Senate Approves Toughening Penalties for Corporate Crime

Courts would be authorized to order probation--in addition to levying fines as they can now--against corporations convicted of serious crimes, under a bill that has been passed by the Senate.

A 25-9 vote sent the measure, sponsored by Sen. Gary Hart (D-Santa Barbara), to the Assembly.

The legislation also would allow the courts to require offending corporations to change their business practices to prevent future criminal violations.

“If one of us commits a serious crime, we’re put in jail,” Hart said. “Corporate offenders are usually just required to pay a fine, which, too often, is treated as a cost of doing business.”

The bill is supported by the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office and the Consumers Union. It is opposed by the state Chamber of Commerce and the California Manufacturers Assn.

A similar measure passed both houses of the Legislature last year and was vetoed by former Gov. George Deukmejian, who claimed it was too broad.

GOVERNOR

Signed into law a bill (AB 1339) by Assemblyman Sal Cannella (D-Modesto) to authorize the Department of Fish and Game to help promote fishing by designating a maximum of two days each year as free fishing days not requiring a license.

ASSEMBLY

Floor Action

Boat Registration: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 41-32 vote a bill (AB 494) by Assemblyman Robert Campbell (D-Richmond) to permit counties to increase boat registration fees from $5 to $12, with revenues earmarked for boating safety and enforcement purposes.

Primary Election: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 46-24 vote a bill (AB 1640) by Assemblywoman Jackie Speier (D-South San Francisco) to move the statewide primary election to the first Sunday in June. The primary election currently is held on the Tuesday after the first Monday of June.

Protesters: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 47-20 vote a bill (AB 1097) by Assemblywoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) making it a misdemeanor to intentionally obstruct a person from entering or exiting a place of worship, a school or a health care facility, such as an abortion clinic.

Candidates’ Income: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 63-0 vote a bill (AB 1075) by Assemblyman Steve Clute (D-Riverside) to require all candidates for elective state and local office to disclose income received during the previous year.

Auto Air-Conditioners: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 44-23 vote a bill (AB 859) by Assemblyman John Vasconcellos (D-Santa Clara) to phase out the use of ozone-depleting chemical chlorofluorocarbons in new car air conditioners by 1995.

Cellular Telephones: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 66-1 vote a bill (AB 275) by Assemblyman Lloyd Connelly (D-Sacramento) to allow dealers to pass along sales commissions on cellular telephones to purchasers, which would reduce the cost of phones sold to them.

Offshore Oil Drilling: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 42-29 vote a bill (AB 854) by Assemblyman Ted Lempert (D-San Mateo) to prohibit new offshore oil drilling in all state-owned waters.

Student Information: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 43-30 vote a bill (AB 1554) by Assemblywoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) to prohibit schools from releasing pupil directory information such as names, addresses and telephone numbers, without written parental consent.

SENATE

Floor Action

Peace Officers: Passed and sent to the Assembly on a 24-6 vote a bill (SB 513) by Sen. Diane Watson (D-Los Angeles) to make it a misdemeanor offense for a peace officer to fail to report any unlawful act of another peace officer. The bill stems from the Rodney G. King beating by law enforcement officers in Los Angeles.

Initiatives: Passed and sent to the Assembly on a 22-5 vote a bill (SB 424) by Sen. Quentin Kopp (I-San Francisco) to prohibit contributors to initiative campaigns from influencing the content of the ballot measure.

Ballot Measures: Passed and sent to the Assembly on a 32-5 vote a bill (SB 734) by President Pro Tem David A. Roberti (D-Los Angeles) to require the state ballot pamphlet to include a list of the top five campaign contributors both for and against each proposed initiative measure.

Free Speech: Passed and sent to the Assembly on a 29-2 vote a bill (SB 1115) by Sen. Bill Leonard (R-Big Bear) to prohibit high schools and colleges from disciplining students for exercising free speech rights protected by the First Amendment if they were exercised off campus.

Police Chases: Passed and sent to the Assembly on a 32-0 vote a bill (SB 799) by Sen. Edward Royce (R-Anaheim) to authorize the courts to confiscate and sell the automobile of a person convicted of fleeing a police officer. The measure also would require law enforcement agencies to report to the state annually on police pursuits.

Committee Action

Cigarette Samples: The Appropriations Committee approved a bill (SB 1100) by Sen. Marian Bergeson (R-Newport Beach) to ban public giveaway samples of tobacco products on public property. A 7-3 vote sent the bill to the Senate floor.

Capital Fact

California has had six state capitals since 1850, the year it became a state: Monterey, San Jose, Vallejo, Benicia, San Francisco and Sacramento.