Ballots and Bills

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Calif. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima) this week introduced SB 380. The bill would prevent the arbitrary interruption of wireless...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Calif. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima) this week introduced SB 222, which would establish the California Genetic Information Privacy Act....

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Calif. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima) announced the introduction of Senate Bill 5. The bill would allow undergraduates to qualify...

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Today, Calif. Assemblymember Isadore Hall, III (D-Los Angeles) introduced legislation, AB 332, requiring condom use in all adult...

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Calif. Assemblymember Isadore Hall, III (D-Los Angeles) will hold a Valentine’s Day press conference to introduce legislation requiring...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Building upon the work of Attorney General Kamala Harris and leaders in the mobile technology industry, Calif. Assemblymember Isadore...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Calif. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima) announced the introduction of Senate Bill 191 today. The bill would allow counties to...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Today, Calif. Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. announced the following appointments: First, David Russell Hochschild, 41, of Berkeley, has...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Calif. Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Los Angeles) introduced a bill today (AB 265) to help local governments create dog parks...

OXNARD, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Today, Calif. Assembly Member Jeff Gorell (R-Camarillo) introduced Assembly Bill 248 that directs appropriate state agencies to collaborate with...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- On Saturday, February 2, members of Calif. Assemblyman Mike Gatto's (D-Los Angeles) Small Business Advisory Commission voted to ask...

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- “Three weeks ago, the California Institute of Technology and the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology published...

OXNARD, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Speaking together in a joint press conference, state and local government officials joined community and business leaders today in...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Today, Calif. Assemblymember Jeff Gorell (R-Camarillo) introduced legislation to clarify the way write-in candidates qualify for the general election under California’s "Top Two" election system. Assembly Bill 141 reestablishes the 1 percent minimum vote requirement, allowing greater legitimacy for the write-in process.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- On Tuesday, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. announced that the State of California has taken legal action to end a federal court order that caps the state’s prison population and another that requires “intrusive supervision” of prison mental health care.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-43) introduced legislation today that will allow Californians to park for free at broken or malfunctioning parking meters for the maximum time allowed by the meter. The bill, AB 61, would prohibit local governments, such as cities and counties, from enacting an ordinance that bans parking in a space controlled by a broken meter or broken kiosk for on-street parking.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- The California State Assembly on Thursday announced that Assemblyman Jeff Gorell (R-Camarillo) has been chosen to serve as vice-chairman of the Assembly’s Budget Committee. As one of the first acts in this new leadership role Gorell introduced legislation that will give California’s voters the ability to make an earlier decision on implementing the state’s “rainy day” surplus fund.

CAMARILLO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Thousands of 44th Assembly District residents in certain unincorporated areas will be receiving in the mail a new California state tax bill charging property owners an additional fee for fire prevention services within the "State Responsibility Area" (SRA). The office of Assemblyman Jeff Gorell (R-Camarillo) is asking the media to help inform residents of this new bill and the very short time window allowed to challenge or appeal an erroneous fee.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Los Angeles) has introduced Assembly Joint Resolution (AJR) 1, a measure that begins the process to amend the United States Constitution to nullify the Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. In Citizens United, a deeply divided Supreme Court held that corporations are due the same free-speech rights enjoyed by natural persons.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Senator Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima) introduced Senate Bill 15 today which is the first attempt in California to establish regulations on domestic use of drones, also known as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /Califonria Newswire/ -- California State Senator Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima) released the following statement today regarding the California State Auditor’s report on Los Angeles Unified School District’s (LAUSD) handling of child abuse allegations:

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Delivering on his pledge to ask the people of California to vote on the best path forward, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today hailed the passage of Proposition 30 as a clear and resounding victory for children, schools and the California dream.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Assembly Bill (AB) 1658, by Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D–Los Angeles) was signed today by Governor Brown, establishing the California Legacy License Plate Program. The program will allow car enthusiasts to apply to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) for one of three iconic California license plate designs.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Calif. Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced that he has signed the following bills to encourage the use of alternative fuel vehicles and energy in California.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced that he has signed the following bills, including: AB 276 by Assemblymember Luis Alejo (D-Salinas) – Central Coast Hospital Authority. AB 377 by Assemblymember Jose Solorio (D-Santa Ana) – Pharmacy. (Additional follow.)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Calif. Governor Jerry Brown today signed Senate Bill 1128 authored by State Senator Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima). The bill will encourage investment, job creation and economic growth in California by allowing sales and use tax exemptions on the purchase of manufacturing equipment in the advanced manufacturing sector. The bill will go into effect on January 1, 2013.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced that he has signed the following bills: AB 40 by Assemblymember Mariko Yamada (D-Davis) – Elder and dependent adult abuse: reporting. AB 41 by Assemblymember Jerry Hill (D-South San Francisco) – High-Speed Rail Authority: conflicts of interest: disqualification. (Additional follow.)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Governor Jerry Brown today signed into law Senate Bill 1525 authored by State Senator Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima). The new law, known as the “Student-Athlete Bill of Rights”, will require universities located in California that generate on average more than $10 million a year in media revenues to provide specific protections to college-athletes.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Assembly Bill 1900, authored by Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Los Angeles), a bill which removes barriers to the development of renewable natural gas (RNG) as a fuel in California and will save local rate-payers millions on their utility bills, was signed by Governor Brown today.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today took to Twitter, Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn and MySpace to announce that he has signed two bills that increase privacy protections for social media users in California.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today signed the Energy Security Coordination Act of 2012 (SB 1409), authored by Senator Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills), which strengthens the clean energy partnership between California and the U.S. military.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- A pair of English Learner reform bills authored by Senator Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima) have been signed by Governor Brown. SB 1108 would reform the English Learners reclassification system by identifying and implementing uniform statewide best practices. SB 754 would require school districts to post online the Economic Impact Aid they receive for each school and district.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced that he has signed the following bills to improve education in California: AB 644 by Assemblymember Robert Blumenfield (D-Van Nuys) – Schools: average daily attendance: online instruction. AB 1723 by Assemblymember Felipe Fuentes (D-Los Angeles) – Postsecondary educational institutions: meetings: live video and audio transmission. (Additional follow.)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced that he has signed the following bills related to the treatment and welfare of animals: AB 1162 by Assemblymember Wesley Chesbro (D-Eureka) – Wildlife: poaching. AB 1776 by Assemblymember Paul Fong (D-Mountain View) – State government: Pacific leatherback sea turtle. (Additional follow.)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- AB 2230, a California water-conservation bill authored by Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Los Angeles) which requires all newly permitted car washes to use at least 60 percent recycled water, was signed into law today.

MOUTNAIN VIEW, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Governor Jerry Brown will sign SB 1298 authored by State Senator Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima) today at Google’s headquarters in Mountain View, California. The bill will establish safety and performance standards for the safe operation of autonomous vehicles on California’s roads and highways.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Governor Jerry Brown today signed into law Senate Bill 35 authored by Senator Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima). The new law will facilitate voter registration and further California's compliance with the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), commonly known as Motor Voter. The bill goes into effect on January 1, 2013.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Low-income earners facing wage garnishment will be able to keep a little more money to make ends meet after Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill yesterday authored by Assemblymember Bob Wieckowski (D-Fremont).

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today signed a series of eight bills to bolster business and job creation in the state of California. “As California’s economy recovers from the deepest recession since the Great Depression, it’s important that state government bolsters local job growth,” said Governor Brown. “Simply put, these bills make it easier for people to do business in California.”

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today signed a bill to boost the commercial space-travel sector in California. Assembly Bill 2243 (Knight) limits liability for space-flight companies.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Calif. Assemblyman Mike Gatto’s (D-Los Angeles) Assembly Bill (AB) 1616, the California Homemade Food Act, was signed into law today. The California Homemade Food Act legalizes the sale of homemade, “non-potentially hazardous” foods by creating a two-tier system of “cottage food operations” based upon the point of sale

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. on Thursday signed several bipartisan bills that improve services and opportunities for veterans in California.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced that he has signed the following bills, including: AB 197 by Assemblymember Joan Buchanan (D-San Ramon) – Public employees' retirement. AB 801 by Assemblymember Sandre Swanson (D-Oakland) – Illegal dumping enforcement officers and code enforcement officers. (Additional follow.)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced that he has signed the following bills: AB 233 by Assemblymember Isadore Hall (D-Los Angeles) – Personal income taxes: voluntary contributions: California YMCA Youth and Government Fund. AB 432 by Assemblymember Roger Dickinson (D-Sacramento) – Transit: Sacramento County. Additional follow:

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Assemblyman Mike Gatto's (D-Los Angeles) Assembly Bill 1708 was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown today. The measure would give California drivers the option to present their proof of auto insurance in electronic form, such as on a smartphone or other personal electronic device.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Next time you find yourself at a football game, with a front row seat to a brawl in the stands between two rowdy fans, you’ll be able to more quickly and less conspicuously summon stadium security. Assembly Bill 2464, the Improving Personal Safety at Stadiums Act, authored by Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Los Angeles), was signed into law today by Calif. Governor Brown.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- AB 1624, authored by Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D–Los Angeles), an important measure to protect senior citizens and others from...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- The California State Assembly voted this afternoon to approve a bill by Assemblymember Bob Wieckowski (D-Fremont) to raise funds to sustain a program, supported by disability rights advocates, the biotech industry, and neuro-scientists, that provides vital research into spinal cord injuries.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- The California State Assembly today approved Senate Bill 1233 authored by Senator Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima). SB 1233 would require...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Today, the California State Assembly approved Senate Bill 1525 on a vote of 51 – 25. Authored by...