[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Noreen Evans
Member
California State Assembly

Last year, the Legislature came close to enacting comprehensive reforms to our state’s health care system. While that effort met a disappointing end, I remain committed to resolving fundamental deficiencies in our health care system.

This year, we have a historic opportunity to improve women’s health by confronting one of the most common forms of cancer affecting women.

California has the highest incidence of cervical cancer in the nation. The real tragedy is that this disease is largely preventable. With a vaccine against the human papillomavirus, or HPV, which causes cervical cancer, we have a historic opportunity to save countless lives.

So that all women can obtain the vaccine, I’ve authored Assembly Bill (AB) 16 with Assemblymember Ed Hernandez, MD (D-West Covina) to require insurers and health plans to cover the cost of the vaccine if they already cover cervical cancer screenings like the Pap test. While the Governor vetoed a similar bill that I authored last year, I reintroduced this critical legislation because I believe in persistence when the cause is right and just. And, California’s women can’t wait. Each year, more than 1,400 are diagnosed with cervical cancer and about 400 will die from the disease.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

Many Provisions Take Effect Immediately—More Action on Predatory Lending Needed as Loan Modifications Increase in State

By Frank D. Russo

Yesterday was a busy news day for homeowners with failing subprime mortgages. The legislature, the Department of Corporations, and consumer groups were all out in front with newsworthy items.

The California Senate sent Senator Don Perata's foreclosure legislation (SB 1137), coauthored by Assembly Speaker Karen Bass and other Democrats, to Governor Schwarzenegger on a 32-8 vote with all Democrats in support, joined by 7 Senate Republicans. All eight votes in the Senate against it were cast by Republicans.

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

A capacity crowd filled the Sterling Hotel in downtown Sacramento as Speaker of the California State Assembly Karen Bass made her first appearance before the influential Sacramento Press Club. Speaker Bass chose the occasion to unveil the broad outlines of the Assembly Democratic budget plan. As we learn in this Assembly Web Report Speaker Bass made it clear the next state budget must include cuts AND new revenues.

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

This abbreviated version of the story of Assembly Speaker Karen Bass’ rise from community activist in South Los Angeles to the second most powerful job in California politics only begins to explain the dedication and hard work that led to her historic election as the 67th Speaker of the California State Assembly. Speaker Bass is the first African-American woman in the nation’s history to lead a state legislative house. This video was shown to the 1,700 people that attended the Los Angeles Community Inaugural Ceremony on Friday, June 6,2008. (Speaker Bass was formally sworn in during a ceremony in the state capitol on May 13th, 2008.)

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Dan Bacher

Lois Wolk's AB 1806, the Fish Rescue Plans Bill, aims to stop future environmental disasters like November 2007's Prospect Island Fish Kill from taking place. The bill also requires full mitigation for the fish-killing impacts of the federal and state water projects upon California Delta fish. Photo by Dan Bacher.

The California State Assembly voted 41-31 on May 29 for Assembly Bill 1806, the Fish Rescue Plans Bill sponsored by Assemblywoman Lois Wolk (D-Davis) to protect the declining fisheries in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The bill was originally set to be heard by the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee on June 10, but the hearing has been re-scheduled for Tuesday, June 24. A massive outpouring of letters and phone calls is needed to push this bill through the State Senate. We also need to pack the hearing room at the State Capitol on June 24.

Passage of this bill becomes increasingly crucial when you consider the closure of California and Oregon ocean waters and Central Valley rivers for the first time in history this year. The closure is a result of the collapse of the Sacramento River fall chinook salmon population, the driver of West Coast salmon fisheries.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

Beats Assemblymember Lloyd Levine by Two-to-One

By Frank D. Russo

Fran Pavley, (pictured at right) served three terms in the California State Assembly before having to leave because of term limits, has decisively won the Democratic primary and will be returning to the State Senate to succeed Sheila Kuehl in representing the parts of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, including the San Fernando Valley and Beverly Hills, West Hollywood and the Westside of Los Angeles.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Loni Hancock
Member of the California State Assembly

I want to thank all of you for helping me run a positive grassroots campaign, talking with voters about my legislative record and the many issues facing our state. Today is Election Day and I need your help one more time. Please vote today, June 3rd.

In my five years in the California Assembly, I've written and co-authored 592 bills to improve the lives of Californians. I have proven myself to be an effective regional leader who addresses real concerns in the communities I represent. One example of this is my response to the recent Cosco Busan Oil Spill. As Chair of the Natural Resources Committee, I held a hearing within a week of the disastrous spill to carefully evaluate the government's response. In the aftermath of the hearing, together with other Assembly members who represent districts surrounding the San Francisco Bay, we introduced a package of bills to prevent future spills and to ensure more effective responses to any environmental threat to the Bay. More than 1,000 volunteers offered to help clean up the Bay in the aftermath of the spill, but emergency responders had to turn them away because they were not properly trained.