GovernorAppointed Everett M. McCracken Jr. of Carmichael,...

Governor

Appointed Everett M. McCracken Jr. of Carmichael, a former lobbyist for Shell Oil Co., to the state Fish and Game Commission. A Republican, McCracken, 68, replaces Brian Kahn of Sonoma, whose term expired. The position pays $100 per meeting plus expenses and requires Senate confirmation. The term will run until January, 1992.

Assembly Bill Introductions:

Interest: AB 325 by Assemblyman Rusty Areias (D-Los Banos) would limit the interest that retail stores can charge on their credit cards to 7% plus the average federal reserve discount rate, now 5.5%. Many retail outlets currently charge 19.2% interest. A similar bill died last year.

Small Claims: AB 301 by Assemblyman Charles Bader (R-Pomona) would increase the upper limit on small claims disputes in municipal and justice courts to $3,500 from $1,500.

Textbooks: ACR 11 by Assemblyman Bill Leonard (R-Redlands) would express the Legislature’s desire that school textbooks reflect the true history of the state and nation, and “that the (books’) use of religious symbols . . . be viewed positively and promoted as a part of our rich heritage.”

Senate Bill Introductions:

Prisons: SB 196 by Sen. Art Torres (D-Los Angeles) would require any state prison in Los Angeles County to comply with all local zoning ordinances. In effect, the bill would empower the Los Angeles City Council to block construction of a high-rise prison near downtown through enactment of zoning regulations. The bill also would create a non-legislative commission, headed by the attorney general, to pick three possible prison sites within the county and allow the San Diego and San Joaquin County prisons to open before a Los Angeles site is selected.

Murder: SCA 9 by Sen. Daniel E. Boatwright (D-Concord) would give the governor the right to block the parole of convicted murderers after reviewing their cases, if approved by the Legislature and ratified by the voters. A similar measure died last year in the Assembly.

Hunter Safety: SB 198 by Sen. Ed Davis (R-Valencia) would authorize junior high schools, high schools and community colleges to offer instruction in hunter safety, including the handling of firearms while hunting.