"Nearly three weeks after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced he would block any bill that reached his desk until the Legislature approves a budget, the governor signed a bill Tuesday that revises the $9.9 billion high-speed rail bond measure on the November ballot," writes Kevin Yamamura in the Bee.
Read my lips...
"In a letter sent late Monday, Schwarzenegger asked
legislative leaders to send him four proposals immediately,
including the rail measure and a water bond, so they
may be placed on the November ballot.
"The governor indicated that in at least those cases,
he is willing to renege on his Aug. 6 vow that 'some good bills will fail.'
"The Assembly had passed the rail bond revision earlier
this month but withheld it until Tuesday due to the
governor's threat.
"The other two proposals include a plan to expand the
California Lottery, and a budget change plan to strengthen
the state's rainy-day fund.
"Those proposals are part of budget negotiations still
unresolved 58 days into the fiscal year.
"'The governor believes Californians ought to have the
opportunity to vote on these four measures on the November
ballot despite the fact that the Legislature is two
months past their deadline in passing a budget,' Schwarzenegger spokesman Aaron McLear said."
Dan Walters is not impressed.
"It's becoming evident that Schwarzenegger will say and
do anything – as well as sign anything – to slide through the remainder of his governorship,
and then dump his mess in someone else's lap.
"He's rapidly approaching buffoonery."
But, really, his fingers were crossed!
Meanwhile, the Fresno Bee's Jim Boren blogs: "Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger told The Fresno Bee's editorial board that he won't settle for a bad budget and is willing to wait significantly longer for the right deal from the Legislature. He said he would hold his ground until November or even December without a budget, and would even consider "rolling right into" January with the
introduction of his next budget."
I'm dreaming of a two-thirds vote...just like Jesse Unruh used to know...
"And you thought that waiting until September to get
a budget was revolutionary. Are the Democrats and Republicans
ready to play that game of budget chicken? The public,
which right now is not all that engaged in the problem,
will be screaming if it takes that long to solve the
budget crisis.
"Schwarzenegger said during the editorial board meeting,
which we held with him by video conference, that one
thing he won't do is
'kick the problem into next year.' That means getting a solid budget that has significant reforms in it, including a rainy day fund, he said. The problem is the governor can't get his own party to go along with his budget proposal, and Democrats are resisting any significant spending limitations, which are in his plan."
"State health officials have asked a federal judge to suspend her order requiring
them to restore 10 percent cuts in Medi-Cal payments to doctors, dentists and pharmacists, saying the
ruling was unclear and legally flawed and would be
prohibitively expensive for California taxpayers," reports the Chron's Bob Egelko.
"Paying full fees to health care providers would cost
at least $500 million a year and 'will only worsen California's already dire financial situation,' state lawyers said in papers filed late Monday with
U.S. District Judge Christina Snyder of Los Angeles, who issued the injunction Aug. 18.
"They also said it would take at least three weeks to
reprogram computers to increase the payments, which
were cut July 1. Allowing the 10 percent reductions to remain in place for another
month or two would not harm Medi-Cal's 6.6 million patients, state officials said - a view that Snyder rejected in her ruling last week.
"Medi-Cal's chief administrator, Stan Rosenstein, said legislators might eliminate services not required
by federal law, such as prescription drugs and adult
dental care, if Snyder's injunction remains in effect during the state's appeal.
"A lawyer for pharmacists and patients who argued for
the injunction said Tuesday that the state's request was 'a sham and filed in bad faith.'"
The Roundup's own Anthony York is equipped with his bottle of Advil, and has been talking to California Clinton delegates about tonight's roll-call vote.
"Steve Maviglio, a Clinton delegate from Sacramento, said he intends
to cast his vote for Clinton. “I pledged to vote for Hilliary to those who vote for
me (as a delegate), Maviglio said. “Unless she says differently, that’s my plan.”
"But Maviglio added, he is ready to cast his vote for
Obama, if Clinton requests. But he would not mind if
there is a roll call on the convention floor Wednesday
night. “If putting her name up and allowing votes promotes
party unity, then I’m all for it,” he said.
"But other Clinton delegates have already moved on.
'I supported her strongly, but I’m looking ahead. I’m looking to the future,' said Karen Skelton, another Clinton delegate from Sacramento."
"Legislators debated, but didn't agree on, a water bond Tuesday that could build a new dam at Temperance Flat on
the San Joaquin River and help clean up contaminated
groundwater in Tulare County and elsewhere," reports Jake Henshaw in the Visalia Times-Delta.
"The Special Committee on Water focused primarily on
a $9.8 billion bond co-authored by Assemblywoman Anna Caballero, D-Salinas, a proposal that represented a new formal effort
by Assembly Democrats.
"'It's a work in progress,' Caballero said, 'but we've moved closer to a consensus product than has ever
been achieved.'
"Republicans criticized the Democratic proposal and,
more specifically, the Democrats for refusing to include
a $9.98 billion GOP water bond in the hearing.
"'I think that is a [Democratic] leadership issue,' Assemblywoman Lois Wolk, D-Davis, committee chair, said of any hearing on the
GOP plan."
"The state correctional officers union has contributed $577,000 to a political committee controlled by state Sen. Don Perata, with most of the cash sent over in the final weeks of the current legislative session," reports Andy Furillo in the Bee.
"A spokesman for the California Correctional Peace Officers
Association said it is his understanding the money
is supposed to help defeat the Proposition 11 legislative redistricting initiative on the Nov. 4 ballot.
"Lance Corcoran of the CCPOA also confirmed Tuesday that the union
has geared up for an 11th-hour push to obtain a legislative pay raise for the
labor organization that has worked without a contract
for more than two years.
"Corcoran said "there is absolutely nothing, there is no quid pro quo" between the contribution and the anticipated pay raise
bill.
"'When it comes to the CCPOA, it doesn't matter what the timing is,' Corcoran said. 'There will always be those who think there are strings
attached.'
"But Jeannine English – the statewide president of AARP, which is supporting
the Proposition 11 redistricting measure – along with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and groups such
as Common Cause, called the CCPOA contribution shameful.
"'For CCPOA to be trying to buy off Senator Perata so
they will get a huge pay increase is appalling,' English said."
Speaking of the pokey, CW's Malcolm Maclachlan reports: "The California Department of Corrections is preparing new guidelines for gay marriages in prisons in response to the court ruling that legalized gay marriage in California.
"Under the new rules, gay inmates will have the same
marriage rights as straight ones: They'll be able to marry non-inmates, but will be barred from marrying other inmates.
With straight inmates, this rule has rarely had an
immediate impact, given that male and female prisoners
are housed in different facilities.
"However, Corrections is maintaining the policy in single-sex institutions in order to prevent intimidation and
harassment, according to department press secretary
Seth Unger. Otherwise, Unger said, prisoners found
out to have money or other assets might find themselves
coerced into marriages with more powerful inmates,
who then might try to lay claim to half of their net
worth.
"We're still developing our official policies and procedures
for complying with the court ruling,' said Seth Unger, press secretary for corrections.
'We have never permitted inmates to marry other inmates
in the past. We do believe it would pose safety and
security concerns at our prisons. We do not expect
to permit inmate-to-inmate marriages as a result of this ruling.'"
"Alarmed by breaches in which UCLA Medical Center employees
snooped in the confidential records of celebrities
including Britney Spears, Farrah Fawcett and California First Lady Maria Shriver, state lawmakers moved Tuesday to clamp hospital files
shut with new oversight and stiffer penalties ," reports the LAT's Patrick McGreevy.
"Legislators also approved a bid to extend healthcare
coverage to those with preexisting medical conditions.
"The Assembly did not meet Tuesday. But the state Senate
approved a measure that would require hospitals to
draft a plan to safeguard patient information and set
up a new state Office of Health Information Integrity
with power to review plans and violations and assess
fines of up to $250,000 against people who violate patient privacy.
"A companion bill, which the Senate has yet to act on,
would allow fines of up to $250,000 against healthcare providers in case of breaches."
"Sen. Christine Kehoe has shelved her controversial legislation that would
have charged wildland property owners $50 a year to help pay for fire protection," reports Michael Gardner in the U-T.
"The San Diego Democrat also conceded that she had reached
an impasse with the governor's office over a separate measure that would have prohibited
counties from approving development projects in wildland
areas unless adequate firefighting forces are close
by.
"'We just couldn't get across the finish line,' Kehoe said yesterday.
"However, San Diego County voters will still go to the
polls Nov. 4 to determine the fate of a similar fee proposal advanced
by the board of supervisors. Two-thirds of those voting would have to approve the $52-a-year assessment, which would raise $50 million a year to create a regional fire protection
agency and add firefighting defenses.
"After bowing out, Kehoe endorsed a proposal to levy
a surcharge on property insurance bills to raise money
for a broad range of emergency needs, including engines
and personnel to respond to fires, earthquakes and
other disasters."
"Legislation awaiting the governor's signature would give California pharmacists, medical wholesalers and pharmaceutical manufacturers until at least 2015 – four years beyond the current deadline – to create an electronic tracking system for prescription drugs,' writes Keith Darcé in the Union-Tribune.
"State lawmakers passed the bill last week, and it was
still generating praise yesterday from representatives
of drugstore chains attending a national industry meeting
in San Diego.
"'We should breathe a big collective sigh of relief,' said Karen Peterson with Sears Holdings Corp., the
parent of Kmart. She was one of about 3,000 people at the downtown convention center for the conference,
which was sponsored by the National Association of
Chain Drug Stores.
"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has not said whether he
will sign the bill. Most legislation passed in recent
weeks has been stalled by the deadlock over the state's new budget."
For today's closer, we just have to tell you to go read the article. After all, you really don't have anything to do, and there are just too many tidbits to do justice within our publication. Let's just say murder, beach party strippers, a dead SCUBA diver, and the Catholic church.