Legislative Reflections

Greetings neighbors! The end of summer brings with it the close of a successful two-year legislative session and the beginning of what is sure to be an exciting campaign season. I would like to reflect on these past few months in Sacramento and let you know how you can get involved in the legislative process by encouraging Governor Schwarzenegger to sign a number of important bills sitting on his desk. Additionally, I would like to inform you of my work against diabetes, and how you can join in the fight and bring awareness to the disease.

Throughout the legislative year, I have had the pleasure of working on a wide range of issues important to San Franciscans. One such measure is Assembly Bill 1796. The 1996 federal welfare reform bill included a last minute floor amendment to deny food stamps to those with a prior drug felony. The ban has turned away thousands of needy individuals, regardless of their having paid their debt to society, having been through a recovery program, or having children to feed. The measure will allow California to receive approximately $1.8 million in new federal funding annually.

I co-authored and worked extensively on Senate Bill 1449 with Senator Ross Johnson, a measure that will bolster public confidence in our campaign finance laws by closing the bank loan loophole that wealthy candidates use to finance their own campaigns. If the Governor signs this measure, any political candidate will be prohibited from taking out a bank loan for more than $100,000. This will ensure the public knows who is supporting each candidate before they are asked to vote for them.

I decided to author Assembly Bill 2303 when I learned of the huge bonuses that top utility executives were receiving while their business were in bankruptcy. If the Governor signs this measure, bonuses paid to officers or employees of an insolvent utility company will be at the expense of the shareholders, not the ratepayers. Additionally, the company will not be allowed to deduct the costs associated with bonuses from their taxes during that period, ending our public subsidy of these multi-million dollar bonuses.

San Francisco natives and visitors alike know our local specialty of sourdough French bread, chilled Chardonnay, and freshly cracked dungeness crab from our very own bay. The late San Francisco Chronicle columnist Herb Caen called it "the quintessential San Francisco meal." So when I Iearned that the San Francisco tradition of small, locally owned dungeness crab fishing businesses were being threatened by large, corporate processors, I knew something had to be done. If the Governor signs Assembly Bill 2146, all crab fishing boats will be limited to using 250 traps per vessel until the end of the 2007 crab season, leveling the playing field so our family owned businesses can compete. Additionally, the Fish and Game Commission will have the authority to adopt regulations to protect the industry and give longevity to the crab season.

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) was designed on the principle that Americans who work should not have to raise their families in poverty. The EITC is returned to the taxpayer in the form of a refund after they have filed their taxes. There are a number of problems with this system, evident when you consider studies that suggest between $600 to $700 million annually in federal EITC money go unclaimed by eligible Californians. My Assembly Bill 2813 will set up a system to get working people the information they need to take advantage of this credit. If the Governor signs this bill, California employers will be required to let employees know about this important benefit, which can amount up to $4,000 per worker.

The Governor has until midnight on September 30 to sign or veto each of these measures. You can help by sending the Governor a letter, e-mail or calling his office to let him know how you feel about a particular bill. His address is State Capitol Building, Sacramento, CA 95814, his phone number is (916) 445-2841 and you can send him an e-mail by visiting this website http://www.govmail.ca.gov/

Back at home, I have been working to bring awareness to diabetes. The statistics for this treatable and often times preventable disease are staggering. It is estimated that in California, over two million people have diabetes, and 600,000 don't know they have it. It is absolutely imperative that all families are educated about the disease, receive screening and know what steps they can take to prevent diabetes. Obesity is the leading known cause of type 2 diabetes.

As the Chairman of the California Assembly's Select Committee on Childhood Obesity and Related Diabetes, I held an informational hearing in April to inform families of resources offered. Last year I also authored Assembly Bill 942 which authorized school personnel to administer emergency assistance to diabetic students.

In an effort to raise money for the cause, I will be joining thousands of walkers around the nation participating in the American Diabetes Association's "America's Walk for Diabetes" on Friday, October 1st at Justin Hermin Plaza at 11 a.m. My office is assembling a team of folks interested in staying fit, reducing their risk of developing diabetes and raising money in the fight. If you would like to take part in the effort, please give my office a call. For more information on how to prevent diabetes or where to get your family screened, please visit http://www.diabetes.org

Additionally, I am already working on next year's legislative agenda. We plan to reintroduce our Marriage License Non-Discrimination bill on December 6. If you have an idea or would like more information on legislation from this past year, please give me a call. I look forward to the important issues we will address next year in the legislature and value your input and partnership along the way.

To contact Assemblyman Mark Leno's San Francisco District Office call 415-557-3013 or e-mail her directly at Assemblymember.Leno@asm.ca.gov