Assembly Floor Action: Fishing: Passed and sent...

Assembly Floor Action: Fishing: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 42-31 vote a bill (AB 1504) by Assemblyman Dan Hauser (D-Arcata) to require the state Department of Fish and Game to distribute a monthly publication rather than individual bulletins containing all new commercial fishing regulations.

Voter Registration: Rejected on a 47-30 vote a bill (AB 1203) by Assemblyman Pete Chacon (D-San Diego) to require the secretary of state to work with retail grocers to encourage the voluntary printing of messages urging voter registration on grocery bags. A two-thirds majority or 54 votes was required for passage. The author served notice that he will seek reconsideration at a later date.

Committee Action: Drug Testing: The Assembly Ways and Means Committee approved a bill (AB 330) by Assemblyman Johan Klehs (D-San Leandro) to require employers who conduct drug tests of employees to have test results confirmed by state-certified laboratories. A 12-2 vote sent the bill to the Assembly floor.

Air Pollution: The Ways and Means Committee also approved another bill (AB 792) by Speaker Willie Brown (D-San Francisco) to require automobile manufacturers to equip new cars with carbon canisters to trap unburned fuel vapors starting in 1991. A 12-5 vote sent the bill to the Assembly floor.

Senate Floor Action: Water Beds: Passed and sent to the Assembly on a 24-7 vote a bill (SB 1645) by Sen. Barry Keene (D-Benecia) to prohibit landlords from refusing to rent to tenants with water beds if the tenant provides insurance for possible damages.

Rapid Transit: Passed and sent to the Assembly on a 29-0 vote a resolution (SCR 50) by Sen. Alan Robbins (D-Van Nuys) requesting immediate reorganization of Los Angeles County transportation agencies as soon as the governor signs a bill creating a new umbrella group to replace the Southern California Rapid Transit District.

AIDS: Passed and sent to the Assembly on a 28-0 vote a bill (SB 935) by Sen. Don Rogers (R-Bakersfield) to authorize persons who take AIDS tests to voluntarily disclose the identity of sex partners or shared needle partners to county health officers. That would enable health officials to contact the partners and refer them to testing sites.

Jobs: Passed and sent to the Assembly on a 23-7 vote a bill (SB 1643) by Sen. Barry Keene (D-Benecia) to require at least 50% of all work performed on public works projects to be done by California residents. The governor vetoed a similar bill last year.

Beer: Passed and sent to the Assembly on a 33-0 vote a bill (AB 272) by Assemblyman Gary Condit (D-Ceres) to allow well-known Los Angeles restaurant owner Wolfgang Puck to become part owner of a brewery and continue to be able to sell alcoholic beverages in his restaurants.

Hysterectomies: Passed and sent to the Assembly on a 23-0 vote a bill (SB 835) by Sen. Diane Watson (D-Los Angeles) to require doctors to inform women of the risks and effects of hysterectomies before performing the operations.

Miscellany: New Job: David R. Doerr, former long-time chief consultant to the Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee, has switched jobs and has become the chief tax consultant for the California Taxpayers’ Assn. Doerr, who first joined the lower house committee in 1962, was reassigned last month to the Assembly Office of Research to conduct a long-range study on taxation. Critics said the real reason is that he wasn’t political enough for the Assembly Democratic brass.