"Mayor
Antonio Villaraigosa's ambitious bid to assume control of the troubled Los Angeles Unified School District
abruptly stalled in the state Senate on Thursday, sparking accusations that the legislation was being held hostage to extract concessions from Assembly Speaker
Fabian Nunez, a powerful supporter," writes Michael Gardner in the Daily Breeze.
Slowing down the flow of bills at the end of session to extract concessions? Shocking!
"Senate leader
Don Perata, an Oakland Democrat who made the call, insisted there was 'nothing sinister' behind his decision to adjourn just minutes before the measure was to come up for a vote."
"However, a frustrated Sen.
Gloria Romero said the legislation became entangled in a feud between Perata and Nunez, D-Los Angeles, over the fate of more than 100 Senate bills languishing on the Assembly floor."
"'
It's a hostage bill to make sure that 115 bills are OK,' said Romero, D-Los Angeles, who has worked tirelessly for the legislation for months."
"Gov.
Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislative Democrats announced Thursday they
have agreed on a plan to force drug companies to offer discounts for low- and middle-income Californians who do not have health insurance," reports the Bee's Clea Benson.
"The deal came after two years of wrangling between the Republican administration and Democrats over the best way to make sure pharmaceutical manufacturers would offer significant price breaks."
"'
The Legislature has been a great partner,' Schwarzenegger said in a statement. 'By working together, we are providing meaningful prescription drug discounts for the hard-working Californians who pay the most for their life-saving medications, but can afford it the least.'"
"Assembly Speaker
Fabian Núñez, D-Los Angeles, said Democrats originally wanted to offer discounts to more people, but other than that, 'our bill is largely intact. … this is a victory for Democrats.'"
"In between negotiations over sweeping legislation that would retool Los Angeles schools and relieve prison overcrowding, California lawmakers are
expanding safety rules in ways that would directly affect their constituents' daily lives," reports the LAT's Jordan Rau.
"Such bills are a staple of legislative life in Sacramento, derided by some as part of an overly intrusive "nanny state" and praised by others as the cutting edge of consumer safety."
One such bill would require children under 8 to be strapped into car booster seats.
"'Most parents want to do the right thing,' said Assemblywoman
Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa), the sponsor of the booster seat bill, which won final passage Thursday and will be sent to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for approval or veto. 'It's up to us to help them to understand what the right thing is.'"
Ms. Evans is going to find this crazy, but not everyone in California thinks legislators are really qualified for that gig.
"'
You can't assume everyone is an idiot,' said [
Ray] Haynes. 'Most people can figure things out for themselves. We kind of lose sight of what we're really about: stopping bad people from doing bad things, not stopping good people from doing stupid things.'"
"Mothers of unwanted California babies
would have up to 30 days to surrender their newborns without fear of prosecution under legislation sent Thursday to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger," writes the Bee's Jim Sanders.
"The final legislative hurdle was cleared with a 64-4 vote by the Assembly to concur in Senate amendments to the measure,
Assembly Bill 1873."
"'I think if we're really honest, this is a pro-life bill,' said Assemblywoman
Bonnie Garcia, R-Cathedral City. 'We're giving a baby an opportunity to live.'"
Legislators aren't the only ones making rules, reports the Chron's Ryan Kim. "California regulators
lifted most price controls for local telephone service providers Thursday, saying competition from wireless, Internet and cable telephone rivals will maintain competitive prices."
"Over the concerns of some consumer groups, the California Public Utilities Commission voted 5-0 to deregulate basic phone service. That will allow companies such as AT&T and Verizon to set prices without regulatory restrictions."
Turning out to be one hell of a year for phone companies...
The Bee's Jim Sanders looks at the
death of the flood control package. "The California Building Industry Association and other development interests had fought hard against
Assembly Bill 1899, which became the lightning rod in Perata's decision to kill the entire eight-bill package."
"Sen.
Dean Florez, D-Shafter, said the building industry has become increasingly powerful since Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger took office."
"'
Let me put it this way: The governor is the tractor, and they're working the gears,' Florez said. '
And you can quote me.'"
Can the guv quote you on his next funder invite?
"A poor Imperial County Indian tribe that had been caught up in a test of wills between the governor and some of the state's richest tribes finally appears on the brink of securing a new gambling agreement it signed last summer," reports the U-T's Jim Sweeney.
"Ending a 14-month wait with unusual speed, the Assembly voted to
ratify a new compact Thursday that would
permit the Quechan tribe to build a new mid-sized casino in Imperial County."
Meanwhile, members of the Los Coyotes tribe are
participating in a hunger strike to
call attention to the Legislature's refusal to adopt its compact with the governor, which would allow it to build a casino in Barstow. "'We want to call to mind the injustices between the rich tribes and the poor tribes,' said Los Coyotes member
Melody Sees, who Thursday said she has had only water and one protein shake since Sunday," writes Peter Hecht in the Bee.
"'It's a disparity that we want people to see.'"
"The protest by the impoverished tribal members was watched by representatives of their would-be Barstow casino investors: the Illitch family of Michigan, founder of Little Caesars Pizza and owner of the Detroit Red Wings hockey team and the MotorCity Casino."
"The symbolic handful of hunger strikers was also boosted by speeches from Barstow city officials, environmentalists, labor activists and state Sen.
Wes Chesbro, D-Arcata."
"A Tenderloin massage parlor must close by the end of the month
because its owner used the business as a front for prostitution, a hearing officer for the city's Department of Public Health has ruled," reports the Chron's Heather Knight.
So much for a happy ending.
Finally, from our
Is That A Bomb In Your Pocket Files a Chicago judge "has decided there is enough evidence to prosecute a man who says an airport security guard misheard him when she thought he said that
a sexual device in his backpack was actually a bomb," the AP reports.
"
Mardin Amin claims he actually told the guard the small, black object was a "pump" -- as in a penis pump."
"Amin's attorney said her client was
embarrassed to explain the object in front of his mother, who was traveling with him, so he whispered. The guard misunderstood, and
thought he said 'bomb,' according to defense attorney
Eileen O'Neill-Burke."
"'His mother is standing there so, under his breath, he says, 'It's a pump. Put it away. Put it away,'' O'Neill-Burke told The Associated Press on Thursday. The guard asked him again and he repeated that the object was a pump, the attorney said."
"O'Neill-Burke added that Amin, an Iraqi, has a thick accent and she herself had trouble understanding him until he brought the pump to her office and showed it to her."
