Bill on Cheaper, Low-Polluting Cars Clears First Senate Panel

A bill to encourage automobile manufacturers to produce cheaper and “cleaner” gas-saving cars has cleared its first Senate committee hurdle.

The measure would provide a marketing incentive for producing these vehicles, basing the amount of state sales tax applied to new car purchases on how much pollution the vehicles spew into the air.

Sponsor Sen. Gary K. Hart (D-Santa Barbara) estimated that a new-car buyer could save as much as $700 on a fuel-efficient, low-polluting, medium-priced vehicle.

A 6-2 vote sent the legislation (SB 431) from the Transportation Committee to the Revenue and Taxation Committee. ASSEMBLY Floor Action

Implants: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 53-11 vote a bill (AB 190) by Assemblyman Bruce Bronzan (D-Fresno) to require physicians and surgeons to inform patients in writing of the risks and possible adverse effects of breast or penile implants before performing an operation. Committee Action

Offshore Oil: The Natural Resources Committee approved a bill (AB 888) by Assemblyman Tom Mays (R-Huntington Beach) to ban oil drilling in state-owned waters off the coasts of Los Angeles, Orange and Santa Barbara counties in areas not under lease as of Jan. 1, 1992. A 9-1 vote sent the bill to the Ways and Means Committee. SENATE Floor Action

Firearms: Passed and sent to the Assembly on a 21-11 vote a bill (SB 134) by Sen. Quentin Kopp (I-San Francisco) to require firearms sold by dealers to be equipped with trigger-locking devices, if possible, to help reduce accidental shootings. Capital Fact

The state mineral is native gold, which can still be panned in Northern California streams.