AB 1219 – Multitrack Year-Round Education

Multitrack year-round schools and busing are extreme measures that temporarily accommodate school overcrowding but create a separate and unequal education. This bill bans the use of multitrack year-round educational calendars by July 2015 and limits the use of busing kids away from their neighborhood school after July 2009.

AB 1219 was held in the Assembly Appropriations Committee due to insufficient funds. The bill will be taken up again in the upcoming legislative session.

AB 256 – Healthcare Pool for School Employees

There are over 1,000 school districts statewide that purchase different health care plans with various administrative costs and risks. This measure requires a study to examine the costs, cost savings, benefits and drawbacks of creating a single school health care pool for all public school employees. The savings would allow school districts to have more resources for students.

AB 256 was signed into law by Governor Schwarzenegger. The bill received bipartisan support, passing 50 to 29 in the Assembly and 29 to 7 in the Senate

AB 1057 – Adult Education

This bill modifies the exit exam schedule to accommodate the schedules of students in adult education programs. A passing score on the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) will be a requirement for all high school diplomas awarded in 2006. This includes diplomas awarded to adult education students. AB 1057 empowers local school districts to provide the administration of these tests on weekends and evenings. Currently, the exit exam is only administered on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, which is convenient for students enrolled in K-12 schools, but not for adult education students.

Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed the bill. The bill received bipartisan support, passing 52 to 27 in the Assembly and 28 to 8 in the Senate

BETTER GOVERNMENT

AB 11 – Ethics in Local Government

This bill would stop abuses such as those committed by the former city council majority of South Gate when they almost tripled their salary. This bill limits pay for city councilmembers serving on committees or commissions that they themselves create. In these tough budgetary times, city funds should be used for local parks, police, and other local needs.

AB 11 was signed into law The bill received bipartisan support and passed 71 to 0 in the Assembly and 28 to 5 in the Senate.

AIR QUALITY

AB 888 – Air Quality: Railyards

The communities around the Commerce Railyard have faced polluting emissions for far too long. This measure seeks to reduce air pollution from railyard equipment. The South Coast Air Quality Management District would require that heavy-duty motor vehicles, non-road engines, or non-road vehicles that operate substantially in a railyard retrofit or replace existing equipment with clean technologies to reduce air contaminants.

The bill was held in the Senate Transportation Committee.

HEALTHCARE ACCESS

AB 327 – Medical Loan Forgiveness Program

The California Physician Corp Loan Repayment Program helps physicians who want to serve economically disadvantaged and underrepresented communities that do not have enough physicians. This bill allows all physicians to make a voluntary $50 contribution for the Loan Repayment Program. The revenues raised will be used to assist more doctors to serve disadvantaged communities, including some areas within the 50th Assembly District.

Governor Schwarzenegger signed into law. Passed 52 to 26 in the Assembly and 24 to 12 in the Senate.

AB 779 – Medi-Cal Re-Determination

This bill will ensure that eligible Californians will not lose coverage when it comes time to renew their Medi-Cal eligibility. This measure requires a computerized procedure to give doctors, hospitals, and clinics the renewal date for their patients to help them keep their Medi-Cal health insurance.

Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed the bill. The bill received bipartisan support and passed 77 to 0 in the Assembly and 35 to 0 in the Senate.

WORKING FAMILIES

AB 1654 – Hire California

This bill will ensure that good-paying jobs stay in California and that tax dollars are kept in California to fuel and strengthen the state’s economy. This measure would provide a 5 percent bid preference on state contracts for goods and services to contractors who prove that 90% of their employees who perform work on the contracted service are California residents.

Bill held in Assembly Appropriations Committee due to insufficient funds. The bill will be taken up again in the upcoming Legislative session.