SACRAMENTO - Despite the hectic schedules and hurdles of the California Assembly's legislative calendar, Assemblyman Jose Solorio (D-Anaheim) has scored a very successful last two weeks. All of his priority bills from his 2008 Legislative package passed out of their respective policy committees.

"When a bill makes sense, you can find consensus and votes," says Assemblyman Solorio. "So far, the bills I authored this year are being interpreted as sound policy by Democrats and Republicans. I appreciate their support, and am grateful to all the concerned citizens who come to Sacramento to testify on behalf of my bills."

Assemblyman Solorio official portrait. Publications: click for high resolution image.

At this juncture in the 2008 Legislative session, the 10 most significant Solorio-authored bills heard in policy committees and moving on to the Appropriations Committee or a vote on the Assembly floor are highlighted below.

Education Bills

AB 2391 - Teacher Professional Development. This bill would help teachers acquire data analysis skills as a means to increase pupil academic achievement.

AB 2708 - School Advertisements. This bill would ban food and beverage advertising on school grounds to address childhood obesity and diabetes.

AB 2974 - Textbooks for English Learners. This bill would establish an English Learner Literacy and Accelerated English Language Acquisition Pilot Program.

Public Safety Bills

AB 1975 - Missing Persons DNA Data Base. This bill would remove the termination date of death certificate fees used to fund the Missing Persons DNA Data Base.

AB 2553 - Domestic Violence. This bill specifies that when a judge declines a request for a restraining order, the judge is required to include a reason for the denial.

AB 2816 - Graffiti. This bill would clarify that if the intent to commit vandalism is clear, the size of the marker used to create graffiti does not matter.

AB 2937 - The Arthur Carmona Justice for the Wrongfully Convicted Act. This bill would require that wrongfully convicted persons receive similar assistance given to ex-offenders and parolees.

Other Bills

AB 2339 - Honda Center. This legislation would allow for publicly-owned sport centers, including the Honda Center, the flexibility to expand the eligible items to be advertised on their electronic marquee.

AB 2589 - Sunshine on Commissions. This bill would require healthcare insurance providers and healthcare plans to annually disclose to their public-entity clients the commissions paid in respect to that contract.

AB 2753 - Social Workers. This bill would establish professional standards for the social worker classification in state civil service.

Assemblyman Jose Solorio represents the Sixty-Ninth Assembly District, which includes the cities of Anaheim, Garden Grove, and Santa Ana. He is also Chairman of the Assembly Public Safety Committee. For more information about Assemblyman Solorio, you can visit www.assembly.ca.gov/solorio.