Berg details areas of interest
By KATIE MINTZ/The Daily Journal
Ukiah Daily Journal
On Aug. 7, the California State Assembly and Senate will reconvene after more than a month away from session. On Friday, The Ukiah Daily Journal sat down with Assemblywoman Patty Berg, D-Eureka, to discuss some of the big-issue bills the Legislature will face.
Berg has represented the 1st Assembly District -- geographically the largest in the state encompassing Mendocino, Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake and Trinity counties as well as parts of Sonoma County -- since 2002. She's up for re-election in November for what could be her final term as an Assembly member. While she said she was lobbied by many to run for a seat on the Senate, her plans, which include some of the hot issues coming up in August, were too important.
"I wasn't willing to risk putting things I'd worked on so hard aside so I could spend a year campaigning (for Senate) and then risk losing my last two years (in Assembly) because my agenda is too important to me," Berg said. "I really think it is a responsive agenda that addresses issues that haven't been addressed thus far."
Governor's plan for Legislature term limits
"I think it will be the hottest issue," Berg said of a plan to extend Legislature term limits from six to 12 years for Assembly members and eight to 12 years for Senate members. In August, the issue will come forward in a bill, and if passed by the Assembly, Senate and signed by Gov. Schwarzenegger, who Berg said supported the plan, will be placed on the November ballot.
Berg supports the idea, saying Proposition 140, which passed in 1990 putting the current limits in place, was "the worst thing that was ever done in California."
"They already had term limits," Berg explained. "If people weren't doing their jobs, you just didn't vote for them the next time."
While voters often favor limits, Berg said lawmakers don't because of the dysfunction they create.
SCA 3, Redistricting
This amendment, introduced by Sen. Alan Lowenthal, D-Long Beach, calls for a change in district lines and the way they are drawn. Historically, redistricting has been done by the Legislature, but Berg said that the measure would "transfer the political map making powers to a panel of 11 citizens chosen by a bipartisan group of lawmakers and judges."
When legislators drew the lines, they created very safe Republican districts and very safe Democratic districts, causing the state to lose moderates, Berg said.
Currently in the Senate, if passed by both branches of the Legislature, the resolution would be put on the November ballot, however, redistricting wouldn't happen until the next U.S. Census report in 2010.
AB 2987, Cable and video service
Another hot bill with much controversy, Berg said, this bill aims to create a level playing field for cable competitors to ensure fair competition. It was introduced by Speaker Fabian Nunez, D-Los Angeles, and Assemblyman Lloyd Levine, D-Van Nuys, and Nunez is working hard to address concerns brought forward by cities and counties, Berg said.
"The bottom line is that the increased competition will provide Californians with lower cable rates," Berg, who voted for the bill, said. "It has the possibility to provide our rural areas with services many of us don't currently have such as Broadband and high-speed Internet."
It is currently in the Senate Committee on Rules.
AB 32, California's Global Warming Solutions Act
Authored by Nunez and Fran Pavley, D-Agoura Hills, and co-authored by Berg, this bill will limit greenhouse gas emission by requiring a statewide monitoring and reporting program be in place by 2008. Berg said the bill aims to gradually roll back emission levels to what they were in 1990 by the year 2020.
"It's currently in the Senate Appropriations Committee and I'm going to be watching it closely as it moves forward because, obviously, we have to do everything we can to protect our natural resources and health for our future generations," Berg said.
Berg also named a couple bills to watch in August that will particularly benefit those in the 1st District.
AB 1944, Small school district transportation
This bill, authored by Berg, is currently in the Senate Appropriations Committee. If moved forward, it will amend a section of the Education Code pertaining to the replacement or reconditioning of school buses manufactured prior to 1977, moving the replacement age up 10 years to include buses manufactured prior to 1987.
"There are about 6,000 buses that were manufactured before 1987, and the majority of those are in rural areas," Berg said. "Those buses are not meeting many of the safety requirements that were established by the federal government and are causing increased pollution."
According to Berg, there is already $5.5 million set aside in existing funds for replacements and repairs. The same bill was vetoed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in the last legislative session because he was not aware its passage required no new money, Berg said.
AB 1798, Winter disaster relief
This bill, also authored by Berg and currently in the Senate Appropriations Committee, will help those impacted by the winter storms of December.
"I've never seen anything as severe as these storms were," Berg said. "What my bill does is provide financial relief to homeowners and businesses in counties that were impacted by the storms by making them eligible for state reimbursement of local property tax losses and homeowners' exemption treatment."
It applies to the Northern California Counties of Mendocino, Del Norte, Humboldt, Trinity, Lake, Sonoma and Napa.
"There's been tremendous support as this bill has moved through the process," Berg said.
Katie Mintz can be reached at udjkm@pacific.net.
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