GovernorAppointed Gloria A. Mahdesian of Studio City...

Governor

Appointed Gloria A. Mahdesian of Studio City to the advisory committee of the Simon Wiesenthal Center of Los Angeles Museum. A Democrat, Mahdesian, 54, fills a newly created position. The job pays necessary expenses and does not require Senate confirmation. Assembly Floor Action:

Gridlock: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 47-22 vote a bill (AB 667) by Assemblyman Richard Katz (D-Sepulveda) to allow cities and counties to enact ordinances imposing $50 to $500 fines on motorists who block traffic by entering intersections on a green light but then become trapped when the light turns red.

Security Guards: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 41-34 vote a bill (AB 2527) by Assemblyman Steve Peace (D-Chula Vista) to prohibit private security guards from wearing police-style badges while on duty.

Attorney Fees: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 41-29 vote a bill (AB 1912) by Assemblyman Elihu M. Harris (D-Oakland) to limit contingency fees attorneys can collect in damage cases to 40% of the amount recovered in actions that go to trial and 33% of the amount recovered in actions that are resolved without going to trial.

Crimes: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 41-22 vote a bill (AB 63) by Assemblyman Tom Bane (D-Tarzana) to increase the penalties for injuries to people or property because of race, religion, ancestry, national origin or sexual orientation.

Conflicts: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 58-0 vote a bill (AB 2127) by Assemblyman Phillip D. Wyman (R-Tehachapi) to require public officials and public employees to disclose the identity of lobbyists or lobbying firms with whom they have business interests. Committee Action:

Lemon Autos: The Ways and Means Committee approved a bill (AB 2057) by Assemblywoman Sally Tanner (D-El Monte) to require the state Bureau of Automotive Repair to establish a program to certify that arbitration programs run by automobile manufacturers are operated properly and fairly. An 18-5 vote sent the bill to the Assembly floor. Senate Floor Action:

Obscenity: Passed and sent to the Assembly on a 25-8 vote a bill (SB 5) by Sen. Wadie P. Deddeh (D-Chula Vista) to expand the legal definition of obscenity and make it easier to prosecute pornography peddlers.

Trucks: Passed and sent to the Assembly on a 25-1 vote a bill (SB 556) by Sen. John Seymour (R-Anaheim) to double speeding fines for trucks with more than three axles. The fines, which now range from $100 to $200, would rise to the range of $200 to $400.

Atom Smasher: Passed and sent to the Assembly on a 29-1 vote a bill (SB 81) by Sen. John Garamendi (D-Walnut Grove) to provide an undetermined amount of state money to try to persuade the federal government to locate a super-collider atom smasher in California. The bill’s author estimated that the amount would be in the $500-million range. The $5-billion project would create an estimated 69,000 jobs.

Open Meetings: Passed and sent to the Assembly on a 34-0 vote a bill (SB 200) by President Pro Tem David A. Roberti (D-Los Angeles) to specify the conditions under which state and local government agencies may hold closed-door meetings to discuss pending litigation. The governor vetoed a similar bill last year. Committee Action:

Elections: The Senate Elections Committee reversed itself and approved a bill (SB 796) by Sen. Quentin L. Kopp (Ind.-San Francisco) to move up California’s primary election from June to April to give the state more clout in choosing presidential nominees. A 4-1 vote sent the bill to the Appropriations Committee. It had previously died on a 2-3 vote.