Aug 23, 2005

No bull

In bad news for Pit Bull testicles statewide, the Assembly passed Jackie Speier's SB 861, which would allow local governments to regulate specific breeds of dogs. The bill is now back in the Senate for a concurrence vote.

"'This will make a huge difference in the cities and counties that elect to adopt' ordinances, said Jennifer Fearing, president of United Animal Nations, a Sacramento-based animal protection group. But, she said, 'it's definitely not a complete answer to the dangerous problem. It does not address what's motivating people to create dangerous dogs in the first place.'"

"'It's time to get rid of these pit bulls,' said Assemblyman Tim Leslie (R-Tahoe City). 'I think we ought to string 'em all up, send them to some other state.'"

Yeehaw, Sheriff Leslie!

Meanwhile, Capitol Weekly reports on a political spat involving SEIU that has threatened tomorrow's legislative all-star game. The game is an annual fundraiser, this time raising money for a baseball park for disabled children and adults in South Sacramento.

Late word is that the conflict has been resolved. Look for the full story in Thursday's Capitol Weekly.

In Tomorrow's Kevin Murray Legislation Today news, actress Scarlett Johansson hit a car with a family inside as she tried to elude paparazzi in the Disneyland parking lot. Nobody was hurt in the incident, but set those stopwatches to see how long it takes a bill to get introduced in Sacramento.

From our I've Got A Bridge to Sell Files, the Mercury News reports that Speaker Fabian Nuñez's upcoming trip to Mexico to meet with Vicente Fox could "upstage" the governor. "The tension between the governor and the Mexican government began to boil after his comments about closing the border and supporting the Minutemen. 'Those things really cemented the idea that I needed to go to Mexico,' Núñez said. 'I grew up there, I lived there for eight years as a child and I speak the language fluently. I am the perfect person to build a bridge between Mexico and California.'"

An eager nation awaits.

Dan Walters takes a look at Greg Aghazarian's AB 417, what we're calling the Zima Protection Act, which would clarify that "fermented malt beverages" (FMBs) "would continue to be taxed at the same rate as beer, 20 cents a gallon, even though federal regulators have decreed that as much as 49 percent of their alcohol could be distilled, rather than fermented, and still be FMBs."

Just in time for a few last floor speeches predicting armageddon, "[t]he California Supreme Court broke new legal ground for same-sex parents Monday by ruling that lesbian and gay partners who plan a family and raise a child together should be considered legal parents after a breakup, with the same rights and responsibilities as heterosexual parents."

We watched last night's post-gave coverage, featuring Dennis Mountjoy and Mark Leno on Channel 10 as it was meant to be watched -- at a bar, with a drink in our hand, and the sound on the TV off.

Seems like there's a new, er, target for anti-Schwarzenegger shoppers. "A California consumer group is telling seniors not to shop at Target stores because of the more than $300,000 the retailer has given to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger," the Chronicle reports. A consumer group has taken out a new ad criticizing the chain store's donations.

"'Target Corporation is one of Arnold Schwarzenegger's biggest special interest donors -- money he's using to promote his agenda against consumers and affordable health care,' the announcer says. 'Well snap my girdle,' the elderly shopper answers. 'They're using our money against us.'"

Snap my girdle? Moving on...

From our John Campbell Coronation Files: Twenty candidates met yesterday's deadline to file papers to run in the October 4 special election to replace Congressman Chris Cox, who has moved on to head the Securities and Exchange Commission. Among people challenging Campbell are former Assemblywoman Marilyn Brewer, Minuteman Jim Gilchrist (running with the American Independent party), and perennial Democratic candidates Bea Foster and John Graham. Sorry, West Wing fans, Sam Seaborn didn't show up.

If the voters ignore the will of the governor and GOP leaders and fail to provide Mr. Campbell 50 percent on October 4, there will be a Dec. 6 runoff ballot listing the top vote recipient from each party.