• Noreen's View: Prison Reform
• Your Legislator at Work: Protecting the Developmentally Disabled
• Bad Budget News
• An Eye on the Governor

NOREEN'S VIEW: PRISON REFORM

There's been a lot of talk about prison reform, and with good reason. The prison reform package adopted by the Legislature and recently signed into law by the Governor did more than avert a crisis. It began the process of putting our prisons back on track.

Several months ago a federal judge threatened to put our prisons into receivership unless the state improved overcrowding conditions and the medical treatment available to inmates. Had that happened, we would have lost total control over our state prisons as well as our say in how to reform them. A federal judge would have had a blank check to conduct prison reform without accountability to California taxpayers.

California was given until May 15th to come up with a plan to address these deficiencies. After months of meetings between legislative leaders and the Governor, a deal was reached and Assembly Bill (AB) 900 was sent to the Governor's desk on April 26th.

This $7.9 billion dollar prison reform plan not only calls for the construction of 53,000 new prison beds and avoids the early release of dangerous criminals into our communities. It also expands rehabilitation programs and provides drug treatment and vocational training for inmates. Each new inmate will be screened for educational and treatment needs and a plan will be developed to provide these programs.

The reform plan is truly a compromise – both parties, both houses of the Legislature, and the Governor all had to give a little. It is far from perfect, and will continue to need improvement. But this is a solid first step.

With these reforms, California has reversed the momentum of deteriorating conditions in our prisons. We are truly beginning to address rehabilitation and reduce recidivism. As a result, our communities will be safer and mismanagement within the Department of Corrections will be confronted.

Ultimately, these reforms are another example of how your state government is working in a bi-partisan way to solve the big challenges facing the state.

YOUR LEGISLATOR AT WORK: PROTECTING THE DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED

One of our state's longstanding priorities is to help families provide care to members with developmental disabilities. The strength of family relationships as well as the lives and the quality of life for the developmentally disabled are at stake.

These issues were at the forefront of my work when I served two years as the Chair of the Assembly Human Services Committee, especially as they relate to the residents of the Sonoma Developmental Center (SDC).

Last July, I held a hearing at the SDC to learn about the needs and concerns held by families with members residing at the center. At this hearing, families consistently told me two things. First, the SDC's employees take fantastic care of the center's residents. One woman said that she is now able to have a relationship with her sister because of the great care she has only recently begun to receive at the SDC. I heard many heartwarming stories like this one.

Unfortunately, I was also told by many families that their wishes are marginalized and even ignored by bureaucrats who do not work at the SDC but determine where their disabled relatives live. I heard many hair-raising stories about how disabled individuals were moved out of the developmental center, away from their families, and into group homes that are unsuitable for their care needs and against the wishes of their families.

After the hearing, I vowed to help. This year, I have taken action.

Under current law, called the Lanterman Act, people living with developmental disabilities are entitled to receive care tailored to their individual needs. Their care is determined through the individual program plan (IPP) process where experts evaluate the individual and assess appropriate care provision. In order to empower family members to safeguard their developmentally disabled loved ones, I introduced Assembly Bill 1402. It will enable families to make audio recordings of IPP meetings which could help families when disputes arise over care. The bill also requires information about the appeals process to be placed prominently on the websites of regional centers, which manage the IPPs of developmentally disabled individuals, so families will know how to protect themselves.

I am also working with the current chair of the Assembly Human Services Committee, Jim Beall (D-San Jose), on his comprehensive plan to completely review the Lanterman Act and developmental services. This detailed process will involve all groups with an interest in the Act and I look forward to its findings so that we can improve the care standards for developmentally disabled people.

These efforts are solid initial steps to make sure that developmentally disabled people are protected and cared for in our community and across our state.

BAD BUDGET NEWS

The Governor released his revised budget proposal, called the May Revise, after having had the opportunity to update his proposal based on the latest estimates for taxes paid in April. I was hoping that the Governor would have good news for Californians. Unfortunately, the news was downright awful.

The Governor proposes more budget cuts in order to make accelerated debt payments on his Economic Recovery Bonds. It's a bit like making a double mortgage payment while ignoring the electric bill. It just creates a different set of problems. His proposed cuts to important services and programs in our state will have costs of their own.

The most egregious example is the Governor's proposal to reduce monthly subsistence payments to the blind, aged, and disabled of our society. This serves the interests of Wall Street investors over the basic needs of the vulnerable.

At a time when the Governor speaks of post-partisanship, I was surprised to see him so easily dismiss efforts by Democratic and Republican legislators to expand protections for agricultural land in California. The Governor has proposed to eliminate all funding for the Williamson Act, which provides tax incentives for landowners to keep their land in farming. This budget proposal is shocking in its ignorance. California cannot have a future in agriculture if prime farmland is paved over.

Furthermore, while claiming to be a leader in the fight against climate change, the Governor wants to cut $1.3 billion in public transportation funding. This defies the reality we are facing when gas prices are high and demand for public transit is rising.

California deserves better. As a member of the Assembly Budget Committee, I am committed to find solutions that are good for all Californians.

AN EYE ON THE GOVERNOR

ACTIVITIES:

It isn't every day that I see eye to eye with the Governor. But, with May being Clean Air Month, I must give credit when it is due.

Last year, California passed the first comprehensive law to regulate greenhouse gas emissions to confront climate change, Assembly Bill 32, which I was proud to co-author. The effectiveness of this legislation hinges on our ability to regulate so-called "mobile source" emissions. In California, vehicles are the greatest source of these emissions.

Under the federal Clean Air Act, California already has the authority to set its own vehicle emissions standards but it must first get a waiver from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to do so. However, the EPA has done nothing under President Bush. Recently, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled EPA has the authority to act.

On April 25th, I was pleased to hear the Governor announce his intention to sue the EPA if California is not allowed regulate greenhouse gas emissions originating from new vehicles.

A lot is at stake. Other states have the right to adopt California vehicle emission standards as their own. Eleven other states have already done so: Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington. Arizona and New Mexico are in the process of adopting them.

Collectively, these states make up about one-third of all US auto sales. If California requires cars with lower emissions, the rest of the nation will follow. That will go a long way to reduce our contribution to climate change, regardless of whether the Bush Administration wants to act.

APPOINTMENTS:

Michael Johnson, 58, of Vacaville, has been appointed to the Sex Offender Management Board. Since 1992, he has served as the county administrator for the County of Solano.

J. Michael Brennan, 49, of Fairfield, has been appointed deputy director of sales and marketing for the California State Lottery. He most recently served as a consultant for the Hudson Beverage Company in 2006, overseeing the companies financial planning and analysis.

Eric Osen, 39, of Vallejo, has been appointed to the Board of Pilot Commissioners for the Bays of San Francisco, San Pablo and Suisun. He has worked for the Chevron Shipping Company since 2000, where he currently serves as a team leader of standards, compliance assurance and advocacy.

For further information about the Governor, please visit www.governor.ca.gov.