Measure Provides Punishment for Having Guns Near Schools

The state Assembly has approved legislation to make the possession of a firearm within 1,000 feet of a school or playground punishable by up to three years in state prison.

A 44-19 vote sent the bill (AB 2777) by Assemblywoman Marguerite Archie-Hudson (D-Los Angeles) to the state Senate.

The anti-gang measure was one of hundreds of bills approved by both houses before today’s deadline for legislation to clear the house of origin.

GOVERNOR

Signed into law two bills (SB 1211 by Sen. Herschel Rosenthal D-Los Angeles and AB 1049 by Assemblyman Richard Katz D-Sylmar) to provide $2 million to two groups of companies competing for $12 million in federal funds to begin development of an electric automobile industry.

ASSEMBLY

Floor Action

Pregnant Women: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 44-26 vote a bill (AB 2854) by Assemblyman Richard Floyd (D-Carson) to allow pregnant women to sue for damages if their fetuses suffer prenatal injuries caused by an employer’s intentional neglect.

Los Angeles Transit: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 42-31 vote a bill (AB 2501) by Assemblyman Richard Polanco (D-Los Angeles) to permit the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission to provide a bidding preference for businesses located within the county when awarding contracts.

Tax Cheats: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 41-28 vote a bill (AB 2427) by Assemblyman Terry B. Friedman (D-Los Angeles) to allow the Franchise Tax Board to set up a reward program for people who turn in others who don’t report or underreport income that is subject to the state taxes.

Bank Closures: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 41-26 vote a bill (AB 3683) by Assemblyman Steve Peace (D-Rancho San Diego) to require banks to notify customers in writing of an intended branch closure to permit protests to be filed.

Holocaust: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 53-1 vote a bill (AB 3216) by Assemblyman Richard Katz (D-Sylmar) to require schools to include materials dealing with the Holocaust, genocide and human rights violations in the curriculum for grades 9-12.

Mammograms: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 53-0 vote a bill (AB 2841) by Assemblywoman Dede Alpert (D-Coronado) to require state regulation of nurses who administer mammograms and equipment used to detect breast cancer.

Professors: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 51-11 vote a bill (AB 3319) by Assemblyman Tom Hayden (D-Santa Monica) to require University of California tenured faculty members to teach an average of four semester courses each year.

Health Care: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 42-26 vote a bill (AB 2799) by Assemblyman Bruce Bronzan (D-Fresno) designed to impose a cap on health care insurance costs, lower premiums and require insurance carriers to offer coverage to everyone.

Check Cashers: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 41-27 vote a bill (AB 2400) by Assemblyman Steve Peace (D-Rancho San Diego) to regulate check cashing firms and establish maximum service fees.

SENATE

Floor Action

Seat Belts: Passed and returned to the Assembly for concurrence in Senate amendments on a 24-6 vote a bill (AB 338) by Assembly Speaker Willie Brown (D-San Francisco) to give police officers the authority to cite drivers based solely on whether the motorists are wearing seat belts.

Gangs: Passed and sent to the Assembly on a 24-6 vote a bill (SB 1330) by Sen. Robert Presley (D-Riverside) to let local officials use redevelopment funds to finance law enforcement programs aimed at reducing gang-related violence.

Bicycle Helmets: Passed and sent to the Assembly on a 21-7 vote a bill (SB 1878) by Sen. Marian Bergeson (R-Newport Beach) to allow cities and counties to adopt ordinances requiring bicyclists to wear safety helmets.

Discrimination: Passed and sent to the Assembly on a 22-12 vote a bill (SB 1742) by Sen. Nicholas Petris (D-0akland) to permit employees who are discriminated against by employers for reporting unsafe workplace safety problems to collect treble damages up to $1,500 for costs and attorney fees.

Beach Hotels: Passed and sent to the Assembly on a 21-13 vote a bill (SB 1305) by Sen. Herschel Rosenthal (D-Los Angeles) to prohibit the construction of luxury hotels on state beach property.

Committee Action

State Lottery: The Constitutional Amendments Committee rejected a proposed ballot measure (SCA 33) by Sen. Tim Leslie (R-Auburn) to ask the voters to decide if the state lottery should be abolished. A 3-1 vote was cast on the measure.