"Touting it as the only plan for 'truly independent' redistricting, Assembly Republican leader
Mike Villines unveiled new legislation Monday to alter how California draws political districts," writes Jim Sanders in the Bee.
"Villines' proposed Assembly Constitutional Amendment 4 joins a crowded field.
"Three other legislative measures and one proposed ballot initiative are seeking changes in redistricting, the state's once-per-decade process of drawing maps for political seats.
"'We believe this is a fundamental issue of fairness, to give people a voice back in the districts and the electoral process,' Villines said. 'I believe they're feeling more alienated every day.'
"Assembly Speaker
Fabian Nunez chided Villines for not releasing his plan sooner.
"'
Six months after the Legislature has convened, we're pleased that the Republican leader has finally put forward his ideas, flawed as they are,' he said in a written statement."
Indeed, Villines doesn't even
mention the Little Hoover Commission...
"The California Senate
voted Monday to relax confidentiality rules surrounding police disciplinary records, a topic so incendiary among Los Angeles law enforcement officials that one union leader has threatened political reprisals," reports Jordan Rau in the Times.
"Professional Peace Officers Assn. President
John R. Stites told his lobbyist in a widely circulated e-mail that if the bill passed, his union would publicly oppose efforts to change California's term limits law.
"The effort to alter term limits is a priority for many sitting legislators, who are trying to place an initiative on next February's ballot. Some state lawmakers would be allowed to extend their current terms under the initiative.
"As I have said all along, PPOA and SCALE adamantly oppose this legislation to the point that
if it is passed we will move quickly to oppose any term limit reform legislation publicly. There is no compromise on this. Ensure that it be understood that this will only be the beginning. I do not know how I can be more clear on this issue. Jim Vogts has been informed of our position."
That didn't exactly sit well with the bill's author,
Gloria Romero, D-Los Angeles. "
This type of threat should never be tolerated in a democratic society. This is essentially a 'quid pro quo,' blatantly blending legislative votes on public policy matters to a vote at the ballot box that directly affects their careers."
The Merc News's Edwin Garcia
reports on the fight over the bill that would allow women who have stillborn babies to receive a certificate stating that fact, which turned into a debate over abortion and led Democratic leaders to put language reassuring the right to an abortion.
"'
They inserted hostile language in my bill,' Maldonado said - language that may have soothed Democrats but assured that most Republicans would vote against it.
"Of the 20 state legislatures that have passed similar laws, none took on the divisive tone that California's lawmakers engaged in, according to the head of an international support group for advocates of stillborn certificates.
"'I'm really tired of families who experience the trauma of stillbirth getting thrown into the middle of a debate that has absolutely nothing to do with them,' said
Joanne Cacciatore, chief executive of the MISS Foundation in Phoenix. 'I'm really unhappy about it because it's not an abortion issue.'
"After initially failing for lack of support on the Senate floor, the measure, SB850, finally passed with a 22-14 vote and only two Republicans in support: Maldonado, whose district extends into San Jose, and
Dennis Hollingsworth, who represents Temecula and whose campaign Web site calls him "the man the liberals fear most."
"All heterosexual adults who register their domestic partnerships with the state of California
would have the same legal rights as married couples, including filing joint state income tax returns, under legislation approved Monday by the state Senate," writes the Bee's Aurelio Rojas.
"Senate Bill 11 -- which will now be considered by the Assembly -- was introduced by Sen.
Carole Migden, whose landmark 1999 civil union bill allowed same-sex couples to register with the secretary of state as domestic partners.
"'This bill proposes to expand domestic partnerships and benefits to all adult couples who desire to form domestic partnership relationships,' the San Francisco Democrat said on the floor of the Senate.
"SB 11 passed by a 22-13 vote, largely along party lines with Democrats supporting the proposal and Republicans opposing it.
"No Republican senator spoke against the bill during the floor session.
"But
Randy Thomasson, president of Campaign for Children and Families, which lobbies for conservatives causes, warned that if SB 11 becomes law, '
marriage will be functionally abolished' in California."
Speaking of Migden,
should be charged with reckless driving resulting in bodily injury for an erratic driving spree last month in which she bumped against a guardrail on Interstate 80 and rear-ended a car on Highway 12, California Highway Patrol investigators concluded Monday," writes Greg Lucas in the Chron.
"The CHP investigation focused on a morning of wild driving by Migden along Interstate 80 on May 18. Not paying attention due to cell phone use was a contributing factor in both accidents, the CHP said.
"The final decision on whether to file charges rests with the district attorney of Solano County, where the accidents occurred. A conviction for reckless driving resulting in bodily injury to another driver is punished by up to six months in county jail, a fine of up to $1,000 or both."
"The state Assembly on Monday
voted to give food stamps to all felons convicted of a drug-related offense, over objections that doing so could help fund their drug habit," reports the AP's Samantha Young.
"If the bill is adopted by the Senate and signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, California would become the latest state to exempt itself from an 11-year-old federal ban on the process. More than a dozen states already view such a move as a way to help former convicts integrate back into society.
"'We need to give people the opportunity to turn their life around,'' said Assemblywoman
Karen Bass, D-Los Angeles.
"Lawmakers passed the bill on a near party-line vote, 41-29, with Democrats voting for the measure and 28 Republicans opposing it. Assemblyman Ted Lieu of Torrance was the lone Democrat voting against it."
The Chron's Cecilia Vega reports that
no serious challengers are coming forward to challenge Gavin Newsom."One by one, potential challengers to San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom's re-election are formally dropping out of the race.
On Monday, Newsom's arch City Hall nemesis, Supervisor Chris Daly, joined the ranks" of the non-candidates"Despite promising that he would be the one to take on the popular mayor if no one else came forward, Daly said running a campaign for the city's top job would take too much time away from his young family. He and his wife are expecting their second child in late October.
"
So, with the Nov. 6 mayoral election five months away -- and the deadline for interested candidates to file with the city's elections department on Aug. 10 -- the city's progressive left still have not found anyone run against Newsom.
"'It's a campaign without a candidate,' Daly conceded."
In San Francisco's political circles, the focus now is on former Mayor Art Agnos, who has been rumored as a contender, and former Supervisor Matt Gonzalez, who narrowly lost to Newsom in 2003.Agnos did not return calls seeking comment Monday. Gonzalez said he has not ruled out running, but he downplayed the possibility.
"
'If I had to bet on it,' he said, 'I would bet I wouldn't be in this race.'""So it's official: the 'Arthur Branch for District Attorney' campaign has become the "
Fred Thompson for President' campaign. We hear that
Ken Khachigian -- known as the "lion" of California GOP politics -- has been hired as a national adviser and strategist to the presidential campaign of the former senator from Tennessee," writes the Chron's Carla Marinucci.
Last time around, Khachigian served as an adviser to
John McCain...
And some San Jose are more adamant about customer service than others. The Merc's Leslie Griffy reports, "A man apparently angered by the wait for his pizza delivery went to the restaurant on Bascom Avenue and
attacked the manager with a machete around 8 p.m. Friday, San Jose police said.
"The manager of Pizza My Dear told police that someone had ordered a pizza earlier in the day. Despite a language barrier, the manager told police he was able to tell the person placing the order that it would take about 45 minutes for deliver, Sgt. Nick Muyo said.
"But, 30 minutes later someone else called the pizzeria demanding to know why the order was late, Muyo said. The person was on the phone swearing at the manager just minutes before the delivery was made, Muyo said.
"About 30 minutes later, Muyo said, the man came into the restaurant and swore at the manager, complaining about the delay. The manager attempted to calm the man down but he left the store only to return with a machete he pulled from his car, Muyo said.
"As the man swung the machete over his head, the manager, in a attempt to protect himself, covered his head and face with his hands.
Eventually, the machete struck the manager's palm, slicing it open.
"He was taken to a local hospital and treated."
