4 Bills Offered by Local Lawmakers Clear Panels

Four bills offered by two Ventura County lawmakers cleared state Senate legislative committees this week.

Three of the bills were written by Assemblywoman Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) and one was co-authored by state Sen. Jack O’Connell (D-San Luis Obispo). Both legislators represent western Ventura County.

One of Jackson’s bills, which passed the Senate Education Committee on Wednesday, calls for the Department of Education to provide school districts with a sample curriculum on domestic violence prevention. The bill recommends first- through sixth-graders receive two hours of instruction and older students four hours of instruction.

The Education Committee also passed a Jackson bill that encourages public-private partnerships to increase the number of specialty nurses. Under the bill’s provisions, the chancellor of the California community colleges would provide grants to colleges for development of both curriculum and training programs at work sites.

Jackson, chairwoman of the Assembly’s Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee, had an oil transportation safety bill passed by the Senate Natural Resources and Wildlife Committee on Tuesday. That bill requires any new offshore oil development in state waters to ship oil onshore via pipeline instead of tanker.

Pipelines reduce the threat of oil spills and protect marine life, Jackson said.

O’Connell’s bill, which passed the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, would extend the law that permits California farmers to sell their produce at certified farmers’ markets.

The bills must pass the Appropriations Committee and receive approval from the full Senate before they can be submitted to Gov. Gray Davis for his signature.