Recalcitrant Assembly Democrats are balking at SB350, the climate change bill championed by legislative leadership and Governor Jerry Brown, forcing last minute changes in the measure in hopes of finding a winning compromise. Chris Megerian and Melanie Mason have the story for the LA Times. Bonus points for the accompanying photo, which makes Speaker Atkins, Governor Brown and Senate pro Tem De León look like the world’s nerdiest superhero team heading out to do battle.
“With the end of this year's legislative session set for Friday, Brown’s senior aides have been holding private meetings to hash out final details on the measure, intended to slow climate change by slashing gasoline use on state roads, increasing energy efficiency and boosting renewable energy in California.
“Possible modifications, reviewed by The Times and described by Capitol sources, would impose new limits on environmental regulators and alter the approach to cutting the volume of gas burned by California drivers.
“The changes have not been formally introduced. And it is unclear whether they will satisfy holdouts in the state Assembly — the Senate has passed the bill — especially amid a fierce opposition campaign from the oil industry.”
Meanwhile, SB32, a companion clean air bill by Senator Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills) failed in its first vote, with many Democrats abstaining. Pavley is no stranger to climate change legislation, having introduced AB32, the landmark climate change bill signed into law by Governor Schwarzenegger – can she make it a two-fer? Jeremy White, Sacramento Bee:
“Senate Bill 32 seeks to ramp up the state’s emission reduction goals by cutting greenhouse gases to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 and 80 percent below the 1990 mark by 2050. Sen. Fran Pavley, D-Agoura Hills, recently accepted amendments increasing the Legislature’s oversight of the Air Resources Board, the agency that would manage the cutbacks, by calling for legislative oversight hearings and authorizing the Legislature to modify or reject the ARB’s plan.
“But those changes weren’t enough to budge a mass of Democrats who withheld their votes or voted against the bill outright as the measure stalled on a 25-33 vote, with 21 members abstaining, that featured no debate. The bill is eligible to come up for another vote.”
As expected, Assemblyman Henry Perea, (D-Fresno) is playing hard-to-get, voting against SB32 and withholding support for SB350. Central Valley clean air activists are calling on him to support the anti-greenhouse gas legislation. John Ellis, Fresno Bee:
“Shortly after the activists delivered posters to Perea’s Fresno office, the state Assembly voted down one of the two bills that are part of that legislation. Perea was a no vote, contributing to the defeat.”
As time runs out, Senate Democrats are proposing new taxes on tobacco and a revised medical device tax – with neither finding support among the body’s Republicans. Jim Miller, Sacramento Bee:
“The leader of the Senate’s healthcare special session committee proposed legislation Tuesday that would raise tobacco taxes by $2 per pack and revamp an existing tax on managed-care organizations to help pay for various health and welfare programs.
“’The revenue generated by enacting this bill will help provide care for the most under-served and neediest communities in California,’ state Sen. Ed Hernandez, D-Azusa, the measure’s author, said in a statement.
“The measure needs a two-thirds vote, requiring at least some Republican support, and there was no sign of that Tuesday.”
Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla (D-Concord) has a novel approach, introducing Assembly Bill x2-18, which would add a 5 cent per drink tax to cocktails, noting that California’s alcohol taxes are among the lowest in the nation. Jeremy White, Sacramento Bee:
“The nickel-a-drink levy would be placed on any drink containing distilled spirits sold at bars and restaurants. Tax on beer and wine would remain the same. California has one the nation’s lowest taxes on beer, wind and distilled spirits, and the Legislature has not raised booze levies since 1991. Before 1991, California had not raised its taxes on wine and beer since the 1950s, nor on distilled spirits since 1967. Wholesalers pay the tax, and it is presumed that retailers roll the cost into the price of a drink.”
But what would Artie Samish say?
Five years ago today, the Bay Area town of San Bruno was rocked by a gas pipeline explosion that destroyed over 35 houses and killed eight people, injuring many more. Investigations into the blast revealed serious safety problems at PG&E, and showed that the company had diverted $100 million from a fund for safety operations to executive compensation and other uses. In spite of intense scrutiny and promises to improve safety, PG&E still accounts for the bulk of gas safety violations in California. Jaxon van Derbeken, San Francisco Chronicle:
“From 2007 through 2014, PG&E — which accounts for 42 percent of the state’s gas pipeline miles — racked up nearly three-fourths of gas safety violations levied against California utilities, according to records from the state Public Utilities Commission.
“Last year, before state regulators halted audits to streamline the process, PG&E accounted for 104 out of 161 gas safety violations lodged against gas utilities. The year before, PG&E was responsible for 370 of the 437 safety violations, commission figures show.
“And even without the $1.6 billion penalty that the state commission imposed against PG&E for the San Bruno explosion, the San Francisco company has been hit with far more in gas fines in recent years than any other utility. Its $90 million total since 2011 dwarfs the next-worst offender, Southern California Gas and its $200,000 in fines.”
Over at Capitol Weekly, Chuck McFadden digs deep into attempts to save the $1.1 billion (with a “B”) that the federal government sends to reimburse the state for Medi-Cal:
“Right now, 27 Managed Care Organizations, (MCOs) that accept MediCal patients receive MediCal money and pay 3.97 percent of their earnings to help finance the program. Organizations that don’t accept MediCal patients — there are about a dozen of them in California — pay nothing.
“That must change, say the feds. After the current MCO tax plan expires on June 30, 2016, the Obama Administration wants a broader tax base in place if California is to keep receiving that $1.1 billion. Broadening the tax base to include plans that don’t accept MediCal enrollees has not been received graciously by those heretofore untaxed plans.”
Even as the legislature struggles to find solutions to limiting greenhouse gas emissions, fund Medi-Cal and graduate seniors with or without exit exams, they can come together to solve some problems – like banning confederate names on schools and roadways. Chris Nichols, Capital Public Radio:
“The California Senate passed a bill Tuesday that would ban the use of names of Confederate leaders on state and local property.
“SB 539 would require the removal of such names on existing schools, roadways and other locations by 2017.
“It would affect two California schools named after Gen. Robert E. Lee, one in San Diego and the other in Long Beach.
“The bill’s author, Sen. Steve Glazer, D-Orinda, said Confederate leaders don’t deserve the honor due to their association with slavery.”
It’s the last Wednesday of the session, so you probably need a really good reason for missing work today – or at least a really weird excuse. Quora has you covered.
“From the embarrassing to the downright unlucky, there are so many reasons why you just can’t make it into work today.
“From the dog eating your presentation to leaving your laptop on the bus, we’ve all had to come up with a swift excuse now and again. But for some workers, honesty was really the only policy. And truth, it turns out, is stranger than fiction in some cases.
“We went to question and answer site Quora for some insight in to your most bizarre excuses…
“While some dedicated employees are so committed to their job they’re reluctant to rearrange their diary even in a medical emergency.
‘“’Sorry, I need to reschedule our call, my water just broke,’ was Mira Zaslove’s weirdest excuse for abandoning a work call. Although her baby was almost two weeks overdue, she thought it might be safe to schedule a quick chat. Her baby thought differently. Zaslove sent a quick note saying she couldn't make the call. ‘And so she learned before my husband, doctor, or mother, that I was going into labour.’”
And plenty more where that came from…
