Some of the legislation voted on Tuesday by the California
Legislature, and bills signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger:
^CAMPAIGN MONEY:
Political parties that donate to candidates in the last 16
days before an election would have to disclose the contribution
within 24 hours. AB890, by Assemblyman Lloyd Levine, D-Sherman
Oaks, was approved by the Senate 30-1 and returned to the Assembly
for concurrence in amendments.
^TIME SHARES:<
Consumer protections would be strengthened for the sale and
marketing of vacation time-shares. AB2252, by Assemblywoman Cindy
Montanez, D-San Fernando, was approved by the Senate 30-1, sending
it to the Assembly for concurrence in amendments.
^PHONES:<
Cellular telephone companies would have to obtain express
written consent from customers to publish their phone numbers in a
directory or directory database. The bill, AB1733 by Assemblywoman
Sarah Reyes, D-Fresno, was approved by the Senate 25-6 and returned
to the Assembly for a vote on Senate amendments.
^CHILDREN:<
Children under 14 years of age would be prohibited from using
tanning salons without a doctor's prescription under a bill by
Assemblyman Joe Nation, D-San Rafael. The measure, AB2193, was
approved by the Senate, 21-15, and returned to the Assembly for a
vote on Senate amendments.
Pregnant women and children under 3-years old could not be
vaccinated with a vaccine containing mercury, with some exception,
under a bill by Assemblywoman Fran Pavley, D-Agoura Hills. It was
approved by the Senate, 22-13, and sent back to the Assembly for a
vote on Senate amendments.
^IRRADIATED FOODS:<
School districts serving irradiated foods to students would
have to notify parents. AB1988, by Assemblywoman Loni Hancock,
D-Berkeley, was approved 21-16 in the Senate, sending it back to
the Assembly for approval of amendments.
^SCHOOLS:<
High schools would be allowed to break themselves into smaller
schools on the same campus without losing state funding. AB1841, by
Assemblywoman Wilma Chan, D-Alameda, passed the Assembly 66-2 and
goes to the governor.
^HOUSES:<
Cities and counties would be blocked from putting unreasonable
restrictions on people who want to build second units behind their
primary residence. AB2702, by Assemblyman Darrell Steinberg,
D-Sacramento, passed the Senate 25-5 and returns to the Assembly
for a vote on Senate changes.
^SMOKING:<
People would not be allowed to smoke in cars in which a child
is also riding in a child restraint seat. AB894, by Assemblyman
Marco Firebaugh, D-South Gate, passed the Senate 21-13, and returns
to the Assembly for a vote on Senate changes.
^CONSERVATION EASEMENTS:<
The public would have more information about major land sales
for conservation easements. AB1701, by Assemblyman John Laird,
D-Santa Cruz, was approved 30-6 by the Senate, sending it back to
the Assembly for approval of amendments.
^PRISONS:<
The California Department of Corrections would have to greatly
expand its system for vocational and other schooling for prison
inmates, a plan aiming to reduce one of the nation's worst
recidivism rates. SB1399, by Sen. John Vasconcellos, D-Santa Clara,
passed the Assembly 41-22, and returns to the Senate for a vote on
Assembly changes.
State prisons would ban use of tobacco as county jails do.
AB384, by Assemblyman Tim Leslie, R-Tahoe City, passed the Senate
26-6 and returns to the Assembly for a vote on Senate changes.
^MEGAN'S LAW:<
Home addresses and other information about more than 55,000
California sex offenders would be available on the Internet before
July 1, 2005. AB448, co-authored by Assemblywoman Nicole Parra,
D-Hanford, and Assemblyman Todd Spitzer, R-Orange, passed the
Assembly 74-2 and goes to the governor.
^INHERITANCE:<
Children born from posthumous conception would have
inheritance rights to their dead fathers' estates. AB1910, by
Assemblyman Tom Harman, R-Huntington Beach, passed the Assembly
71-0 and goes to the governor.
^ENVIRONMENT:<
Hybrid vehicles could use freeway diamond lanes, regardless of
the number of occupants. AB2628, by Assemblywoman Fran Pavley,
D-Agoura Hills, passed the Senate 29-7, and returns to the Assembly
for a vote on Senate changes.
Cruise ships would be barred from burning trash within three
miles of California's coastline. AB471, by Assemblyman Joe
Simitian, D-Palo Alto, passed the Assembly 46-21 and goes to the
governor.
The state would create a cabinet level Ocean Protection
Council to coordinate ocean policy and a trust fund to do projects
and make grants for ocean protection. SB1319, by Sen. John Burton,
D-San Francisco, passed the Assembly 49-24 and returns to the
Senate for agreement to Assembly changes.
Bottom trawling on the state's ocean waters would be
prohibited. SB1459, by Sen. Dede Alpert, D-San Diego, passed the
Assembly 47-33 and returns to the Senate for a vote on Assembly
changes.
^URBAN BLIGHT:<
Property owners would not be able to borrow money against a
home's value if a code enforcement violation is pending. SB1508, by
Sen. Denise Ducheny, D-San Diego, passed the Assembly 42-23, and
returns to the Senate for a vote on Assembly changes.
^FERRETS:<
Allows owners of ferrets to apply to California Department of
Fish and Game for an amnesty certification that allows the pets to
be legally owned. SB89, by Sen. Dede Alpert, D-San Diego, passed
the Assembly 48-11 and returns to the Senate for a vote on Assembly
amendments.
Bills signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger:
^MOTORCYCLES:<
Would allow motorcycle riders to keep their hands six inches
above their shoulders while riding motorcycles with high
handlebars. AB2884, by Assemblyman Jay La Suer, R-Mesa.
^THREATENED OFFICIALS:<
Judges, court commissioners, attorneys employed by the State
Department of Justice, the State Public Defender, or a county
district attorney or public defender are also eligible, along with
police officers, for relocation expenses after facing threats to
themselves or their families' safety. AB2905, by Assemblyman Todd
Spitzer, R-Orange.
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Read more about the bills at http://www.legislature.ca.gov
(Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)