Democrats’ Toxics Plan OKd

Gov. George Deukmejian’s hard-fought attempt to reorganize the state agencies that battle toxic wastes was defeated today in a partisan battle, while Democrats approved their competing proposal and sent it to the governor’s desk.

The Republican governor has vowed to veto the Democrats’ plan. The Assembly, on a 44-29 vote, rejected Deukmejian’s toxics reorganization plan--the governor’s second attempt to win lawmakers’ approval. Earlier, the Assembly voted 44 to 25 and the Senate 21 to 18 to approve the Democrats’ competing proposal, which would create a powerful hazardous waste commission whose members would be prohibited from having any financial ties to the waste industry.