2004 LEGISLATION 

AB 578: Electronic Recording Act

This measure would set up a framework under which County Assessors and Recorders could receive documents electronically. Most Assessors and Recorders already operate electronically upon receipt of paper-based documents. In 2002, the Attorney General indicated that receipt of electronic recordings by County Assessors and Recorders requires legislative authorization.

Read the bill text, analyses, status, and votes on the California Legislative Information Site

AB 594: Implementation of Proposition B, the Solar Revenue Bond

This measure closes a loophole in state law to allow the City of San Francisco to implement Proposition B, the solar revenue bond supported overwhelmingly by San Francisco voters. Currently, San Francisco can build solar power projects like Moscone Center that supply power directly to an on-site facility. AB 594 allows the City of San Francisco to build projects on remote government properties and supply power through net-metering, expanding the possibilities for building solar power facilities.

Read the bill text, analyses, status, and votes on the California Legislative Information Site

AB 714: Disabled Voting Rights

Federal money has been recently been made available through the Help America Vote Act to help improve voting accessibility for individuals with physical disabilities and visual impairments. This bill would help make resources available during all elections, as opposed to just during federal elections.

Read the bill text, analyses, status, and votes on the California Legislative Information Site

AB 1684: Clean up of AB 1685 relating to the Self Generation Incentive Program

This measure is a technical clean up of AB 1685, a bill passed last year which extended the Self-Generation Incentive Program to 2008. AB 1684 is a minor technical clean up and was voted unanimously out of the Assembly and will be heard in the Senate Energy Committee this June.

Read the bill text, analyses, status, and votes on the California Legislative Information Site

AB 1796: Food Stamps Eligibility

Federal law currently prohibits individuals with a prior drug conviction from receiving federally funded food stamps. States have the ability to opt-out of this prohibition and 31 states have chosen to do so. This measure would opt-out California, making state eligible to receive this type of federal food stamp funding.

Denying public assistance is a significant barrier to successful re-entry into society to formerly incarcerated persons. Food assistance helps individuals attempting to reintegrate into society to better use their scarce economic resources.

Read the bill text, analyses, status, and votes on the California Legislative Information Site

AB 1866: Prisoner Media Access

Currently, reporters are prohibited from face-to-face interviews with prisoners and are banned from using writing materials or recording devices in California prisons. AB 1866 would o allow media representatives to conduct in-person interviews with prisoners, including prearranged interviews. In conducting the interviews, a media representative would be able use any supplies needed to conduct the interview, including writing materials and recording devices. The measure would also permit a media representative to accept confidential correspondence from a prisoner under certain circumstances.

Read the bill text, analyses, status, and votes on the California Legislative Information Site

AB 1967: The California Marriage License Non-Discrimination Act

California Family Code currently defines marriage as a personal relation arising out of a civil contract between a man and a woman. AB 1967 would define marriages in California as a civil contract between two persons, allowing same sex couples access to the same rights and responsibilities of marriage as heterosexual couples in the state.

Read the bill text, analyses, status, and votes on the California Legislative Information Site

AB 2146: Dungeness Crab Industry Pilot Project

AB 2146 will ensure the livelihood of family-owned, small-to-medium crab boat owners and operators. These traditional, small businesses are in danger of losing their place in an industry of larger, more equipped boats and processors. AB 2146 would limit the number of crab traps used for the take of Dungeness crab to 250 traps per vessel beginning October 1, 2005 through October 1, 2007. Additionally this measure would authorize the Fish and Game Commission to adopt regulations as may be necessary to ensure the protection of the Dungeness Crab Industry.

Read the bill text, analyses, status, and votes on the California Legislative Information Site

AB 2296: Public Hearing Efficiency Measure for the ABC

AB 2296 was drafted in part by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control and requires protestants of ABC hearings to confirm with the ABC if they intend to protest the licensing of an ABC regulated venue. AB 2296 will help eliminate hearings in which protestants decide not to protest, while the ABC continues to prepare for a scheduled hearing, wasting state resources and holding up the calendar of hearings.

Read the bill text, analyses, status, and votes on the California Legislative Information Site

AB 2303: Limiting Corporate Executive Compensation in Bankruptcy

This measure prevents a public utility from giving executive bonuses while in insolvency and at the expense of ratepayers. This measure is a direct response to the exorbitant bonuses given to PG&E executives while the company was in bankruptcy.

Read the bill text, analyses, status, and votes on the California Legislative Information Site

AB 2552: Marriage and Family Therapist Scope of Practice Clarification

Business and Professions Code provides that Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) degree programs must contain "an integrated course of study that trains students generally in the diagnosis, assessment, prognosis and treatment of mental disorders." It also provides that degree programs for MFTs shall contain supervised practices "in applied psychotherapeutic techniques, assessment, diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of premarital, couple, family, and child relationships, including dysfunctions, healthy functioning, health promotion, and illness prevention." AB 2552 clarifies the fact that the MFT scope of practice includes the responsibilities and duties for which an MFT is trained.

Read the bill text, analyses, status, and votes on the California Legislative Information Site

AB 2591: Local government enforcement of charter party carrier laws for limousines

This measure would allow local governments to regulate and enforce charter party carrier laws for limousines. The state PUC currently regulates and enforces charter party carrier laws for limousines, but statewide enforcement could benefit from added local enforcement. Violations of charter party carrier laws have public safety and consumer implications. Allowing local enforcement of the law will create a safer environment for everyone.

Read the bill text, analyses, status, and votes on the California Legislative Information Site

AB 2660: Mid Level Practitioners

This measure would require pharmacists to register with the federal Drug Enforcement Agency, who would recognize these pharmacists as "Mid-level Practitioners". These pharmacists will then be able to provide regular and timely pain management care to those in need of end-of-life care.

Read the bill text, analyses, status, and votes on the California Legislative Information Site

AB 2674: Adoption Relinquishment Time Line

This measure would ensure that the filing of relinquishment papers is binding two business days after certified receipt by the Department of Social Services (DSS). Currently, the process often takes more than 30 days, forcing parents and their prospective adoptive children to wait unnecessarily.

Read the bill text, analyses, status, and votes on the California Legislative Information Site

AB 2711: San Francisco Airport Police Retirement

This measure allows CalPERS and the City and County of San Francisco Retirement System (SFERS) to enter into an agreement to transfer assets and liabilities of former San Francisco Airport police who are now under the jurisdiction of the San Francisco Police Officers Association.

Read the bill text, analyses, status, and votes on the California Legislative Information Site

AB 2729: Judges Right to Discovery

This measure will assure that judges facing investigations by the Commission on Judicial Performance are accorded due process, by providing judges the same ability to issue subpoenas and depose witnesses as the Commission itself.

Read the bill text, analyses, status, and votes on the California Legislative Information Site

AB 2761: Rental Car Contracts for Business Customers

In 1998 the Legislature enacted significant protections for rental car consumers in order to ensure that these customers are given a fair and accurate quote for their rental car before entering into a rental car contract. These protections were never meant to apply to the unique circumstances of the business renter whose company has entered into a pre-negotiated agreement with a rental car company. This measure would allow businesses to pre-negotiate contracts outside the confines of the rules created for individual renters.

Read the bill text, analyses, status, and votes on the California Legislative Information Site

AB 2842: Campaign Finance Loan Loophole Closure

On January 27th of this year, a judge determined that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's $.5 million in bank loans to his campaign for Governor were illegal and that the monies must be paid back by Mr. Schwarzenegger personally rather than raised through contributions. Since that time, legislative candidates have continued taking out bank loans in violation of the spirit of the Court's ruling. This measure would make that ruling law.

Read the bill text, analyses, status, and votes on the California Legislative Information Site