Archives

2011 Legislative Session:

AB 34 (Williams) — The state has a law establishing  a compost market program to increase the use of compost products. Although the term “compost” is defined, apparently it doesn’t do the dirt justice.  To be very clear about what is trash and what isn’t, this bill would further specify that these organic wastes include, but are not limited to, vegetable, yard, and wood wastes that are not hazardous waste. (FAIL)

AB 101 (J. Perez) — Waiting for SuperNanny.  Apparently when legislative leaders made a pledge to “improve California’s business climate and help create jobs for Californians” they were just kidding. In the last few hours of the legislative session, instead of tackling California’s soaring unemployment rate, the legislature found time to allow home child care workers to unionize. Plus, authorized several state agencies to supervise and monitor the new child care labor agreements. Is this the streamlining we were promised? Maybe who we really need is Mary Poppins because this bill is supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, finding even the sound of it as something quite atrocious. SQUIRREL!! (VETO)

AB 296 (Skinner) — This bill is focused on our comfort. It would establish a cool pavement building standard to help curb global warming. Essentially, so urban areas don’t get as hot as rural areas. This is a joke right?! SQUIRREL! (FAIL)

AB 400 (Ma) — As in past years, Assemblywoman Fiona Ma’s bill, AB 400, would require firms with fewer than 10 employees to give 7 paid sick days a year and larger companies would have to give 9 days a year. Such legislation hits small businesses that are less likely to offer paid sick leave than big companies. SQUIRREL!! (FAIL)

AB 582 (Pan) — Requires cities to give public notice twice before awarding raises to city managers, consultants, and other top employees. SQUIRREL! (FAIL)

AB 669 (Monning) — This bill would impose a penny-per-ounce tax on soda, sweet tea, sports drinks and other sugar-sweetened beverages to fund childhood obesity programs. SQUIRREL! (FAIL)

AB 768 (Gatto) — In the flap over San Francisco’s proposed circumcision ban, the Legislature has inserted itself into the thick of things.  By way of explanation:  A group seeking to ban the circumcision of male children in San Francisco has succeeded in getting their controversial measure on the November ballot. The proposal would punish people who circumcise a minor with a fine of up to $1,000 or up to a year in jail. There would be no religious exemptions.

A lawsuit to have the measure removed from the ballot has been initiated and the City Attorney’s has also filed a brief.  The ban faces numerous legal challenges, from parental rights to religious protections. And now, a bill to further define an existing law.  For those of us in the rest of the state, we are getting a little tired of San Francisco politics forcing legislative behavior.  California still has a mess of troubles, so we think adults in both SF and Sacramento should focus their attention on job growth as long as unemployment is over 12%. SQUIRREL!! (LAW)

AB 1279 (Fletcher) — This bill euphemizes language, specifying that a dog pound be known in government terms as “an animal shelter.” “Surrendered” — not unwanted — animals would be “humanely euthanized” rather than “killed” or “destroyed.” Well, in government terms, this piece of legislation is known as “squirrel.” (FAIL)

SB 31 (Correa) — This bill will require all local government agencies to have a lobbying ordinance. Not just the County of Orange, but water districts, school districts, sanitation districts, flood control districts, and transportation agencies. Everyone gets the fun of drafting an ordinance, folks registering, reporting, paying and government collecting fees. SQUIRREL! (FAIL)

SB 39 (Padilla) — This bill proposes a ban on caffeinated beer, which includes no import, manufacturing, production, distribution or selling of caffeinated beer in the state of California. SQUIRREL! (LAW)

SB 211 (Emmerson) — We skid you not, the Legislature maintains its tireless effort on the tread mill of regulation by focusing on the definition of an “unsafe tire” and tire pressure gauges. Yes, we know, properly inflated tires leads to better fuel consumption and a better world. We would still rather see all that hot air used to improve California’s economy, not inflate the pressures of an over-regulated environment that forces many of our businesses to pop. SQUIRREL! (VETO)

SB 425 (R. Calderon) — Would raise fines for cockfighting. SQUIRREL! (LAW)

SB 432 (De León) — With a 12% unemployment rate, legislative solutions apparently cannot be found to incentivize job creation. Rather, efforts are turned to making sure the OSHA Workplace Safety has adequate standards for hotel housekeeping. California’s house may be a wreck, but thank goodness the use of a “flat” versus “fitted” sheet has been clarified. (FAIL)

SB 769 (Fuller) — After previously debating the definition of a hot dog, we should have expected a bill about a stuffed cat.  While not crazy that he signed this “SQUIRREL” bill into law, we love the Governor’s snarky message that called out the legislature on their rare bipartisanship for this “presumably important” bill.   While we’re pleased that Democrats and Republicans found a way to work together, SB 769’s purpose of allowing for the stuffing and displaying of dead mountain lions isn’t exactly going to be a jobs creator.  Except for taxidermists. SQUIRREL!! (LAW)

SB 818 (Wolk) — This bill would require that olive oil be defined correctly and that lampante virgin olive oil and crude olive-pomace oil must be refined before consumption. What?! SQUIRREL! (LAW)

ACR 2 (Smyth) — And, in a related note, the legislature took time to declare February 22 as Spay Day USA 2011 in California and requested that Californians observe that day by having their dogs and cats spayed or neutered and by contributing to organizations that provide spay and neuter services. SQUIRREL!! (FAIL)

SCR 14 (Steinberg) — Apparently the state parks in California have had their feelings hurt and need to feel the love. So while the state slowly crumbles due to over-regulation and structural deficits, Californians can take solace in knowing that March was proposed as “Parks Make Life Better!” Month. Try not to feed the SQUIRRELS!! (FAIL)

Past Legislative Sessions:

AB 2411 — Establishes pet insurance as a separate line of insurance under the authority of the state Department of Insurance. Jones, who’s running for Insurance Commissioner in November, says the bill would make marketing of pet insurance more transparent so consumers would know the terms of the coverage they’re buying as well as any exclusions or limitations under the policy. SQUIRREL!!

AB 1960 — Would require state agencies to purchase California-grown fruits, nuts and vegetables when the quality is comparable and the price matches produce grown elsewhere. State agencies are “encouraged to purchase fruits, nuts, and vegetables that are produced, or produced and processed, inCalifornia before those that are produced outside of the state.” The key sentence from the bill analysis, “supporters of this bill state that California farmers are faced with a competitive disadvantage due to regulations that are more restrictive than other state’s and countries’ regulations. Supporters believe this bill will help with the competitive disadvantages farmers contend with…” Here is an idea, instead of applying a bandage in the form of a “special purchasing preference” maybe the author could fix the underlying problem — California’s businesses are at a competitive disadvantage because of restrictive regulations. SQUIRREL!! (FAILED)

SCR 109 — Calling for California Golf Week. That’s right! We can golf our way to fiscal solvency. SQUIRREL!!

SB 624 — Senator Gloria Romero, D-Los Angeles, has proposed legislation to strip serpentine (California’s official state rock) of its title because exposure to a cancer-causing mineral inside it, chrysotile asbestos, can increase risk of lung disease. Romero’s legislation would leave California without an official state rock. SQUIRREL!! (FAILED)

SB 1210 — Would levy an excise tax of a penny per teaspoon of added sugar in soda and other sweetened beverages in order to combat adult and childhood obesity. SQUIRREL!! (FAILED)

SB 1317 — This legislation would impose a stiff fine and/or send parents to jail for up to a year if their kindergarten through eighth grader misses too much school. So, kids miss school and then lose their parents? What’s up with this?! SQUIRREL!! (APPROVED)

ACR 147 — The California legislature recently declared April as “Financial Literacy Month” in order to raise public awareness regarding the need for financial literacy. The California Legislature giving us advice on financial literacy? That is not only a SQUIRREL, that’s just plain NUTS! How about setting a good example and balancing the state budget on time and without new taxes or gimmicks? SQUIRREL!! (APPROVED)

SB 1057 — Bars the Legislature and state agencies from ignoring Veterans Day’s traditional November 11 date in order to create a three-day weekend. (APPROVED)

ACR 112 — Declares the first week of March each year as “Cuss Free Week.” (2/25 – Amended, adopted, and to Senate) (APPROVED)

SB 920 (Yee) — White Pages Opt In – Prohibits land line phone providers from distributing “white pages” telephone listing directories to California residents. (FAILED)

SB 1245 (Simitian) — HOV lanes that have been free of tolls must remain free of tolls. (FAILED)

SB 1475 (Simitian) — An added provision would also prohibit bicyclists from texting or talking without a hands-free device behind the handlebars. (FAILED)

ACR 115 (Emmerson) — This resolution proclaims the month of April 2010 as California Safe Digging Month. (APPROVED)

AB 1911 (Garrick) — Establishes the Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Ronald Reagan. (APPROVED)