Assembly OKs Bill Protecting Against Undercooked Meats

A bill designed to protect consumers against the possibilities of deadly bacteria contained in undercooked hamburgers has been passed by the Assembly.

A 44-29 vote sent the bill (AB 1697) by Assemblywoman Diane Martinez (D-Rosemead) to the Senate.

The measure would require all food-serving establishments to cook meat, fish and poultry at a minimum temperature of 155 degrees Fahrenheit as recommended by federal guidelines.

Bacteria in undercooked hamburgers recently caused 450 people to become seriously ill and three people to die in Washington state, Martinez said.

ASSEMBLY

Floor Action

* AIDS Research: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 43-20 vote a bill (AB 925) by Assemblywoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) to allow taxpayers to check off a portion of their state income tax overpayment refund to go to AIDS research.

* Firearm Sales: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 41-35 vote a bill (AB 1333) by Assemblyman Mike Gotch (D-San Diego) to prohibit the sale of guns confiscated from criminals by local law enforcement agencies.

* Child Labor: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 41-33 vote a bill (AB 1900) by Assemblyman Terry Friedman (D-Brentwood) to increase civil and criminal penalties for violations of child labor standards to conform with federal law.

* Life Jackets: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 43-20 vote a bill (AB 1856) by Assemblywoman Jackie Speier (D-Burlingame) to require life jackets to be worn by children under age 6 who are riding in pleasure boats less than 26 feet in length.

* Spousal Rape: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 64-3 vote a bill (AB 187) by Assemblywoman Hilda Solis (D-El Monte) to sentence spousal rapists to the same prison terms as other rapists.

* Martial Arts: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 44-28 vote a bill (AB 2313) by Assemblyman Dominic Cortese (D-San Jose) to authorize the state Athletic Commission to establish minimum safety and equipment standards for martial arts schools.

* Report Cards: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 56-15 vote a bill (AB 198) by Assembly Speaker Willie Brown (D-San Francisco) to require high school graduates’ report cards to indicate the degree to which students are prepared to enter the work force.

* Tree Protection: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 42-28 vote a bill (AB 205) by Assemblyman Terry Friedman (D-Brentwood) to authorize cities and counties to adopt tree protection and planting ordinances.

* Equal Rights: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 48-18 vote a resolution (AJR 1) by Assemblywoman Jackie Speier (D-Burlingame) asking the President and Congress to adopt the Equal Rights Amendment.

* Chicano Studies: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 42-23 vote a resolution (ACR 55) by Assemblyman Richard Polanco (D-Los Angeles) urging UCLA officials to establish and support a Chicano studies department on the Westwood campus.

* Offshore Gambling: Rejected by a 37-33 vote a bill (AB 74) by Assemblywoman Dede Alpert (D-Coronado) to permit casino-style gambling on cruise ships traveling in international waters between California ports. Forty-one yes votes required for approval. Notice of reconsideration served.

SENATE

Floor Action

* Solid Waste: Passed and sent to the Assembly on a 21-15 vote a bill (SB 450) by Sen. Ralph C. Dills (D-Gardena) to give local governmental entities greater flexibility in meeting solid waste reduction and recycling requirements by redefining what constitutes solid waste.

* School Bonds: Passed and sent to the Assembly on a 25-7 vote a bill (SB 841) by Sen. Newton R. Russell (R-Glendale) to reduce from two-thirds or 66.67% to three-fifths or 60% the vote required for passage of local school bond issues.

* Female Athletes: Passed and sent to the Assembly on a 21-6 vote a bill (SB 262) by Sen. Gary K. Hart (D-Santa Barbara) to require the total number of athletes at each state college to reflect the percentage of full-time women undergraduate students enrolled at each campus by 1998-99.

Committee Action

* Gun Tax: The Appropriations Committee rejected a bill (SB 1129) by Senate President Pro Tem David A. Roberti (D-Van Nuys) to impose a 5% surtax on the purchase of firearms and ammunition with the revenue earmarked for local law enforcement purposes. The vote was 7 to 4. Reconsideration granted.

* Ammunition: The Appropriations Committee approved a bill (SB 1128) by Roberti to restrict the capacity of detachable rifle magazines to 15 rounds of centerfire ammunition. A 9-2 vote sent the bill to the Senate floor.