"In the wake of the Virginia Tech tragedy Monday,
Assembly Republican leaders criticized Democrats for becoming too complacent about school safety while a powerful Senate Democrat scheduled a special hearing to examine campus-security precautions," writes Steve Geissinger in the Oakland Tribune.
Well, that didn't take long...
"Assembly Republican leaders faulted Assembly Democrats, who control the Legislature, for rejecting what they consider an important school-safety bill last week.
"Democratic lawmakers from the Bay Area, San Fernando Valley and Long Beach supplied votes Wednesday to kill the measure to expand data collection on violent schools.
"'We now seem to be in a position of reacting rather than taking proactive steps,' said Assistant Republican Leader
Bill Emmerson of Redlands following the shootings.
"At the same time in the California Senate, Sen.
Jack Scott, D-Pasadena, the chairman of the education committee, called a special hearing of his panel to ask educators to testify on campus safety.
"'(Virginia) is a call to action for us to review our own procedures to ensure the safety of our public schools and college campuses,' Scott said."
"Voters could alter term limits, change how legislative districts are drawn and tighten political fundraising rules under
one catch-all ballot measure proposed Monday," reports Jim Sanders in the Bee.
"Sen.
Roy Ashburn, R-Bakersfield, said his measure, Senate Constitutional Amendment 9, would 'fundamentally change the way in which the people's business is conducted in the state Capitol.'
"But the proposal drew immediate criticism from Republican and Democratic leaders, suggesting it faces long odds to qualify for the February ballot.
"Assembly Speaker
Fabian Núñez, through a spokesman, called SCA 9's all-in-one approach an 'unworkable and unconstitutional crapshoot.'
"'We need to be straight with Californians and let them weigh each of these reforms on their own merits,' Núñez said.
"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, through a spokesman, applauded the concept of packaging political reforms but took no position on details of SCA 9."
"The
Senate is set to vote Thursday on bills that would allow five major Southern California tribes, including the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, to expand their gambling operations," reports Jake Henshaw in the Desert Sun.
"'I intend to bring them up Thursday,' Senate leader
Don Perata, D-Oakland, said Monday.
"The bills also would amend the existing compacts of the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Mission Indians, the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians and Sycuan Band of Kumeyaay Nation. A final bill would approve a new compact for the Yurok Tribe of Northern California, which hopes to operate 99 slot machines.
"The five Southern California tribes would get add 22,500 slot machines, including another 3,000 machines for the Agua Caliente and an additional 5,500 for the Morongo, if the new deals signed with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger are ratified by the Senate and the Assembly.
"'I believe in this house we have sufficient votes,' Sen.
Denise Ducheny, D-San Diego, said.
"But the strongest opponents - labor unions - continue to make their case that four of the five compacts aren't fair to casino workers. Labor isn't opposing the compact for the San Manuel tribe since it has a collective bargaining compact with the Communication Workers of America."
The Bee's Shane Goldmacher
looks at the governor's friend and speech coach, Walter von Huene. "A dialogue coach for Schwarzenegger in the movies 'Jingle All the Way' and 'Batman & Robin,' von Huene has made
more than $530,000 in political consulting fees since the 2003 recall. The governor's campaigns have reimbursed von Huene another $48,000 for travel and food expenses.
"Last year, von Huene took home his biggest haul yet: $225,000 for consulting work, more than half of it paid by the California Republican Party.
"A member of Schwarzenegger's inner circle since the recall election, von Huene's chief task has been to help Schwarzenegger prepare for speeches, ensuring the texts fit with the governor's accent and speaking style.
"In 2003, he played the role of mock moderator in Schwarzenegger's debate preparations. In 2005, during the governor's ill-fated special election, von Huene donned a Dracula-like outfit to appear as "Count Cartaxula" in a Halloween campaign event. And in 2006, von Huene could be heard on the private audiotapes of the governor's candid conversations that were later revealed to the world.
"'He's a longtime friend, confidant and adviser to the governor, and his advice is invaluable to all of the governor's public appearances,' said
Julie Soderlund, a spokeswoman for Schwarzenegger. 'Any time the governor gives a speech, frankly,' von Huene is involved, she said."
"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposed
$10 billion prison construction plan suffered a setback Monday as the top two legislative Democrats blasted corrections officials for
building a new execution chamber at San Quentin State Prison without telling lawmakers and suggested they wouldn't spend money on a mismanaged prison system," reports the Chron's Mark Martin.
"Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata on Monday questioned the credibility and management skills of the governor's Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, suggesting that the construction of the chamber at San Quentin illustrates why Democrats are balking at agreeing to Schwarzenegger's proposal to spend more on new prison and jail construction. "
"When it comes to campaign finance reform,
Loni Hancock might be described as a hopeless romantic," reports Steven Harmon in the Merc News.
"What else to label the third-term Berkeley-area assemblywoman who, for a third time, is challenging her legislative colleagues to dismantle what she calls the "pay to play" system that binds lawmakers and their powerful supporters in a symbiotic relationship that critics say is corrupting politics.
"Hancock's efforts already have been thwarted twice, and that's not counting the separate campaign finance ballot measure that deep-pocketed opponents helped defeat five months ago. Undeterred, Hancock, a Democrat, is again pushing a bill, AB583, that would provide public dollars to candidates who refuse to accept private donations."
The bill gets its first hearing in Assembly Elections today.
The Bee's Judy Lin
sits down with Darrell Steinberg to talk mental health and more. "Steinberg, noting that Proposition 63 money cannot be used for institutional care, said expanded mental health care in prison should be part of the $10.5 billion prison building package Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is backing.
"More than half of all prison and jail inmates throughout the country suffer from a mental health problem, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Steinberg says his bill would help tame the overcrowded prison system and reduce recidivism.
"During his hourlong interview, Steinberg also fielded questions about the long-term challenges of maintaining the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, term limits and revisited last year's failed Kings arena proposal.
"On the Delta, he touted his Senate Bill 27 that would set a deadline for lawmakers to decide whether to back a peripheral canal or reduce pumping and build dams."
"About 91 percent of California high school students in the class of 2007
have passed both the English and math portions of the state High School Exit Exam, according to a report released today," writes Fermin Leal in the Register.
"This is good news not only because those students now qualify for diplomas,' said state Superintendent
Jack O'Connell. '
It's good news because those students now have the foundation in reading and math they need to move forward in college or the workplace.'"
Or, more accurately, they can meet
10th grade reading and eighth grade math standards.
"About 390,700 seniors have passed the test while about 36,700 seniors have not, according to the report done by Human Resources Research Organization, the independent evaluator of the test."
And from our
George Jones Files, the AP reports a man in Louisiana was arrest for
drunk driving -- on his lawnmower. "man is free on bond after an arrest for driving while intoxicated — on a lawnmower. Ouachita Parish sheriff's deputies booked Larry Minniefield, 48, on one count of driving while intoxicated and driving an unsafe vehicle.
"According to arrest reports, deputies were working another complaint Friday night when they noticed Minniefield drive by on a John Deere lawnmower. A short time later, deputies noticed him drive by on the lawnmower again, and that he appeared to be intoxicated and driving in the middle of the road."