The governor presided over the lighting of the Capitol Christmas tree last night. "For the first time, a
small hydrogen fuel cell system will power the tree's 6,500 lights. 'We are now environmentally a cool state," Schwarzenegger said. 'We are protecting the environment.
We are fighting global warming. This state has its act together,'" reports the Bee.
It wasn't all tinsel and shiny balls at the Capitol yesterday, though.
"Reviving his push to make California elections more competitive, Gov.
Arnold Schwarzenegger on Tuesday
laid out a proposal for stripping the Legislature of the power to draw voting districts and transferring it to a citizen panel presumably less driven by self-interest," reports Peter Nicholas in the Times.
"Schwarzenegger's plan relies on local elections officials to select the citizens who would draw the districts. That differs from a proposal that failed to pass the Legislature in the last session."
"Schwarzenegger's new plan would create an 11-member Citizens Redistricting Commission to draw the new districts. A panel of 10 county registrars or city election clerks would choose a pool of 55 candidates for the commission. Legislative leaders would be allowed to veto the nominations of up to eight people in the pool."
"The Fair Political Practices Commission would then conduct a random drawing to determine the commission's membership."
"Senate President Pro Tem
Don Perata (D-Oakland) released a statement saying: 'At first glance, we're concerned about the lack of attention to independence and diversity. After all, registrars as a group cannot be considered 'independent.' We need to … make sure this process of drawing district lines is nonpartisan and beyond reproach.'"
Dan Walters is
not optimistic about the chances of a redistricting deal, unless... "The one factor that might offset the pressure to retain the status quo is the possibility -- floated again by Schwarzenegger in response to a question -- of pairing redistricting reform with a modification of term limits that would allow Núñez, along with other lawmakers who would be forced to step aside in 2008, to remain in the Legislature."
Schwarzenegger said he is "more than happy" to negotiate on term limits.
The guv is also
ready to make some changes to the workers comp law, reports the LAT's Marc Lifsher. "Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration is
preparing to punish insurance companies that wrongly delay or deny medical care for workers hurt on the job.
"Acknowledging growing complaints from workers, the state said new rules were necessary to ensure that workers were not unfairly refused drugs, surgery and other medical procedures that their doctors recommended."
"California's prison health care czar
said in a report Tuesday that he has reached a 'pivotal crossroad,' with lawmakers failing to act and the state bureaucracy impeding his efforts to fix a system a federal judge found to be unconstitutionally bad," writes Andy Furillo in the Bee.
"The third bimonthly report of
Robert Sillen, director of the court-appointed California Prison Health Care Receivership, singled out the entire State Personnel Board as obstructing his reform plan. It also promised a construction program to create 10,000 hospital beds for physically and mentally ill inmate patients that will require billions in state funds to build and upward of 130 new employees to plan."
"Meanwhile, Sillen reported he is filling out his San Jose-based staff with professionals drawing substantial annual salaries. His $500,0000 -- more than twice Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's designated salary -- tops the list. The salaries do not include a benefit package that tacks on 30 percent."
From our
Make His Day Files, Fried of Arnold
Clint Eastwood is among the
first inductees into the Califorina Hall of Fame. The ceremony will be today at the state museum, and attended by the governor and the first lady.
Former President
Ronald Reagan, environmentalist
John Muir, United Farm Workers founder
Cesar Chavez, entertainment giant
Walt Disney, aviator
Amelia Earhart, and the Hearst and Packard families are also being inducted.
Clint talked to Matier and Ross about the honor.
"'They read off the list of names, asked if I would attend and I said fine, as long as I don't have to discuss my own demise,' Eastwood said, when asked how it felt being put in the same class as several late, great inductees."
M&R also publish some "off the record" takes from staffers about Tuesday's swearing in:
"-- On the governor's appearance: 'New shade of hair dye -- lots more orange -- and his eyebrows are the same. Any corner beauty shop knows that's a no-no.'"
"-- On the overall atmosphere: 'The splendor was missing. The buffets were nonexistent and there was no booze. I mean, good luck getting a sandwich, let alone a cocktail.'"
"
John Burton, who was in town to see his protege
Fiona Ma sworn in, didn't make it over to the Senate ceremony. But he did bring a little something for current state Senate President Pro Tem
Don Perata, D-Oakland."
"It was a book: 'The Iceman: Confessions of a Mafia Contract Killer.'"
From our
Illegal Cover-Up Files: "
Flatulence brought 99 passengers on an American Airlines flight to an unscheduled visit to Nashville early Monday morning."
"American Flight 1053, from Washington Reagan National Airport and bound for Dallas/Fort Worth, made an emergency landing here after passengers reported smelling struck matches, said
Lynne Lowrance, a spokeswoman for the Nashville International Airport Authority."
"The plane landed safely. The FBI, Transportation Safety Administration and airport authority responded to the emergency, Lowrance said."
"The passengers and five crewmembers were brought off the plane, together with all the luggage, to go through security checks again. Bomb-sniffing dogs found spent matches."
"The FBI questioned a passenger who admitted she struck the matches in an attempt to conceal body odor, Lowrance said. The woman lives near Dallas and has a medical condition."
"The flight took off again, but the woman was not allowed back on the plane."
"'American has banned her for a long time,' Lowrance said."
And the man in 14B thanks you...
