Valley Legislators Chosen to Head Major Panels

SACRAMENTO — Three San Fernando Valley-area Democrats will serve as chairmen of major policy committees when the Legislature reconvenes next month, Assembly Speaker Willie Brown announced Friday.

Brown elevated Assemblyman Burt Margolin, whose district includes Universal City and parts of Burbank and North Hollywood, to head a new Insurance Committee and named Assemblyman Terry B. Friedman--who represents Sherman Oaks, Topanga and other Santa Monica Mountain areas of the western San Fernando Valley--as chairman of the Labor and Employment Committee.

Continuing to serve as Assembly Transportation Committee chairman will be Richard Katz of Sylmar. Brown had previously reappointed Assemblyman Tom Bane (D-Van Nuys) to guide the Rules Committee.

Brown issued the announcement before the Christmas holiday, in part, to end speculation about the posts, said Michael Reese, the speaker’s press secretary.

For example, earlier in the week, Assemblyman Tom Hayden had announced he was giving up the labor panel and assuming the chairmanship of a new Higher Education Committee, amid speculation that lawmakers were urging Brown to punish the Santa Monica Democrat for allegedly neglecting his duties.

Hayden will be replaced by Friedman, who voiced pleasure at being named to oversee a full policy committee for the first time since his election in 1986. Friedman said he expects his committee to be at “the center of many big issues,” especially because of the current economic downturn.

In his labor post, Friedman said he anticipates fashioning legislation to ensure workers receive adequate notice of plant closures and, if necessary, provide them job retraining.

The lawmaker said he also expects to stress worker health and safety legislation and focus on employment discrimination, including proposals to require equal employment opportunities for homosexuals.

Margolin and Katz could not be reached for comment.