2008 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATION
The following bills are being monitored by Log Cabin California as they work their way through the legislature. Please direct comments and thoughts to California Director James Vaughn at jvaughn@logcabin.org
AB 3015 (Brownley) Foster Youth School Safety Education (Text of Bill)
“Require that existing training programs for foster youth, foster youth group homes, child welfare personnel, foster parents, and relative caregivers, include information on existing school safety laws that protect students from bias-motivated harassment and discrimination.” This bill was a reaction to the shooting of the student in Oxnard. He was living in a foster home at the time.
Log Cabin Position: Pending
Status: The bill passed committee 7-3 with all Republicans opposing except Maldonaldo who abstained.
SB 1759 (Migden) LGBT Training for Health Professionals in Senior Care Facilities (Text of Bill)
“Would require that licensed health professionals who have constant interaction with seniors in institutional settings receive training to better understand how to foster an environment that is free from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.” Disturbingly, part of the bill states “Because this bill would create a new crime, it imposes a state-mandated local program.”
Log Cabin Position: Pending
Status: Passed committee 7-3 No GOP yes votes, Maldonaldo abstaining or not present. Placed on suspense calendar. SB 1322 (Lowenthal) Communism - (Text of Bill)
Seeks to remove prohibitions on teaching Communism for purposes of indoctrinization in public schools as well as removing the findings from the law that Communism is a totalitarian dictatorship. The Revolutionary Communist Party had a stated goal to "eliminate [homosexuality]" until 2001. Contact your legislators to tell them to oppose this bill that is a slap in the face to Log Cabin veterans.
Log Cabin Position: Oppose
Status: Passed the Senate 24-16 with no GOP votes.
SB 1113 (Migden) Property Tax Exemption for Co-owners of Property (Text of Bill)
This bill would grant an exemption from property tax reassessment to any two people sharing a principle residence after the death of one of the two owners. This would apply to couples who choose not to register as domestic partners for example. The question for Log Cabin is do we support basic traditional relationships and simply wish to be included in them or do we wish to secure the rights of those relationships with out the other responsibilities, rights or burdens that come with marriage and registered domestic partnership status. It is akin to saying that couples living together should get of marriage without having to go through a divorce if it doesn't work out.
Log Cabin Position: Support Pending Resubmittal of the Bill in the Assembly.
Status: Gutted and amended with language related to attorney fees.
AJR 46 (Benoit) Right to Bear Arms for Self Defense (Text of Bill)
A resolution supporting the Second Amendment Right to Bear Arms, especially in terms of self defense. If the Supreme Court rules that the right to bear arms applies only to militias, since gays and lesbians are not allowed to serve in the military, we'd effectively be banned from the right to defend ourselves with a firearm.
Log Cabin Position: Support
Status: Introduced and pending in committee.
AB 624 (Coto) Foundations - Diversity (Text of Bill)
This bill would require a private , corporate, or public operating foundation with assets over $250,000,000 to collect specified ethnic , gender , and sexual orientation data pertaining to its governance and grantmaking. The bill would require this information to include, but not be limited to, the following: the racial , gender , and sexual orientation composition of the board of directors or trustees and members of the foundation , the number of grants awarded to specified organizations serving ethnic minority communities and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities , and the percentage of grant dollars awarded to specified organizations where 50% or more of the board members are ethnic minorities or are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. As Republicans we tend to oppose things that suggest quotas or affirmative action. Add the burden of gay and lesbians who may not be out at work being asked to reveal if they are or not and this bill has many problems that need addressed.
Log Cabin Position: Oppose
Status: Passed the Assembly 45-29 with Adams, Runner and Tran abstaining, absent or not voting
ACR 108 (Eng) Hate Crimes Month Resolution (Text of Bill)
Proclaims June as Hate Crimes Awareness month. This resolution has been supported by Republicans in previous years.
Log Cabin Position: Support
Status: Passed 7-0 in Committee with Blakeslee, Adams and Aghazarian voting in favor and Benoit absent or abstaining.
AB 2567 (Leno) Harvey Milk Day (Text of Bill)
This bill would require the Governor to annually proclaim May 22 as Harvey Milk Day, and would encourage public schools and educational institutions to conduct suitable commemorative exercises on that date.
Log Cabin Position: Investigating and discussing further
Status: Passed Assembly 45-28 No GOP votes and Adams, Blakeslee, Garrick, Houston, and Tran listed as absent or abstaining.
AB 2654 (Laird) Civil Rights Act of 2008 (Text of Bill)
Another in the series of mop up bills this impacts areas of the law such as home and auto insurance, contractors and subcontractors building rental housing for public agencies, appointment of special advocates in juvenile court and purchasing of pre-paid health plans.
Log Cabin Position: Investigating the details
Status: Passed in committee 7-3 No GOP votes
ADDITIONAL LEGISLATION CALIFORNIA LOG CABIN REPUBLICANS HAVE TAKEN POSITIONS ON:
LEGISLATION
Log Cabin took the following positions of SUPPORT on this legislation this week: To look up details on any of these bills visit the Official California Legislative Information site
AB 2746 Private postsecondary education: California Private Postsecondary Education Act of 2008:
Sponsored by the Schwarzenegger Administration (State and Consumer Service Agency), this act will provide a new regulatory framework for the oversight of Private Postsecondary education in California . In the best interest of the students, this legislation will replace expired statutes by creating a new clear and effective regulatory system for postsecondary education. SUPPORT
Status: Passed in Committee 8-1
AB 1877 Child Custody Evaluations:
This bill shall require the adoption of a form to be served with every child custody evaluation report that informs the recipients of the evaluation of the confidentiality of the report. Unwarranted disclosure of the report may be subject to possible fees. SUPPORT
Status - Passed the Assembly 68-0 with the following not present, not voting or abstaining: DeVore, Duvall, Huffman, Jones
Niello, Plescia, Tran, Villines
AB 2601 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT SANCTUARY CITIES BAN :
Withholds state money from “sanctuary cities” and diverts the money to grants for local police training on immigration enforcement. SUPPORT
Status - Defeated in committee 2-5
ACA 7 The Budget and Legislative Responsibility Act:
ACA 7 will stabilize the state’s budget, preventing the need for taxes increases and greatly reducing the need for in-year budget cuts. This measure would require the Legislature sessions held in odd-numbered years to be known as “budget sessions,” and sessions held in even-numbered years be known as “general sessions.” ACA 7 also imposes a limit on the number of bills that may be introduced at 25 for Senators and 20 for Members of the Assembly. SUPPORT
Status: Pending in committee
AB 2606 Bad Check Diversion Program:
This program was enacted in 1985, which enables prosecutors to offer diversion, rather than prosecution, to eligible bad check writers. Recently, this program has been challenged because of the vagueness of current law, therefore, this bill seeks to clarify the existing statute by expressly stating that the bad check diversion program is totally self-funding, restitution is required to hold offenders accountable for victims’ losses and to update diversion fees. SUPPORT
Status: Passed Assembly 70-1 with Sharon Runner Not voting, absent or abstaining
AB 2330 Eliminating Red Tape in Hunting Licenses:
Will make junior hunting license eligibility requirements more equitable with those for adult hunting licenses. The measure will also allow hunters who purchase a license or permit through the Internet to print a temporary document valid for 30 days, so they can enjoy hunting their privileges until they receive their annual license or permit. SUPPORT
Status: Passed Assembly 68-0 with the followign listed as absent, abstaining or not voting: DeVore, Duvall, Huffman, Jones
Niello, Plescia, Price, Tran, Villines,
AB 278 False Compartments:
This bill would make it a misdemeanor to build or use a false compartment in a vehicle with the intent to store unlawfully possessed firearms or at least $5,000 in currency intended to be used in the purchase or exchange of a controlled substance. SUPPORT
Status: Passed in the Assembly 77-0 with Devore Absent or abstaining
For philosophical purity sake some of these bills were not that popular with some of our active members. They are a bit too nanny government in some cases. But the goal here is to build up a better relationship with the Republican Pary and the Republican Assembly Caucus by supporting their priorities and showing that Log Cabin members care about more than just gay and lesbian issues. These bills are all listed by the Republican Assembly Caucus as their legislative priorities this year. I sent official support letters to the bills authors and the GOP Assembly Caucus.
Log Cabin Republicans took positions in OPPOSITION to these bills this week:
AB 1956 The iTunes Tax:
Assembly Bill 1956 (Calderon) would require state tax officials to begin imposing sales taxes on music, movies and software purchases made online, such as on iTunes. Democrats have also talked about taxing all items purchased on the Internet ($500 million tax increase). Log Cabin noted that gays and lesbians are disproportinately employed in the entertainment industry and their jobs will be impacted by higher taxes. LGBT artists of all types are looking to the Internet as a means of bypassing the large corporations that maynot embrace thsoe artists and those artists may not have the technology or expertise to collect taxes. We view this bill as anti-free market and anti-LGBT and will hold Democrats accountable for efforts like this that harm our community. OPPOSE
Status: Failed in committee. Reconsideration granted.
AB 2829 The Plastic Bag Tax:
Assembly Bill 2829 (Davis) would impose a new plastic bag tax, at a still-unspecified level, on the plastic bags used by grocery stores and other retailers to package purchases. Lower income and struggling families, like those with HIV/AIDS and their caregivers are facing tough enough economic conditions without imposing higher taxes at the grocery store
Status: Failed in Committee. Reconsideration granted.
SCA 18 Making It Easier for Politicians to Raise Taxes:
Senate Constitutional Amendment 18 (Torlakson) would make it easier for local politicians to raise taxes, by allowing educational finance districts to impose special taxes by a majority vote. OPPOSE
Status: Pending in committee.
AB 2372 and AB2897 Raising Income Taxes:
Assembly Bill 2372 (Coto) would impose a new 1 percent tax on Californians earning more than $1 million per year, raising the state's highest income tax rate to 11.3 percent. Taking money from one group with higher disposable income to fund one cause will dry up funding for non-profit groups who depend on donations. This will impact LGBT rights groups, HIV/AIDS groups, women's health groups and others who depend on higher income taxpayers who support them. OPPOSE
Status: Passed Committee 5-4 No GOP votes in favor.
Assembly Bill 2897 (Hancock) would impose a new 10 percent tax rate for individuals earning more than $136,115 per year ($272,230 for joint filers) and a new 11 percent tax rate for individuals earning more than $272,230 per year ($544,460 for joint filers). Higher taxes usually means lower tax revenue as these taxpayers leave the state. New technologies allow people to live elsewhere and still run their businesses. And again, taking money for general services like bureaucrfacy limits the funds available to non-profits that provide the safety net for many in a time where budget cuts are reducing services. The HIV/AIDS community is a great example of how private sector nonprofits are more effective than the government in providing services and assistance. They depend on the generous contributions of taxpayers with higher levels of disposable income. Income going to taxes for bureaucracy means less money available for supporting non-profit organizations. OPPOSE
Status: Introduced.
(Tip of the Log Cabin stovepipe hat to Sen. Harman's office for sending out this list of tax increase bills making our work easier to identify them to oppose them.)
I sent letters of opposition to the authors as well as both the GOP Assembly and Senate caucuses.
If there is a bill you think Log Cabin should take a position on, please let me know.
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