Governor

Issued a proclamation declaring this Sunday to be “Peace Day” in California, and urging all citizens “to engage in activities to bring about the conditions necessary for a true and meaningful peace between all nations.” Assembly Floor Action: Kidnapers: Passed and returned to the Senate for concurrence in amendments on a 77-0 vote a bill (SB 117) by Sen. Bill Lockyer (D-Hayward) to authorize the governor to offer up to a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a kidnaper. Committee Action: Campaign Contributions: The Elections Committee approved a bill (AB 1884) by Assemblyman John Vasconcellos (D-Santa Clara) to ask the voters to decide if there should be campaign expenditure limits and partial public financing of legislative campaigns. A 7-1 vote sent the bill to the Ways and Means Committee. Slate Mailers: The Elections Committee also approved a bill (AB 1027) by Assemblyman Byron Sher (D-Palo Alto) to require deceptive slate mailers endorsing candidates and/or ballot propositions to contain disclaimers if they are not approved by the official political party. A 6-3 vote sent the bill to the Ways and Means Committee. Senate Floor Action: Lottery: Passed and sent to the Assembly on a 29-3 vote a bill (SB 740) by Sen. Ralph Dills (D-Gardena) that would gradually increase from 34% to 38% the amount of revenue from the state lottery that goes to schools. Fifty percent of the lottery funds go for prizes. Sex: Passed and sent to the Assembly on a 39-0 vote a bill (SB 1004) by Sen. Daniel E. Boatwright (D-Concord) to make it a crime for a marriage counselor or other psychotherapist to have sex with a patient. Firearms: Passed and sent to the Assembly on a 23-7 vote a bill (SB 861) by Sen. Quentin Kopp (I-San Francisco) to require all firearms sold or made in California to have trigger-locking devices if the weapon is capable of being so equipped. False Reports: Passed and sent to the Assembly on a 38-0 vote a bill (SB 1628) by President Pro Tem David A. Roberti (D-Los Angeles) to increase the potential punishment for making false reports to law enforcement officials from six months to one year in jail. Water Pollution: Passed and sent to the Assembly on a 38-0 vote a bill (SB 601) by Sen. Gary Hart (D-Santa Barbara) to require regional water quality boards to levy minimum fines for violations of water pollution laws. Committee Action: Gasoline Tax: The Transportation Committee approved a constitutional amendment (SCA 7) by Sen. William Campbell (R-Hacienda Heights) to ask the voters to decide if the state’s 9-cents-per-gallon gasoline tax should be doubled over the next five years. A 7-5 vote sent the bill to the Revenue and Taxation Committee. Miscellany Legislative Reform: Assemblyman Ross Johnson (R-La Habra) has launched a legislative reform initiative campaign, including requiring open meetings for all legislative business except discussions of personnel matters and state Capitol security. Another section would require a two-thirds vote for legislative expenditures. The Orange County lawmaker asked the attorney general for a title and summary of the proposed ballot measure. It would appear on the June primary ballot next year. “The California Legislature is, in many ways, a failed institution,” Johnson charged, “It is arrogant, unresponsive and riddled with secret deals. Millions and millions of dollars of taxpayers’ money are spent secretly with no vote ever taken. There are no open meetings and no discussion.”