Senate Passes Bill Designating Holiday to Honor Cesar Chavez

Legislation designating March 31 a state holiday in honor of the late Cesar Chavez, the founder of the United Farm Workers, has been approved by the Senate.

A 28-5 vote sent the measure (SB 1253) sponsored by Sen. Art Torres (D-Los Angeles) to the Assembly.

Both houses have passed a resolution asking President Clinton and Congress to declare a national holiday in honor of the UFW leader.

Torres said he could think of “no finer role model” for California schoolchildren than Chavez, who embraced nonviolent action as a lever for achieving social change.

A longtime agriculture supporter, Sen. Phil Wyman (R-Tehachapi), who faces a potentially tough reelection fight in a heavily Latino district in the San Joaquin Valley, surprised many senators by speaking in favor of the bill.

ASSEMBLY

Floor Action

* Reclaimed Water: Passed on a 47-23 vote and returned to the Senate for concurrence in amendments a bill (SB 365) by Sen. David Kelley (R-Hemet) authorizing local public agencies to require the use of reclaimed water for residential landscape watering in some cases.

* Prison Meals: Passed and sent to the governor on a 50-10 vote a bill (SB 259) by Senate President Pro Tem David A. Roberti (D-Van Nuys) requiring a report to the Legislature on efforts being made to accommodate special religious dietary needs of state prison inmates.

* Redevelopment Reform: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 41-21 vote a bill (AB 1290) by Assemblyman Phillip Isenberg (D-Sacramento) calling for the first major overhaul of the state’s community redevelopment law in more than 20 years, including redefining what constitutes blighted conditions and placing a 20-year limit on redevelopment plans.

* Juvenile Probation Camps: Passed and sent to the governor on a 60-1 vote a bill (AB 799) by Assemblyman Terry B. Friedman (D-Brentwood) saving 18 Los Angeles County juvenile probation camps threatened with closure because of the state budget squeeze. The 1993-94 budget signed by Gov. Pete Wilson contains a $33-million appropriation to keep the camps operating.

Committee Action

* Channel One: The Education Committee reversed itself and rejected a bill (SB 1047) by Sen. Art Torres (D-Los Angeles) to prohibit Channel One, a televised news and advertising program, from being shown in California public schools. A 5-4 vote was cast on the bill with nine yes votes required for approval. The same bill was approved by the same committee on a 10-4 vote last week.

* Sexual Intercourse With Minors: The Public Safety Committee approved a bill (SB 22) by state Sen. Newton R. Russell (R-Glendale) making it illegal for an adult female to engage in sexual intercourse with a minor male. A 7-0 vote sent the bill to the Ways and Means Committee.

* Law Enforcement Officers: The Public Safety Committee approved a bill (SB 1206) by state Sen. Rob Hurtt (R-Garden Grove) allowing a more extensive applicant screening process for law enforcement jobs. A 5-0 vote sent the bill to the Assembly floor.

SENATE

Floor Action

* Park Bonds: Passed and sent to the Assembly on a 30-6 vote a bill (SB 158) by Sen. Dan McCorquodale (D-Modesto) to place a $606.6-million parks and recreation bond issue on the June, 1994, primary election ballot.

* School Bonds: Passed and sent to the Assembly on a 27-3 vote a bill (SB 190) by state Sen. Leroy Greene (D-Carmichael) to place a $1-billion school bond issue on the June, 1994, primary election ballot.

Committee Action

* Pickups: The Transportation Committee approved a bill (AB 153) by Assemblyman Curtis Tucker Jr. (D-Inglewood) prohibiting people from riding in the beds of open pickups unless secured by a restraint system. An 8-1 vote sent the bill to the Appropriations Committee.

* Presidential Primary: The Elections and Reapportionment Committee approved a bill (AB 2196) by Assemblyman Jim Costa (D-Hanford) to move the state’s presidential primary election to the fourth Tuesday in March. A 4-0 vote sent the bill to the Appropriations Committee.

* Public Information Officers: The Governmental Organization Committee approved a bill (AB 173) by Assemblywoman Valerie Brown (D-Sonoma) to eliminate the jobs of 190 state public information officers, reduce salaries paid to members of 11 major state boards and commissions and cut travel budgets in half. A 6-4 vote sent the bill to the Appropriations Committee.