GovernorSigned into law a bill (AB 397)...

Governor

Signed into law a bill (AB 397) by Assemblyman Jack O’Connell (D-Carpinteria) to require employers to permit employees who wish to participate in a drug rehabilitation program to take time off if it does not impose an undue hardship.

Vetoed a bill (AB 1279) by Assemblyman Tom Hayden (D-Santa Monica) to prohibit employers from using subliminal messages on computers or as part of background music without employees’ consent with violations resulting in $1,000 fines. The governor said the bill would be difficult, if not impossible, to enforce. Assembly Floor Action:

Prisons: Passed and sent to the governor on a 69-1 vote a bill (AB 522) by Assemblyman John Vasconcellos (D-Santa Clara) to set up a 21-member blue-ribbon commission with a $150,000 annual budget to study overcrowding in the state prison system and recommend ways to reduce it.

Minorities: Passed and returned to the Senate for concurrence in amendments on a 42-36 vote a bill (SB 1059) by Sen. Dan McCorquodale (D-San Jose) to urge the state to do 15% of its business with minority-owned companies and 5% with women-owned businesses and make a good faith effort to comply with these goals.

Reading: Passed and returned to the Senate for concurrence in amendments on a 63-15 vote a bill (SB 482) by President Pro Tem David A. Roberti (D-Los Angeles) to authorize public libraries to apply for $450,000 in state funds to help illiterate parents and their children to learn to read together.

Hate Crimes: Passed on a 45-18 vote a bill (AB 63) by Assemblyman Tom Bane (D-Tarzana) to increase the potential penalties for hate crimes committed because of a victim’s race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin or sexual orientation. Senate Floor Action:

Imported Foods: Passed and sent to the governor on a 35-0 vote a bill (AB 78) by Assemblyman Bill Jones (D-Fresno) to require the state to determine the extent that imported foreign foods contain contaminants that could endanger public health.

Poison Information: Passed and sent to the governor on a 36-0 vote a bill (AB 580) by Assemblywoman Doris Allen (R-Cypress) to establish statewide regional poison control centers to provide information to parents to help reduce accidental child poisonings.

Housing: Passed and sent to the Assembly on a 27-3 vote a bill (SB 1693) by President Pro Tem David A. Roberti (D-Los Angeles) to place an $850-million housing bond issue to provide funds for emergency shelters for the homeless, rental construction, housing rehabilitation and home ownership for low-income families on next June’s primary election ballot.

Discrimination: Passed and returned to the Assembly for concurrence in amendments on a 28-6 vote a bill (AB 239) by Assemblywoman Gwen Moore (D-Los Angeles) to prohibit state tax deductions for business expenses at private clubs that discriminate against women and minorities.

License Plates: Passed and returned to the Assembly for concurrence in amendments on a 22-10 vote a bill (AB 1786) by Assemblyman Tom Bates (D-Oakland) to set up a new artistic-design license plate program. The additional $50 fee for the plate would go to help raise money for California Arts Council projects.

High School Sex: Passed and returned to the Assembly for concurrence in amendments on a 24-3 vote a bill (AB 2170) by Assemblywoman Teresa Hughes (D-Los Angeles) to require the state to develop a videotape to be shown to teen-agers in grades seven through 12 that carries the message, “It’s OK to Say No to Sex.”

Vietnam: Passed and returned to the Assembly for concurrence in amendments on a 27-6 vote a bill (AB 922) by Assemblyman Tom Hannigan (D-Fairfield) to allow state personal income tax refund deductions to help build a Vietnam War Veterans Memorial in Capitol Park.