CA WANTS TO PROPOSITION YOU

FOUR MEASURES ON NOVEMBER BALLOT

Secretary of State Debra Bowen made it official today, announcing that at least four measures have now qualified for the November ballot. The newest one requires a waiting period and parental notification before an underage teenager can have an abortion.  This proposition would prohibit teens under 18 from getting an abortion until 48 hours after a physician notifies the girl’s parents or legal guardian. The parental notification measure received nearly 700,000 valid signatures to make the ballot…and is very similar to another proposition that failed at the ballot just two years ago.

The other three items we’ll be voting on include a high-speed rail bond, a measure on the treatment of farm animals and a children’s hospital bond.

LAWMAKERS VOTE TO PROTECT THEIR PAYCHECKS

DON’T CUT MY SALARY: State Senators just voted down a constitutional amendment that would have prevented them from getting a pay raise whenever there’s a budget deficit. The final tally was three to one, with only Senate President Don Perata (D) Oakland, voting in favor of the measure that could have opened the door to possible pay cuts – not only for lawmakers – but also for Constitutional officers…everyone from the Governor on down.  Although Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger does not take a pay check, future Governors could have seen a change in the $212, 179 salary.

The bill’s sponsor, Senator Abel Maldonado (R), Santa Maria was clearly peeved when I talked to him just moments ago, telling me, “I don’t think it’s right,” then adding, “In three weeks we’re cutting everybody and everybody else gets a raise.” Last year, the Legislature received a 2.75% increase with most members making a base salary of  $116,208, while Assembly and Senate leaders make even more.

Those voting to preserve their salaries were Democrats Gilbert Cedillo and Alex Padilla, both of Los Angeles. Republican Senator Jim Battin of La Quinta also voted no, while Republican Bob Dutton of Rancho Cucamonga took the easy way out and decided not to vote on the matter.

 

BAY AREA POWER

TORRICO TAPPED AS MAJORITY FLOOR LEADER

Newly sworn in Assembly Speaker Karen Bass may be from Los Angeles, but she’s tapped Assemblyman Alberto Torrico of Newark to be her Majority Floor Leader to help drum up votes from Democrats on the Assembly floor. Torrico’s job will be to streamline legislation and make sure Democrats vote for key bills that are important to the new leadership.

Torrico is in his second term in the Assembly and represents portions of Alameda and Santa Clara Counties.  He is the son of immigrants from Bolivia and his mother is of Japanese heritage. He is the first Assemblymember to belong to both the Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus and the Latino Caucus.

RECALL IS OVER

PERATA PULLS THE PLUG

Senate President Don Perata (D), Oakland just sent shockwaves through the Capitol by announcing he’s pulling the plug on efforts to recall Senator Jeff Denham (R) Merced, scheduled for a public vote on June 3. Perata says it’s all about making peace with Republicans in time for fruitful budget negotiations. Perata issued a statement saying, “There was no deal, no quid pro quo. This is my call – and my best judgement about how to stop the long, slow slide into another long stalemate.”

Reaction was swift from Republicans where Senate Minority Leader Dave Cogdill (R), Modesto said, “I applaud the wisdom of Senator Perata for making this decision.”

Many Capitol insiders viewed the recall as a purely political move by Perata to steal a seat for Democrats in the Senate, making it easier for them to raise taxes without threat of Republicans blocking the move.  California requires a two-thirds vote for tax increases and with Denham out of the Senate, Democrats would be only one vote away from getting their way unobstructed. 

 So why would Perata throw in the towel four weeks before the election? Speculation is that pre-polling showed the recall going down to defeat and perhaps Perata wanted to cut his losses early.  Or perhaps Perata was sincere in saying he wanted to build bridges with the Republicans in tackling the budget, but cynics wonder why it took Perata so long to get that message.

CHICKEN WARS

ACTIVISTS SCRAMBLE OVER EGGS

It’s coming to the ballot in California this November, but the battle for votes has already begun. Animal rights activists intend to release a video in Sacramento on Tuesday, showing “hidden camera footage revealing shocking animal abuse.” The footage was shot by an undercover activist who worked at a California chicken farm for several months, according to Nathan Runkle of Mercy for Animals.

The activists have identified the farm as Gamperle Enterprises in Merced County, which they say is a supplier to NuCal Foods – one of the largest distributors of eggs in the Western U.S.  All this to advance a ballot measure Californians will be voting on this fall that would essentially ban farms from keeping chickens in cages and promoting instead, free range chickens.

However free range chickens actually suffer more injuries than those in cages–according to traditional chicken farmers are scratching back. And they say the price of eggs will go sky high if the measure is approved by voters. We’ll get a preview tomorrow of what the fighting is all about.