Governor

Scheduled to speak at the Latin Business Assn. annual awards banquet in Los Angeles tonight.

Appointed A. A. (Del) Pierce of Roseville as director of the Department of Motor Vehicles. A Republican, Pierce is a veteran state law enforcement official. He replaces George E. Meese, who was recently appointed to the Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board. Pierce’s post pays $78,206 a year and is subject to Senate confirmation.

Issued a proclamation designating February as Black American History Month.

Assembly Floor Action:

Space Shuttle: Approved on a 72-0 vote a measure (AJR 82) by Assemblyman Louis J. Papan (D-Millbrae) asking the federal government to name the 10 newly discovered moons of Uranus after the 10 American astronauts who died in Challenger and Apollo accidents. It went to the Senate for further action.

Bills Introduced:

Prison Personnel: AB 2868 by Assemblyman Richard E. Floyd (D-Hawthorne) would establish an office of inspector general in the Department of Corrections to investigate allegations against prison employees of misconduct, inefficiency and neglect of duty.

Condors: AB 2833 by Assemblywoman Lucy Killea (D-San Diego) would appropriate $4.5 million to help finance projects to save the California condor from extinction. The money would include $1,539,015 for the Los Angeles Zoo.

Senate Committee Action:

Kesterson Wildlife Refuge: The Senate Appropriations Committee approved a bill (AB 1982) by Assemblyman Jim Costa (D-Fresno) to place a $150-million bond issue on the June 3 ballot to finance water conservation programs and to provide low-interest loans to find ways of removing poisons from the Kesterson wildlife refuge in Central California. A 5-0 vote sent the bill to the floor.

Bills Introduced:

Public Employee Strikes: SB 1679 by Sen. Newton R. Russell (R-Glendale) would prohibit public employees at both state and local levels from striking. It would also apply to both public school and higher education employees and transit district employees.

Miscellany Election Investigator: Secretary of State March Fong Eu has appointed Patricia White as the state’s first full-time election investigator. White, a former consumer services representative with the Bureau of Automotive Repair, will handle complaints relating to absentee ballots, polling places and voter registration procedures.