State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0012
Tel: (916) 319-2012
Fax: (916) 319-2112
District Offices:
455 Golden Gate Ave.,
Suite 14600
San Francisco, CA 94102
Tel: (415) 557-2312
Fax: (415) 557-1178
2007 Legislative Summaries
Real Solutions For Real People
In her first term in the Legislature, Assembly Majority Whip Fiona Ma sent an impressive 26 bills to the Governor’s desk, forging real solutions for real people in California. From initiatives to protect children from dangerous chemicals to promote solar power, Assemblywoman Ma has tackled some of our state’s most significant challenges. The first session bill package focuses a great deal on the needs of San Francisco and San Mateo counties, and nearly all of the bills below gained support from both Democrats and Republicans committed to moving California forward. Here are a few examples:
Working with Mayor Gavin Newsom and the City and County of San Francisco, Assemblywoman Ma passed AB 101 to allow Municipal Railway vehicles to enforce traffic laws with video technology. Mayor Newsom testified that “Double-parked cars are the biggest problem — from my perspective — to meeting (Muni's) on-time goals.” AB 101 provides the City with needed tools to ensure MUNI becomes more reliable.
Additional News:
Staff Contact: Nick Hardeman 916-319-2012
After learning that grooms and Californians entering a domestic partnership had to pay more for a simple name change than brides making the same change, Assemblywoman Ma worked with the American Civil Liberties Union and Equality California to make the law fairer for all Californians. The Name Equality Act requires local governments to provide either spouse or domestic partner the right to change their name without publishing an expensive advertisement or appearing before a judge.
Staff Contact: Catalina Hayes-Bautista 916-319-2012
AB 547: Medical Board Licensing Fees
An audit conducted by the State Auditor discovered that the California Medical Board overcharged physicians and other practitioners, and developed an excessive fund balance. Using her auditing and fiscal skills, Assemblywoman Ma authored AB 547 to ensure that audit recommendations were implemented and doctors were not paying excessive fees. The bill provides the Medical Board with the flexibility to lower, but not increase, the fees based on actual costs of providing services.
Read the audit here.
Staff Contact: Eric Dang, 916-219-2012
AB 1017: Fair and Consistent CEQA Processes
As a San Francisco Supervisor, Fiona Ma participated in countless hearings when a citizen appealed the City’s planning department’s environmental determination under a law called the California Environmental Quality Act. In her experience, CEQA was applied in an inconsistent manner. AB 1017 avoids needless CEQA delays by requiring that an appeal be set for a hearing within 90 days, and a decision be reached promptly thereafter. The bill clarifies that the preliminary decision is set aside, giving both the appellant and sponsor the chance to make their case before the elected decisionmakers. In San Francisco, the bill provides that the appeal must be filed within 30 days of the first discretionary appeal.
Staff contact: Bill Barnes, 916-319-2012
California’s school districts face tremendous budget challenges, with energy accounting for a significant cost. Working with the San Francisco Unified School District and the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, Assemblywoman Ma authored AB 1062 to cut red tape for school districts that wish to install solar power. The bill requires that the Division of the State Architect adopt standard plans to be used by school districts across the state when they wish to install such systems.
Staff Contact: Eric Dang, 916-319-2012
California became the first in the nation to ban phthalates, a dangerous chemical found in children’s products, as a result of Assemblywoman Ma’s AB 1108. After a previous bill was killed in the Legislature, Fiona Ma passed such a ban at the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, becoming the first American city to follow the European Union and 14 other countries who were already protecting kids. In Sacramento, the bill became the subject of fierce debate. Working with sponsors Environment California and Breast Cancer Fund, AB 1108 eventually passed on a razor-thin margin. When Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the bill, history was made. The next year, Senator Dianne Feinstein inserted similar language into the federal product safety bill and now every American benefits from safer toys for young children.
Staff Contact: Bill Barnes, 916-319-2012
AB 1221: Transit-Oriented Development
In the 12th Assembly District, neighbors have focused on the need for better planning around critical transit hubs, including the Glen Park, Balboa Park, Daly City and Colma BART stations. AB 1221, sponsored by the Bay Area Rapid Transit District and the California Transit Association, provides a necessary tool to finance critical infrastructure without raising taxes. AB 1221 allows a local government, working in concert with a transit agency, to develop a transit village plan and finance the improvements. The plan must also help pay for affordable housing in the area.
Staff Contact: Mao Yang, 916-319-2012
AB 1519: Display of Human Remains
As a San Francisco Supervisor, Fiona Ma took on a large corporation that displayed human remains for profit. When the show came to San Francisco, some of the specimens leaked and health officials were called in. What was learned later is more disturbing—many of these bodies are of individuals who did not give consent for their remains to be exhibited. AB 1519 regulates these shows by requiring exhibitors to post signs that state if the bodies were, in fact, donated.
Additional News:
Staff Contact: Eric Dang, 916-319-2012
AB 1767: Graffiti Community Service
One of the most significant problems in addressing graffiti vandalism is that a graffiti vandal can simply make what is known as a civil compromise—an agreement that the vandal repay a property owner for damage. The debt to the community as a whole, however, is not repaid. AB 1767 allows the City and County of San Francisco to establish a pilot program where a vandal entering into such an agreement must also perform up to 24 hours of community service.
Staff Contact: Nick Hardeman, 916-319-2012
AB 1771: Domestic Violence Restraining Orders
Courts are designed to protect victims of violence with tools to break the cycle. One such tool, the restraining order, is routinely issued by judges who hear that a person may be at physical risk. The judge must find that there is “good cause,” a term that had not been defined properly. When Assemblywoman Ma learned of a court case that put women and men at risk, she acted to provide judges clearer guidance. Working with the advocacy group Survivors in Action and former homicide prosecutor Jim Hammer, Assemblywoman Ma passed AB 1771 to allow judges to use prior convictions or a current indictment to protect persons at risk.
Staff Contact: Catalina Hayes-Bautista, 916-319-2012
Neighbors across San Francisco complain about recycling raiders—the large fleets that rummage through recycling bins late at night. Not only do these thieves leave large amounts of trash on the ground and increase the potential for identity theft, their actions hurt recycling programs. In fact, neighbors reported that they were not willing to put bins out knowing this could occur. AB 1778 makes recyclers responsible, by requiring identification and a check payment when a person presents a large amount of recycling. This effort will keep garbage rates low and provide additional protection against these raiders.
Staff Contact: Nick Hardeman, 916-319-2012
When a consumer is locked out of his or her home, car or place of business, it can be an especially trying time. Calling a locksmith shouldn’t add to the concern. When Assemblywoman Ma learned that countless individuals were listed in the phone book, but not licensed by the state of California, she went to work to better regulate locksmiths. AB 2592, which was supported by AAA-California and the California Locksmiths Association modernizes California laws and protects consumers by increasing fines for those who operate illegally. The bill also requires locksmith companies to list a license number in their advertisements, so consumers have recourse if something goes wrong.
Additional News:
Staff Contact: Nick Hardeman, 916-319-2012
