Bill fails 39-37, can be reconsidered tomorrow.

AB 352, the bill to require that ammo cartridges have an ID stamp on them so they can supposedly be traced back to the gun owner in a crime scene, is on the floor, amidst a hot debate. It passed the Senate 22-18 previously withall Republicans voting no.Assembly votes sit at 37-29 in favor, on call.… Read More

As this year’s election year legislative session comes to a close yet another good government bill has been left stranded in Sacramento. The Senate Appropriations Committee currently holds AB 1634, authored by Assemblyman Kevin McCarthy with strong support from Secretary of State Bruce McPherson (pictured below), in suspense.

AB 1634 would fully reimburse county governments for the costs they incurred during last year’s Special Election with no impact on current or future budgets – as the money has already been set aside. When the Special Election was called, Secretary McPherson recommended that the proclamation include language to reimburse the counties for their costs. California has held a large number of elections in the last 5 years and county governments are feeling the squeeze.

If this bill does not pass, some counties are going to have to make cuts to important services such as law enforcement, health services and infrastructure… Read More

Senate passes greenhouse gas global warming bill, 23-14, all Republicans present voting NO…coming our way.… Read More

Since awarding the Golden Trash Can Award to the KOCE bill that allows the de facto public subsidy of millions to the Foundation that wants to buy the TV station, we’ve been following the bill.

Today is the third day that this bill has been languishing on the Senate Floor. Early reports were that Senator Tom Harman had agreed to be the floor jockey for the bill, but then dropped it like a hot potato, leaving its author, Assemblywoman Carol Liu of Los Angeles, without anyone to bring it up for a vote. Then we heard that another Los Angeles County Democrat, State Senator Alan Lowenthal agreed to “jockey” the bill. But the ‘stink’ associated with this bad bill was too much even for him, and he dropped out as jockey. Now the latest is that the bill supporters had to go all the way to the Bay Area to find a new ‘jockey’ – State Senator Tom Torlackson. We’ll see if he holds on to the stinky hot potato, or not.

Perhaps they should keep looking for support even further to the north – perhaps just bilking Oregon taxpayers instead of ones here in the Golden State..… Read More

The Trip III. Route: Sacramento to LA via the 99 then the 5 to downtown San Diego. Me, Valerie, and Ella.

9:30 Left Sacramento after a having to trot back home for something we forgot.

10:00 Stockton

10:10 – 10:45. Freeway gridlock south of Stockton for road repair. When we reached the location of the ‘repair’ (no joke) we found 14 CalTrans workers literally leaning on their shovels while one fellow shoveled in a hole. Much to my chagrin, my camera was in the trunk.

11:00 Modesto

11:30 Merced

12:30 Fresno. Here we went through the Jack in the Box drive through. My second hamburger was most unwholesome (It felt like it had a four day growth of beard) and I had to put it down. I’m still a little nauseous from thinking about it and don’t think I’m game for fast food for a while.

1:45 Bakersfield. The worse part of this drive, without a doubt, either direction, is the drive between Fresno and Bakersfield. It may only be an hour and fifteen minutes but it seems like 3 hours.

2:45 Magic Mountain. I was going about 85 mph here and a Hell’s Angels fellow sped past me like I was… Read More

Yes, this one passed too, 47-26. Another nanny government bill, SB 1613, a bill banning hand held cell phone use in automobiles, is on call right now, 2 votes short of the 41 needed. Of course this bill has been defeated 5 times previously…[term limits for bill ideas anyone, such as drivers licenses for illegal immigrants 5 or so times as well?]

This bill should instead address the act of erratic driving, not simply driving while holding a phone, a drink, a shift lever, etc. Making our law enforcement people look for whether someone is holding a phone or not is a distraction from them patroling for true dangerson the road, bad driving, whether drunk, not watching the road, whatever.

Maybethe State Babysittercan force you to equip your horse with airbags or require a helmet and lifevest when you’re bathing.… Read More

The bill passes 42-2042 Dems voting Aye, 2 No, 4 Laying Off Reps, 18 voting No, 13 Laying Off. [Tally before any add-on votes] The Speaker’s bill on the Mayor-control of LA Unified is having a tough go, earlier it went on call at 30-21, with 13 Dems laying off and 5 Dems voting no…… Read More

Yesterday, the FlashReport awarded its 2006 Golden Trash Can Award to Assembly Bill 523 which represents an outrageous effort by the Coast Community College District in Orange County to make a de facto gift of nearly $20 million in public funds to finance a bid by KOCE television’s Foundation to buy the public broadcast station, which is being sold by the college district to generate funds. I won’t go over all of the details again, but I will encourage FR readers to read the piece. Since writing iy, I have not been provided with the actual Appellate Court rulings which are very clear when you read them. Presiding Justice Sills, who penned the opinion for the court, voids the sale of KOCE to the KOCE Foundation — the bit provided by the Foundation was for much less money than the other bidder, televangelism provider Daystar.… Read More