission. They view both provisions as weakening our laws and undermining the state’s responsibility to protect its citizenry.
The legislature will also be addressing Governor Schwarzenegger’s plan to reform the state’s pension system. The governor stated at a July press conference, “We (the State of California) cannot continue promising people things we cannot deliver.” His plan seeks to reduce benefits for newly hired employees, including state workers, police officers, firefighters, teachers and local government employees. The governor argues these changes are needed to address the state’s disastrous fiscal realities. However, employee unions are already working to prevent passage of the governor’s reforms.
In addition, over the next three weeks, the legislature will also address several measures of great concern to California’s families that remain on the Assembly Floor. The following bills, authored by Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco), continue his 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 – by a vote of the people – was placed into the state constitution, 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.
SB 572 would sacrifice important time in public school classrooms in order to conduct “commemorative exercises” 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”. To find your elected representative, visit our Legislative Action Center on the CFC Web site.
You can stay up to date 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 August 17, 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 6 – Initiatives: Paid Circulators (Saldana, D-San Diego)
Vote Not Taken
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 428 – Adoption: Criminal History Records (Fletcher, R-San Diego) SUPPORT
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) OPPOSE
Vote Not Taken
AB 941 – Adoption (Assembly Judiciary Committee) SUPPORT
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 151 – 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, August 17, 2009
Senate Appropriations Committee – 10:00 a.m.
AB 1017 – Sexual Assault Crimes (Portantino, D-La Canada Flintridge)
Placed on Suspense File
AB 1324 – Foster Youth: Identity Theft (Bass, D-Los Angeles)
Passed, 9-0
AB 1397 – Infected Sperm Donation (Hill, D-San Mateo)
Referred to the Senate Floor without a vote
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Assembly Judiciary Committee – 9:00 a.m.
AJR 13 – Blood Donations by Homosexual, Bisexual and transgender males (Ammiano, D-San Francisco)
Passed, 7-3
AB 15 – The United Americans Family Act (De Leon, D-Los Angeles) OPPOSE
Passed, 7-3
AJR 19 – Defense Of Marriage Act (DOMA) Repeal (Brownley, D-Woodland Hills) OPPOSE
Passed, 7-3
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Assembly Appropriations Committee – 9:00 a.m.
SB 34 – Initiatives: Compensation for Signatures (Corbett, D-San Leandro)
Passed, 12-5
SB 118 – Incarcerated Parents (Liu, D-La Canada Flintridge) SUPPORT
Placed on Suspense File
SB 471 – California Stem Cell and Biotechnology Education and Workforce Development Act (Romero, D-Los Angeles) OPPOSE
Placed on Suspense File
SB 597 – Child Welfare Services: Foster Care Services and Adoption Assistance (Liu, D-La Canada Flintridge)
Placed on Suspense File
Upcoming Committee Hearings
Week of August 24, 2009
Week of August 24, 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 557 – Human Trafficking: Property Nuisances (Yee, D-San Francisco) SUPPORT
SB 572 – Harvey Milk Day: Official Designation (Leno, D-San Francisco) OPPOSE
SB 680 – School Attendance: Interdistrict transfers (Romero, D-Los Angeles) SUPPORT
On the Senate Floor
AB 6 – Initiatives: Paid Circulators (Saldana, D-San Diego)
AB 7 – Political Reform Act of 1974: Use of Children Images in Political Advertisement (Krekorian, D- Burbank)
AB 73 – Marriage Licenses: Fee for Domestic Violence (Hayashi, D-Castro Valley)
AB 154 – Adoption Assistance: Federal Law (Evans, D-Santa Rosa)
AB 428 – Adoption: Criminal History Records (Fletcher, R-San Diego) SUPPORT
AB 595 – Placement of Children: Criminal Background Checks (Adams, R-Hesperia)
AB 665 – State Adoption Services: Investment
AB 796 – Pupil Attendance: Civic (Political) Engagement Activities (Carter, D-Rialto) OPPOSE
AB 988 – Human Trafficking: Training Content (Brownley, D-Woodland Hills)
AB 941 – Adoption (Assembly Judiciary Committee) SUPPORT
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 1397 – Infected Sperm Donation (Hill, D-San Mateo)
AB 1510 – Public Schools: Parental Access (Eng, D-Monterey Park) SUPPORT
SB 635 – Marriage License: Fee for Domestic Violence Programs (Wiggins, D-Santa Rosa)
Monday, August 24, 2009
Senate Appropriations Committee – 10:00 a.m.
AB 17 – Human Trafficking (Swanson, D-Oakland) SUPPORT
AB 1325 – Tribal Customary Adoption (Cook, R-Yucca Valley) SUPPORT
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Senate Elections, Reapportionment and Constitutional Amendments Committee – 10:00 a.m.
SCA 5 – State Budget: two-third vote exemption for General Fund Appropriations (Hancock, D-Berkeley)
SCR 3 – Constitutional Convention (DeSaulnier, D-Concord)
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Assembly Appropriations Committee – Upon Call of the Chair
ACA 13 – Initiatives: Legislative Amendment Process (Hernandez, D-West Covina) OPPOSE
SB 118 – Incarcerated Parents (Liu, D-La Canada Flintridge) SUPPORT
SB 158 – Health Coverage: Human Papillomavirus Vaccination (Wiggins, D-Santa Rosa)
SB 471 – California Stem Cell and Biotechnology Education and Workforce Development Act (Romero, D-Los Angeles) OPPOSE
SB 597 – Child Welfare Services: Foster Care Services and Adoption Assistance (Liu, D-La Canada Flintridge) SUPPORT
There are no committee hearings currently scheduled for the Week of August 31.
*Note: Not all bills reflect a CFC position. Others are included for informational purposes.
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