Assembly Approves Bill to Aid Southeast Asian Crime Victims

The Assembly has passed a bill that would set up a telephone hot line to assist Southeast Asians who are victims of or witnesses to crimes. The hot line also would be used to help law enforcement officers keep track of Asian gang members’ activities.

A 67-2 vote sent the legislation (AB 509), by Assemblyman Tom Umberg (D-Garden Grove), to the Senate.

California has witnessed a significant increase in gang activity targeting the state’s 1.5 million Southeast Asians. Vietnamese youth gangs are the fastest-growing organized crime problem in the United States, according to the FBI.

The hot line would have a staff fluent in Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, Laotian, Hmong and Cambodian to handle calls.

Law enforcement agencies estimate only 10% of crimes committed against Southeast Asians are reported because of the fear of gang retaliation and because the victims do not speak English or understand the judicial system. ASSEMBLY Floor Action

Minivan Safety: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 46-23 vote a bill (AB 71) by Assemblyman Johan Klehs (D-Castro Valley) to require new minivans to carry window stickers stating if they meet federal safety accident standards for other passenger vehicles.

Offshore Oil: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 46-20 vote 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.

Census Undercount: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 41-0 vote a resolution (AJR 38) by Assemblyman Peter Chacon (D-San Diego) urging the U.S. Department of Commerce to adjust the 1990 California census to correct an estimated undercount that likely includes a significant number of minorities. Committee Action

Minimum Wage: The Labor and Employment Committee approved a bill (AB 1618) by Assemblyman Terry Friedman (D-Los Angeles) that would raise the state minimum wage from $4.25 to $5.86 an hour. A 7-1 vote sent the bill to the Ways and Means Committee.

Indian Remains: The Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee approved a bill (AB 12) by Assemblyman Richard Katz (D-Sylmar) to require Indian remains now kept in museums and universities to be returned to descendants. An 11-1 vote sent the bill to the Ways and Means Committee. SENATE Floor Action

Police Arrests: Passed and sent to the Assembly on a 27-0 vote a bill (SB 1075) by President Pro Tem David A. Roberti (D-Los Angeles) to prohibit police officers from using more force than necessary or reasonable to make an arrest or prevent an escape.

False Reports: Passed and sent to the Assembly on a 29-0 vote a bill (SB 1117), also by Roberti, to increase from six months to a year in county jail the maximum penalty for making a false report to a law enforcement officer. Miscellany

Lobbyists: Legislators are outnumbered by lobbyists by more than a 7-1 margin. The latest directory, published by Secretary of State March Fong Eu, lists 856 lobbyists, 276 lobbying firms and 1,514 lobbyist employers registered for the current session. There are 120 legislators--80 in the Assembly and 40 senators. Capital Fact

State law says the West Coast swing dance, a jitterbug step made popular during World War II, is the official state dance.