"A suddenly recalcitrant Legislature
refused Thursday, on its final day in session, to pass Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's major expansion of Indian gambling and his proposed changes to California's prison system," report Dan Morain and Nancy Vogel in the Times.
"After months of unusual cooperation with the Republican governor, Democratic leaders put off votes, probably until next year, on deals with four wealthy Indian tribes that hope to more than double the size of their casinos, and one with a poor tribe that has no casino. A deal for a sixth tribe, the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians of Palm Springs, passed the Senate but failed in the Assembly."
"'Members of my Democratic caucus are pretty irritated that all these compacts came to us at such a late time in the legislative session, and
folks really don't want to deal with this,' said Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez (D-Los Angeles)."
By "this," Nuñez is probably talking about being forced to choose between organized labor and tribes.
Organized labor opposed the compacts, most of which did not include provisions for unionization of employees.
"'The way the Democrats have treated the Indians is shameful,' said Assemblyman
Russ Bogh (R-Cherry Valley), whose Inland Empire district includes tribal casinos. 'The Indians learned this week who their friends are.'"
Clea Benson and Andy Furillo report for the Bee: "Legislators on Thursday
sent Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger a universal health care bill he is likely to veto and measures increasing the minimum wage and regulating greenhouse gases he is likely to sign.
"Lawmakers battled a midnight deadline to deal with nearly 200 bills before the end of the two-year legislative session."
"As they worked into the night, lawmakers also sent the Republican governor a bill to allow phone companies into the cable television market. They failed to deal with measures aimed at easing prison overcrowding, however, prompting a pledge by Schwarzenegger to find administrative options that can be acted on immediately without legislative approval."
Edwin Garcia reports in the Merc News: "Another bill that would have prohibited smoking in vehicles when a young child is present
also failed in the Assembly just before the midnight deadline. The bill,
AB 379, had been approved by the Senate earlier in the week."
"Still, several Assembly and Senate leaders called the two-year legislative session one of the Capitol's most productive in recent years."
"'
After today, I think if we look back at what we're going to accomplish here, this is going to be a great year for the Legislature,' Assembly Speaker
Fabian Nunez said Thursday morning, shortly after the final marathon session began."
"A plan to spend nearly $3 billion over the next seven years to reduce class sizes, improve teacher training and add counselors at California's lowest-performing schools was sent to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's desk for approval Thursday,
marking the end of a bitter dispute between the governor and the state's largest teachers union," writes Carla Rivera for the Times.
"
The legislation settles a lawsuit filed against Schwarzenegger in 2005 by the California Teachers Assn. and state Supt. of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell accusing the governor of reneging on a promise to repay schools money owed under Proposition 98, the school financing law."
"'This important legislation is not a quick fix, which teachers know is not the answer,' California Teachers Assn. President
Barbara Kerr said in a statement. 'It's really about creating a framework for lasting change for generations of students.'"
"Legislation approved by the state Senate on Thursday, by Sen.
Martha Escutia (D-Whittier), would
instruct textbook publishers to provide additional reading and writing support for English learners and give school districts discretion in purchasing the materials. The bill,
SB 1769, which was approved by the Assembly last Friday, could reach the governor's desk today," writes Carla Rivera in the Times.
"While the legislation has gained wide support, it has also become a symbol of the fierce philosophical clash over English instruction in California, with many opponents, including Gov.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, insisting that the option would lead to lower standards and segregation of students based on English ability."
"California moved a step closer Thursday to becoming one of a handful of states to place
broad restrictions on using hand-held cell phones while driving," reports the Bee's Judy Lin.
"On a 21-15 vote, the Senate sent Gov.
Arnold Schwarzenegger a bill that allows police to cite drivers for using a hand-held cell phone starting July 1, 2008. Drivers not using alternatives -- such as a headset or speakerphone feature --
could be fined $20 for the first infraction and $50 for subsequent offenses."
"The bill, approved on the last day of the legislative session, includes a four-year exemption for drivers using cell phones that have a push-to-talk feature, which doesn't require the device be held close to the ear."
"Schwarzenegger has said he will sign the bill."
Not everyone was happy, though.
"The California Legislature's last-gasp attempt to pass a
package of flood-control proposals designed to lessen disaster risk and increase public safety died Thursday night in an Assembly committee."
"'I am extremely, extremely disappointed,' said Assemblywoman
Lois Wolk, a Davis Democrat who had worked all year on the flood-control package but ultimately supported its demise on the final night of the legislative session."
"Wolk ultimately concluded it was better to do nothing and tackle the issue next year, than to do the wrong thing and pretend the issue was solved.
"The death blow to the flood proposals, contained in
Assembly Bill 1665, was dealt by the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee chaired by Wolk."
"AB 1665 consisted of various Assembly bills declared dead last week by Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, who later changed his mind and decided to consider the proposals if they were combined into a single piece of legislation."
"Wolk concluded the end result, cobbled together quickly, was an unsupportable mishmash."
The LAT's David Pierson and Mai Tran look at
Van Tran's bill to
require a study to reconsider health inspector regulations affecting Asian pastries. "Asian restaurants have long battled health inspectors over the temperature at which famous dishes like Peking duck and Korean rice cakes are served. But this marks a rare case in which legislators have intervened in an attempt to protect an ethnic food."
"Tran's staff even brought platters of the delicacies into the Capitol during a meeting with officials earlier this year. They served the cakes and pastries at room temperature, and the crowd gobbled them up."
"
Tran's bill, which won overwhelming approval in both houses and is now before Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, covers three delicacies: moon cakes — the dense, lotus seed pastries popular both in Chinese and Vietnamese dining — and the Vietnamese pork and green bean rice cakes, banh chung and banh tet."
Dan Walters
asks "Is Arnold Schwarzenegger on a big-time roll, or what?"
"The Democrat-controlled Legislature has spent the final week of its 2006 session giving the Republican governor a cornucopia of measures that he will roll out in elaborate signing ceremonies in September -- thereby enhancing the image he seeks of an engaged and effective governor deserving of re-election."
"And as if that wasn't enough good news for the actor-turned-politician, a new statewide poll indicates anew that Californians have largely forgiven Schwarzenegger for his ill-fated "year of reform" ballot measure crusade and are inclined to give him another term.
"In brief, as the traditional Labor Day kickoff for formal campaigning arrives, Schwarzenegger continues to gain momentum -- with Democratic lawmakers playing no small role in his recovery -- while the Democratic candidate for governor,
Phil Angelides, continues to languish."
Meanwhile, "Several GOP
voter-registration workers created fake individuals in documents submitted to the California Republican Party, which said Thursday that it discovered the fraudulent activity through an internal review and forwarded its findings to Secretary of State
Bruce McPherson," reports the Bee's Kevin Yamamura.
"GOP spokesman
Patrick Dorinson said the party caught the undisclosed number of falsified voter affidavits early enough that it avoided registering any fraudulent names with the state."
"'We felt it was necessary to come forward because we're trying to maintain the integrity of our program,' Dorinson said."
From our
You're Fired Files: "
Carolyn Kepcher, who sat by while her boss Donald Trump dismissed one would-be apprentice after another,
just got canned herself."
"Why, exactly, is not entirely clear. Trump himself gave no official reason why Kepcher has been ousted from the popular reality TV show 'The Apprentice' and as well from her post in the Trump Organization. Kepcher said in a statement that
she and Trump have 'different visions for my future role in the company.'"
As in, he has a vision for the company without you.
"But the New York Post and Associated Press, citing anonymous sources, reported that Trump fired Kepcher for 'excessive self-promotion.'"
