Assembly OKs Tougher Rules for Roofs in Fire-Prone Areas

Responding to last year’s devastating Southern California firestorms, the Assembly has approved legislation designed to strengthen roofing requirements in regions that are most vulnerable to wildfires.

A 54-21 vote sent the bill (AB 3819), authored by Assembly Speaker Willie Brown (D-San Francisco), to the Senate.

Homeowners located in at-risk areas would have to use fire retardant materials when they re-roof.

“This legislation will set forth preventive measures that will save countless California lives and homes by increasing the use of fire-safe roofing materials,” Brown said.

ASSEMBLY

Floor Action

* Gun Ammunition: Passed and sent the Senate on a 41-8 vote a bill (AB 2449) by Assemblywoman Dede Alpert (D-Coronado) making it a misdemeanor to sell ammunition to anyone under 18 or to carry ammunition on school grounds.

* Drug Abuse: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 54-8 vote a bill (AB 3631) by Assemblywoman Betty Karnette (D-Long Beach) allowing taxpayers to earmark part of their income tax refund for drug abuse education in public schools.

* Religious Worship: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 61-6 vote a bill (AB 3103) by Assemblyman Gil Ferguson (R-Newport Beach) increasing the penalty from six months to one year in jail for those convicted of disturbing worship services or preventing people from attending them.

* Boating Safety: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 51-11 vote a bill (AB 3536) by Assemblyman Byron Sher (D-Palo Alto) requiring minors 17 and younger to take a boating safety course before operating a boat eight feet or longer alone on state waters.

* School Leave: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 42-32 vote a bill (AB 2590) by Assemblywoman Delaine Eastin (D-Fremont) allowing parents, guardians and grandparents of school-age children to take off up to 40 hours a year from their work without pay to participate in school activities.

SENATE

Floor Action

* Tobacco Products: Passed and sent to the Assembly on a 31-2 vote a bill (SB 1927) by Sen. Tom Hayden (D-Santa Monica) enforcing California’s 104-year-old law prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to minors by increasing penalties for merchants who do so and authorizing sting operations using minors to catch merchants in the act.

* Assault Weapons: A bill (SB 46X) by Sen. David A. Roberti (D-Van Nuys) banning copycat assault weapons not already prohibited by existing law fell two votes short of approval. Twenty-one votes were required for passage. Reconsideration was granted.

* School Taxes: Passed and sent to the Assembly on a 21-15 vote a bill (SB 1261) by Sen. Gary Hart (D-Santa Barbara) allowing local communities to raise school taxes by simple majority vote rather than a two-thirds vote.

* Sex Offenders: Passed and sent to the governor on a 33-0 vote a bill (SB 25X) by Senate President Pro Tem Bill Lockyer (D-Hayward) prohibiting parents who are registered sex offenders from having custody of their children or unsupervised visits.

* Unmarried Couples: A bill (SB 2061) by Hart allowing extension of health care benefits to registered gay and other unmarried couples employed by local governmental agencies that have contracts with the state retirement system fell two votes short of approval. Reconsideration was granted.

* Cable Television: Passed and sent to the Assembly on a 25-9 vote a bill (SB 1941) by Sen. Herschel Rosenthal (D-Los Angeles) requiring cable television companies to protect the privacy of customers’ names and addresses and provide prompt refunds of security deposits.

Readers who wish to communicate with legislators regarding Assembly and Senate bills can write to them at the State Capitol Building, Sacramento, CA 95814.