State Senate OKs Quake Aid

The state Senate, trying to wrap up a special session in its second day, quickly approved legislation today to aid victims of the Oct. 1 Los Angeles earthquake.

The upper house, by votes of 33 to 0, approved several bills and sent them on to the Assembly, where speedy passage was expected. One would appropriate $46.5 million to reimburse local governments for the cost of responding to the quake and to help repair damage to schools, government facilities and nonprofit agencies. Another would postpone until next April 10 this December’s property tax payments on structures that suffered a certain amount of damage. Other measures authorize grants for individuals and families for earthquake losses not covered by insurance or federal aid and to repair residential structures damaged in the quake. Total cost of the package was not determined.