Gubernatorial Candidates Will Have Voice in Ballot Package

For the first time in state history, gubernatorial candidates will have an opportunity to present their pitch for votes in written form as part of the official information contained in ballot pamphlets to be mailed to voters several weeks before the November general election.

Secretary of State March Fong Eu said the statements, not to exceed 200 words, may include job qualifications, the candidate’s platform and an address or a telephone number where more information can be obtained. But the statement cannot make any reference to other candidates or their qualifications.

The five candidates for governor on the fall ballot are Republican U.S. Sen. Pete Wilson; Democrat Dianne Feinstein, a former San Francisco mayor; Libertarian Dennis Thompson, a computer company president; Peace and Freedom Party member Maria Munoz, a bilingual teacher, and American Independent Jerome McCready, a maintenance manager.

Eu added that anyone who intends to qualify as an independent gubernatorial candidate also is encouraged to submit a statement of qualifications. ASSEMBLY Floor Action

Statutory Rape: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 59-1 vote a bill (AB 4312) by Assemblywoman Gwen Moore (D-Los Angeles) to extend the statutory rape law to sexual intercourse between boys under 18 years of age and women.

Police Foot Patrols: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 55-16 vote a bill (AB 4087) by Assemblyman Terry Friedman (D-Los Angeles) to appropriate $4 million for a pilot program of police foot patrols in high drug-related crime regions of Los Angeles, San Diego and San Jose.

Fishing Rights: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 53-6 vote a bill (AB 3202) by Assemblywoman Sally Tanner (D-Baldwin Park) to prohibit local authorities from restricting access to public lands for fishing purposes except when necessary to protect public health, safety or the environment.

Gang Graffiti: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 42-30 vote a bill (AB 3580) by Assemblyman Richard Katz (D-Sylmar) to allow cities and counties to impose surcharges on aerosol spray paint cans and felt-tip marker pens to raise money to clean up gang graffiti--provided two-thirds of the voters agree.

Women: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 41-30 vote a bill (AB 2677) by Assemblywoman Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles) to require equal numbers of men and women to be appointed to state boards and commissions by the governor as vacancies come up after Jan. 1, 1991.

Environmental Advertising: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 55-14 vote a bill (AB 3994) by Assemblyman Byron Sher (D-Palo Alto) to set standards that manufacturers must meet before they can use such environmental terms as “biodegradable, recyclable, recycled, or ozone friendly” in their product advertisements. A violation would be a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 per day.

Mini-vans: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 45-27 vote a bill (AB 3998) by Assemblyman Johan Klehs (D-Castro Valley) to require automobile dealers to affix notices on new mini-vans and lightweight trucks disclosing whether they comply with certain federal safety standards.

School Dropouts: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 41-30 vote a bill (AB 4257) by Assemblyman Tom Bates (D-Oakland) to provide matching state grants to multicultural university student groups for tutoring programs aimed at keeping high dropout groups in high school. SENATE Floor Action

Welfare Bailout: Passed and sent to the Assembly on a 27-2 vote a bill (SB 1832) by Sen. James Nielsen (R-Rohnert Park) to appropriate $4.2 million in state funds to bail out the financially troubled Butte County welfare program.

Los Angeles River: Passed and sent to the Assembly on a 32-0 vote a bill (SB 1920) by Sen. Art Torres (D-Los Angeles) calling for a $500,000 state study of the park and recreational potential of the Los Angeles River.

Coastal Protection: Passed and sent to the Assembly on a 21-12 vote a bill (SB 1788) by Sen. Herschel Rosenthal (D-Los Angeles) to require the Coastal Commission to implement a comprehensive enforcement program to crack down on illegal coastal development.

Committee Action

Governor: The Constitutional Amendments Committee approved a proposed ballot measure (SCA 40) by Sen. Gary Hart (D-Santa Barbara) to require the governor to appear before the Senate three times a year to answer members’ questions. It also would require legislators to conduct public forums in their home districts three times a year to answer constituents’ questions. A 3-1 vote sent the legislation to the Senate floor.

ransportation: The Appropriations Committee approved a bill (SB 1784) by Sen. Bill Leonard (R-Big Bear) to let the state acquire rights of way before highway or transit routes are officially adopted in order to avoid escalating land prices in the interim. A 10-0 vote sent the bill to the Senate floor.

Bill Introductions

Credit Unions: SCR 111 by Sen. Quentin Kopp (I-San Francisco) requests a state study on the feasibility of establishing a new department to regulate credit unions. Capital Fact

No bill can become a law unless passed by both the Senate and Assembly and signed by the governor. If the governor vetoes a bill, it is dead, unless two-thirds of the members in each house vote to override the veto.