California Legislature's recent bill activity

(Ted Gaines, 4th Assembly District for parts of Alpine, Placer, El Dorado and Sacramento county.)
Bills on BUSINESS: The CALIFORNIA Senate gives final approval to SB 657, which would require Golden State companies with more than $100 million in gross annual receipts to post on their Web site what efforts they are making, if any, to ensure their suppliers are not using slave laborers. It moves to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) for review (LOS ANGELES TIMES).
• The Assembly gives its final endorsement to AB 482, which would prohibit use of credit reports in hiring decisions unless the information is “substantially job-related,” such as for employment in a bank or financial institution, a management position or a law enforcement appointment. It also goes to Gov. Schwarzenegger (SACRAMENTO BEE).

The Senate also rejects SB 797, (Gaines voted NO) which would have banned baby products like sippy cups and bottles that contain bisphenol A, or BPA (SACRAMENTO BEE).
• Lawmakers endorse AB 1650, (Gaines voted YES) which would bar persons engaging in investment activities in Iran’s energy market from bidding on or entering into state government contracts. It moves to Schwarzenegger (CALIFORNIA WATCH [SACRAMENTO]).
• Lawmakers also endorse SB 967, which would give companies bidding on state contracts a 5 percent preference if 90 percent of the company’s employees are Golden State residents. It also moves to the governor (CALIFORNIA WATCH [SACRAMENTO]).
• The Senate also approve SB 346, which would, beginning in 2014, bar the sale of motor vehicle brake pads containing 5 percent or more of copper. The bill has been sent to the governor for review (STATE NET).

Bills on CRIME & PUNISHMENT: The CALIFORNIA Senate gives final approval to SB 1399, which would create a compassionate release and parole program for prisoners who are permanently medically incapacitated, need 24-hour care, and are not serving sentences of death or life without parole. It now goes to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) for review (SACRAMENTO BEE).
• Lawmakers endorse AB 1844, which, among other things, would impose a sentence of life imprisonment without parole for some sex crimes against minors and lifetime parole supervision for habitual sex criminals. It also goes to Gov. Schwarzenegger (SACRAMENTO BEE).
• The Assembly gives final approval to AB 2479, which would allow paparazzi photographers to be sued for “false imprisonment” if they physically harass someone in order to obtain their photos or audio recordings. It moves to Schwarzenegger (SACRAMENTO BEE).

Bills on EDUCATION: The CALIFORNIA Senate gives final approval to SB 1381, which sets Sept. 1st as the date by which Golden State children must turn 5 years old to start kindergarten. It moves to Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger (R) for review (SACRAMENTO BEE).
• Lawmakers endorse SB 1317, which would make parents who habitually allow their children to skip school subject to criminal misdemeanor charges. The bill also goes to Gov. Schwarzenegger (SACRAMENTO BEE).

Bills on ENERGY: The CALIFORNIA Senate fails to approve Assembly amendments made to SB 722, (Gaines voted NO) a bill that would have required one-third of the state’s power to come from renewable energy sources like wind or sunlight (LOS ANGELES TIMES).

Bills on ENVIRONMENT: CALIFORNIA lawmakers endorse AB 2503, (Gaines vote YES) which would allow offshore oil drilling rigs due to be retired to be converted into artificial reefs for fish and other marine life. It moves to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) for review (SACRAMENTO BEE).
• Lawmakers endorse AB 2398, (Gaines voted NO) which requires Golden State carpet manufacturers to establish and finance a program to collect, process and recycle waste carpet into secondary products. It also moves to Gov. Schwarzenegger (LOS ANGELES TIMES).

Bills in HEALTH & SCIENCE:
The CALIFORNIA Senate gives final endorsement to SB 1163, (Gaines voted YES) which would require health insurers to provide consumers with 60 days’ notice before increasing premiums. It moves to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R), who has indicated he will sign the bill into law (CALIFORNIA HEALTHLINE).
• The Senate rejects AB 2578, (Gaines voted NO) which would have required health insurers to obtain approval from lawmakers before raising premiums (CALIFORNIA HEALTHLINE).
• The Senate gives final approval to SB 220, (Gaines voted NO) which would require health insurance policies to cover treatment to help people stop smoking. It goes to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) for review (SAN BERNADINO SUN).
• Lawmakers approve AB 2470, (Gaines voted NO) which would require health insurers seeking to rescind an insurance policy to first have that rescission approved by an independent review panel. It also moves to the governor (CALIFORNIA WATCH [SACRAMENTO]).

Bills on SOCIAL POLICY: The CALIFORNIA Assembly gives final approval to AB 2199, (Gaines voted YES) which eliminates a decade-old law requiring the state to seek a cure for homosexuality. It moves to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) for review (SACRAMENTO BEE).

Other bills: The CALIFORNIA Senate shoots down AB 1810, (Gaines voted NO) which would have allowed the state to keep permanent records of anyone buying a shotgun or rifle (SACRAMENTO BEE).
• CALIFORNIA Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) signs SB 535, (Gaines voted YES)which directs state officials to issue up to 40,000 new permits to owners of low-emissions vehicles to drive solo in freeway carpool lanes. It also extends to 2015 the lifespan of existing permits (LOS ANGELES TIMES).
— Information provided by "State Net Capitol Journal," Compiled by RICH EHISEN