Assembly Is Caught Up in a Blizzard of Votes : Gun Laws, Uninsured Motorists, Mental Health, Apartheid Debated Into Night

The Assembly, casting votes at a dizzying pace Thursday, struck down two major gun-control measures, refused to delay a crackdown on uninsured motorists and boosted funding for mental health programs, all in a drive to deal with hundreds of bills by the week’s end.

The lower house also rekindled an emotional debate on South Africa’s racist apartheid policies, approving a modest divestiture plan that prohibits the state from increasing its investments in firms that do business in South Africa.

The measure, sent to the Senate on a 44-24 vote, exempts banks that have financial ties to South Africa as well as firms that agree not to increase their investments in the country.

The Legislature already has approved budget language that would restrict State Pension Fund investment in companies doing business with the South African government. But the bill debated Thursday was regarded as an attempt to underscore the Assembly’s strong opposition to apartheid, especially in light of action taken earlier this month by regents of the University of California.

The regents, including Gov. George Deukmejian, rejected calls to sell the university’s South African holdings in favor of a much milder plan to review the university’s investments on a case-by-case basis.

Although the apartheid debate came near the end of a session that had gone all day and into the night, it was nonetheless emotionally charged with accusations and angry pronouncements.

“It doesn’t make any sense to have any public money involved with any country that violates human rights,” said Assembly Speaker Willie Brown (D-San Francisco).

But Assemblyman Don Sebastiani (R-Sonoma), saying opponents of the the measure should not be mistaken for apartheid supporters, countered that “it’s wrong to blast South Africa when there are other countries in this world which have genocide and persecution of those who express their religious faith.”

Assemblyman Alister McAlister (D-Fremont) added that it is “largely a waste of time” for the Legislature to concern itself with what is in reality a matter of foreign affairs.

As tonight’s midnight deadline approached for sending bills out of their houses of origin, the Assembly and the Senate faced a blizzard of legislation.

The Assembly, which slowed to a crawl Wednesday when problems developed in its electronic voting system, switched back into high gear Thursday after repairs were made. But a heavy agenda precluded an early adjournment. The Senate managed to wrap up its business and close down for a three-day weekend.

The gun-control measures rejected by the Assembly were intended to limit the easy availability of Uzis and other military-type assault weapons and increase penalties for selling or carrying a concealed weapon. Both were strongly opposed by the California gun lobby.

The assault weapons measure, by Assemblyman Art Agnos (D-San Francisco), failed on a 25-45 vote. It would have extended existing controls on machine guns to an array of semi-automatic assault rifles which are readily available and can be easily converted into fully automatic weapons.

Gang Weapons

The other measure, by Assemblywoman Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles), was aimed at curbing the use of small handguns among youth gangs. To appease some opponents, Waters agreed to exempt hunters, fishermen, gun club members and merchants who carry loaded firearms. But she complained that no matter how many concessions she would make, the gun lobby refused to budge. It failed on a 32-33 vote.

The effort to delay a crackdown on uninsured motorists was rejected on a 34-34 vote of the Assembly. But Assemblyman Ross Johnson (R-La Habra), who was carrying the bill on behalf of its author, Sen. Alan Robbins (D-Van Nuys), was given permission to have it reconsidered today.

Should it fail, law enforcement officers on July 1 will begin citing motorists who cannot show proof of insurance when they are pulled over for other offenses. The crackdown was authorized under a bill approved last year by the Legislature.

Mental Health Programs

All sides appeared to unite behind a major effort to boost funding for mental health programs. On a 73-0 vote, the Assembly agreed to add $47 million to the $830 million in mental health funding proposed by the Deukmejian Administration.

The measure, by members Bruce Bronzan (D-Fresno) and Sunny Mojonnier (R-Encinitas), would set aside $34 million for the care of the mentally disabled who were bypassed by the public mental health care system. They include the mentally ill elderly, the homeless, Vietnam veterans and children.

In what may be its most innovative feature, the legislation would set up six model social support agencies to seek out patients who have slipped through the cracks of the existing system.

In one of the most heavily lobbied issues to come before the Legislature, the Assembly, on a 41-38 margin, narrowly approved a measure that would increase competition within the field of optometry by allowing large chain eyeglass firms to operate in California. The bill, which was sent to the Senate, was heavily backed by Pearl Health Services Inc., a Texas-based eyeglasses chain and major campaign contributor.

Abortion Controversy

The Senate, meanwhile, found itself once again in the midst of the abortion controversy when it approved a measure intended to deter bombings of abortion clinics by officially declaring such acts as terrorism and adding a $5,000 fine to the existing felony penalties.

Under prodding by Sen. H. L. Richardson (R-Glendora), an avid abortion opponent, the measure’s scope was expanded to apply to bombings of churches and synagogues and buildings where abortion counseling is being conducted or where abortion films are shown.

According to state officials, there have been at least six bombings or torchings of abortion clinics in California during the last two years.

Delving into a major consumer issue, the Senate also approved legislation to allow banks in eight other western states to operate in California, but only if they allow California to do the same in their jurisdictions. It went to the Assembly on a 29-4 vote.

The measure’s author, Sen. Robbins, successfully turned away an attempt to open the state to large New York banks as well. But Robbins conceded that Congress is likely to approve legislation allowing a nationwide interstate banking system.