Measure Repealing Outdated Laws Is Signed by Governor

Gov. Pete Wilson has signed into law a bill to repeal a number of old and useless state laws that the Democratic author has labeled as “J.U.N.K.” (Jurassic, Unproductive, Negligible and Knucklehead).

The measure (AB 3326) by Assemblyman Jack O’Connell (D-Carpinteria) was greeted with both humor and curiosity by O’Connell’s colleagues as it moved through the legislative process.

“Wanted dead-or-alive” criminal reward posters, penalties for dueling and prohibiting horses from mating unless they are located inside an enclosure so they can’t be seen by innocent passersby are the subject matter of some of the repealed statutes.

“More and more laws are being added to the California codes,” O’Connell said. “However, as this has been going on, it was overlooked that perhaps some of the previous laws were no longer needed.

“Laws about dead-or-alive rewards and dueling no longer belong in our codes, they belong in our history books.”

GOVERNOR

Bills Signed

* Childhood Sexual Abuse: AB 2846 by Assemblywoman Jackie Speier (D-Burlingame) eliminates the statute of limitations for the filing of childhood sexual abuse civil lawsuits.

* Looting Penalties: AB 2965 by Assemblywoman Martha M. Escutia (D-Huntington Park) allows judges to require community service in addition to jail time for anyone convicted of looting during a state of emergency such as the riots that resulted from the Rodney King trial decision.

* Towing Services: AB 3017 by Assemblywoman Juanita M. McDonald (D-Carson) makes it a crime for towing service operators to accept monetary kickbacks or gifts from automobile repair shops in return for taking disabled vehicles to them.

* Income Taxes: AB 3389 by Assemblywoman Barbara Friedman (D-Los Angeles) allows the state Franchise Tax Board to offer a voluntary bank electronic funds transfer program to personal income taxpayers.

* Senior Whistle-Blowers: AB 2847 by Assemblywoman Jackie Speier (D-Burlingame) prohibits a continuing care facility from terminating a contract with a senior citizen as retaliation for the resident filing a complaint against the provider.

* Arson Fires: AB 325 by Assemblyman Byron Sher (D-Palo Alto) authorizes the governor to offer rewards up to $50,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of people who willfully and maliciously set wild-land fires that cause deaths or injuries.

* Architecture Penalties: AB 2702 by Assemblyman Robert C. Frazee (R-Carlsbad) increases jail terms from six months to one year for people convicted of practicing architecture without a state license.

Bill Vetoed

* Prisoner Sex: AB 2977 by Assemblywoman Hilda Solis (D-El Monte) would make it a crime for peace officers to engage in sexual relations with prisoners. The governor said he vetoed the bill at the request of the author due to technical drafting errors, but promised to sign a corrected version later this year.