LAWMAKERS AWAIT APPROVAL
Burbank Leader
September 22, 2007
United States
Political Landscape
The state Legislature sent more than 400 bills, including dozens
backed by area lawmakers, to the governor’s desk at the close of this
year’s legislative session last week. Here’s a look at the bills that
were introduced by local state officials earlier this year and are
now one step away from becoming laws. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has
until Oct. 12 to act on the bills. Bills that were approved by the
governor before last week’s legislative deadline are not listed.
 SB 52, Career Technical Education, aims to simplify and
streamline the teacher credentialing process for career technical
education.
 SB 193, Paraprofessional Teachers, aims to increase funding
for the California Paraprofessional Teacher Training Program, which
brings classroom aides into the teaching profession through a plan
of financial and instructional support.
 SB 859, College Faculty for High School Classrooms, would
make it easier for school districts to hire qualified, experienced
college faculty from the University of California, California State
University and California community college systems, when they are
unable to recruit certified teachers to fill vacant teaching positions.
 SB 139, Nursing Education, would exempt students pursuing
a nursing career who have already earned a bachelor’s degree from
completing non-nursing courses.
SB 339, Mutual Funds, would update a statute in the Insurance Code
by allowing insurers to invest their funds in a wider variety of
investments than allowed under current law.
 SB 515, Armenian Trade Office, would extend the statutory
sunset for the privately funded California trade office in Armenia
until Jan. 1, 2010.
 SB 718, Inmate Welfare Fund, would authorize the county sheriff
to use money from the existing Inmate Welfare Fund to provide inmates
with transitional assistance services, including housing and job
placement.
 SB 910, Rosemead Boulevard, would authorize the state to
relinquish a part of Rosemead Boulevard to the city of Temple City.
 SB 280, Omnibus Education, aims to streamline various bills
dealing with teaching credentials and restore the ability of the
Carnegie Institution of Washington, which has offices in Pasadena,
to issue revenue bonds. The bill would allow Carnegie to issue bonds
through the California Educational Facilities Authority to support
the institution’s effort to build a large telescope in northern Chile.
 AB 258, Marine Debris, would require manufacturers of
pre-production plastic pellets known as "nurdles" to utilize proper
housekeeping procedures for handling and disposal of the pellets to
avoid spillage and release to the environment. The bill calls for
significant penalties against businesses that fail to take precautions
against allowing pellets to enter the storm water system.
 AB 291, Public Social Services Hearings, would extend the time
frame during which recipients of public social services can file a
complaint regarding the services to secure a hearing. Existing law
requires complaints to be filed within 90 days of the incident.
 AB 949, Burbank Gardens/Nursing Home Reform, would require
a licensed residential care facility for the elderly – prior to
transferring a resident to another facility or to an independent
living arrangement as a result of the forfeiture of a license, or
a change of use of the facility – to take all reasonable steps to
transfer affected residents safely and minimize possible trauma by
taking specified actions relating to resident notification, transfer
and relocation planning.
 AB 1013, Weapons/Nuisance Eviction, would authorize prosecutors
to bring eviction actions against gang members who use their residences
to stockpile illegal weapons and ammunition.
 AB 966, Senior Citizen ID, would require the Department of
Motor Vehicles to include with every notice of renewal of a driver’s
license that is mailed to a licensed driver, a notice that a person
who is 62 or older may be issued, free of charge, an identification
card bearing the notation "Senior Citizen."
 AB 1307, Public Employee Benefits, would allow individuals
employed by a company that contracts with the California Public
Employees’ Retirement System to contribute to the program.
 AB 1427, Developmental Disability Services, would create a
pilot program to provide greater compensation and training for direct
support workers who provide services to the developmentally disabled.
 AB 1484, Model State Trademark Law, would repeal the
Trademark Law and would enact the Model State Trademark Law to
expand the information required to be provided with an application
for registration of a mark to include, among other things, a drawing
of the mark and three specimens of that mark as it is actually used.
 AB 1539, Terminally Ill Prisoners. Under existing law, a
state prisoner who is diagnosed with a disease that would lead to
death within six months and whose release is deemed not to threaten
the public safety may have his or her sentence recalled and be
resentenced. Existing law additionally sets forth grounds under
which the court has discretion to find that a prisoner is eligible
for resentence or recall.
AB 1539 would extend those provisions for early release to prisoners
who are permanently, medically incapacitated and whose release is
deemed not to threaten public safety.