California Senate Passes Gun Microstamping--Governor to Get Prescription Labeling, Police Interrogation, College Textbook Bills-

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

And there's a lot more

By Frank D. Russo

The California Senate considered over 100 bills yesterday, passing most of them and deferring action until next year on those that did not have the votes to pass. Some measures were defeated on floor votes and were granted reconsideration, meaning that they can be voted on again.

The Senate will reconvene at 9:30 a.m. today and has hundreds of more bills to consider and is receiving dozens of new measures from the Assembly where Senators have to decide whether to concur in amendments made in that body. The Senate may adjourn for the year as early as next Tuesday, September 11.

Here are some of the bills passed by the Senate that caught our eye, many of which are going directly to the Governor to join the big pile "on his desk." He has until October 14 to decide whether to sign, veto, or allow these bills to become law without his signature.

AB 1212 (Nunez) Prelude to Tribal Gaming Compact. Letter of Agreement for San Manuel Band of Mission Indians. This was a "gut and amend" of a bill that had dealt with workers' compensation. It passed 32 to 2 was immediately transmitted to the Assembly, passed, and sent to the Governor.

SB 382 (Oropeza) New Citizen Voting. Allows individuals who become citizens after the voter registration deadline to register and vote until the close of polls on Election Day. Passed on a 23 to15 partisan vote. Goes to the Governor.

SB 549(Corbett)Unpaid Leave for Family Deaths. Provides employees in California with the right to take up to four days of unpaid leave from work upon the death a spouse, child, parent, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, or domestic partner. It passed on a straight party line 24 to 14 vote with Democrats supporting it. It goes to the Governor.

SB 832 (Corbett) "The College Textbook Affordability Act." Requires textbook publishers to provide prospective purchasers at public and private postsecondary education institutions with information such as: the wholesale price, estimated length of time the publisher intends to keep the product on the market, and a complete list of all substantive differences or changes made between the current edition and the most recent previous edition of the textbook. This bill was sponsored by CalPIRG and supported by many student and teacher groups. It passed 26 to11 with Republican Senators Maldonado and McClintock joining Senate Democrats in support. It goes to the Governor.