"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders
plan to meet today to discuss health care reform, but state Senate President Pro Tem
Don Perata is 'not optimistic anything substantial' will be accomplished this year," reports Aurelio Rojas in the Bee.
"In an interview with reporters after Monday's Senate floor session, the Oakland Democrat said a 'lot of momentum' was lost during the 52-day budget stalemate that ended last week.
"The Governor's Office has indicated it remains open to keeping lawmakers in Sacramento for a special session after the Legislature adjourns Sept. 14, but Perata said that would be be pointless.
"'I don't see any resolve to do anything,' he said. '
The stalemate took its toll. People are feeling battered and bruised.'
"Perata predicted Assembly Bill 8, the major initiative by Democrats to increase access to health care to the 6.5 million Californians without insurance, will clear the Legislature.
"But the senator said nothing will come of it because the Republican governor is on record that he'll veto the legislation, which would require employers to spend at least 7.5 percent of their payroll on health care."
Ms. Teen South Carolina agrees..."The prospect of a court-ordered $146 million hit on the California general fund loomed Monday after an effort to finance a new hospital at San Quentin Prison
stumbled in the state Senate," reports Andy Furillo in the Bee.
"Prison medical czar
Robert Sillen has pushed for the new, 50-bed San Quentin facility and had hoped to get it approved through a separate lease revenue bond. Assembly Republicans quashed that move last month. On Monday, a measure that would have paid for the facility out of the recently enacted, bond-heavy $7.9 billion prison construction package also failed to muster the needed two-thirds vote in the Senate.
"It was one of two setbacks for Sillen on Monday.
"In U.S. District Court in San Francisco, he had sought to strip the Prison Law Office of its monitoring power over medical care delivery in the prisons. Judge
Thelton Henderson, however, refused to grant the motion, taking it under submission and saying from the bench that the inmates rights firm plays an important role in the prison medical care remediation process.
"In the Legislature, Senate Bill 99 would have snagged a portion of the already approved prison bond money allocated for systemwide medical and mental health care beds and redirected it into Sillen's San Quentin project. It passed the Assembly on July 12 on a 72-5 vote.
"But on Monday it barely attracted half the Senate's support, 21-14. Most Republicans in the chamber and a smattering of Democrats voted against the bill."
"Putting Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in a tight political position, the state Assembly
voted Monday to place a measure on California's Feb. 5 ballot urging President Bush to immediately withdraw American troops from Iraq," reports the AP's Steve Lawrence.
What, no "between Iraq and a hard place" joke, Steve? Oh, we forgot. It's the AP...
"The 43-32 roll call left the proposal one step from Schwarzenegger's desk. It was sent back to the Senate, which approved a slightly different version of the bill in June.
"Final approval by the Senate would send the bill to the Republican governor, who could risk angering members of his own party by signing it and putting it on the presidential primary ballot or veto the bill and draw the wrath of the war's opponents.
"The bill, by Senate President Pro Tem
Don Perata, D-Oakland, asks voters if Bush should 'achieve the immediate, complete, safe and orderly withdrawal of United States forces' from Iraq."
Ms. Teen South Carolina waxed eloquent on the governor's new political dilemma..."Citing a fistful of studies that show teenagers among the most distracted and dangerous of drivers, the state Assembly on Monday
passed a bill that would prohibit drivers under the age of 18 from using a cellphone, pager, text-messaging device or laptop while driving," reports Patrick McGreevy and Tami Abdollah in the Times.
"The bill passed by a 62-5 vote, with Assemblywoman
Bonnie Garcia (R-Cathedral City) noting that teenagers make up 6% of licensed drivers but 16% of auto accident fatalities.
"'On average we are losing 17 kids a day across the United States due to fatalities in which distraction was involved,' Garcia said.
"The bill, previously approved by the state Senate, goes back there for expected final approval of amendments before it is placed on the desk of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has not decided yet whether he will sign or veto it, officials said."
Let's ask Ms. Teen South Carolina what she thinks...Meanwhile, the LAT's Nancy Vogel reports on a
street-level fight over an initiative to undo tribal gaming compacts. "On one side are a union and a racetrack owner asking people to sign petitions that would undo Indian gambling deals. On the other are Southern California tribes hoping to thwart them by persuading people not to sign -- or to withdraw their names.
"The unusual duel could trigger sidewalk confrontations, cause headaches for election officials and heighten tensions as the tribes fight to keep deals worth billions of dollars.
Ms Teen South Carolina? Your thoughts?"'
Someone's going to get hurt,' said
Mike Arno, a consultant hired by the union and the racetrack firm. '
I have seen . . . near-fisticuffs as people argue over these things.'
Arno, meanwhile, will be lining his pockets with money, fisticufs or no.
"
Jacob Mejia, spokesman for the four tribes, said, '
We're not looking for confrontation, we're just looking to inform the voters of California. . . . People should have the option to withdraw their names.'"
"Unions would be able to
organize farm workers by collecting signed membership cards instead of holding an election with secret ballots under a bill sent Monday to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger," reports the AP's Don Thompson.
"
Supporters said the change would deter intimidation by growers and could help boost the ranks of unions. In turn, farmers predicted it would have the opposite effect and allow coercion by union organizers.
"Schwarzenegger has 30 days to consider the bill after the Senate agreed to technical Assembly amendments on a party-line, 23-14 vote. He has not taken a position."
But Ms. Teen South Carolina isn't waiting 30 days for nothing..."The final tally from the state budget standoff is in --
taxpayers spent nearly $36,000 in per diem for the 40-member state Senate during the month it was supposed to be in recess, records show," writes Aurelio Rojas in the Bee.
"In addition to their annual salary ($113,000 for the rank and file; $130,000 for leaders), lawmakers are eligible for per diem when they are in session or declare that they are in Sacramento to work on state business.
"The Assembly approved the budget before heading out on summer recess, but the spending plan languished in the Senate. The upper house approved it Aug. 21, a day after the legislative session was set to resume after the recess."
"Senate President Pro Tem
Don Perata, D-Oakland, logged 25 work days during the recess that began July 21 and picked up a $4,050 per diem check."
But there are certain things that money can't buy you.
So sayeth Ms Teen South Carolina.
The information about per diem is brought to you by the California Supreme Court, which yesterday
reaffirmed our right to print your salary! (Not to mention the overpaid, lazy dude who works next to you...)
"The public
has the right to know the names of police officers and the salaries of local and state government employees, the California Supreme Court ruled Monday in two cases in which government agencies had challenged the news media's access to personnel information," reports Henry Lee in the Chron.
"In one case, four of the court's seven justices ruled that the state Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training must disclose the names, departments, hiring and termination dates of California law-enforcement officers. A fifth justice said only the names had to be released.
"The court held out the possibility that the information could be withheld in extraordinary circumstances, such as when releasing an officer's name could jeopardize an undercover agent's safety, the court said.
"In the other case, involving the city of Oakland, five justices said state law requires the disclosure of the public employees' salaries. Two other justices agreed but said police officers' pay information should be confidential."
Search away...