CALIFORNIA IN BRIEF : SACRAMENTO : Garamendi Calls for Independent Agency

State Sen. John Garamendi, the Democratic nominee for insurance commissioner, has called for legislation to remove the Insurance Department from the governor’s control. Garamendi said that because Proposition 103 has made the insurance commissioner’s post elective , it should no longer have to report to the governor and the governor’s secretary of business, transportation and housing, as under current law. “You ( now ) have an elected insurance commissioner with a department under the control of the governor,” the Walnut Grove lawmaker said. Garamendi said he will push for legislation to give the Insurance Department eight civil service-exempt positions appointed by the governor, but only upon nomination of the commissioner. Deukmejian Administration officials had no comment.