Slow Out of the Blocks

The Assembly Daily File printed before it went on vacation March 22, shows 14 policy committees scheduled to meet the week of April 1.

There are 176 bills calendared of which 82 were eligible to be heard before spring break.

Half of those committees are adopting their rules, an annual action required before approving or torpedoing any legislation.    Read more »

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“Legislature of 1,000 Drinks”

California’s first legislative session in 1849 has become known as “the Legislature of 1,ooo Drinks, thanks to the famous sh0uted urgings of Sen. Thomas Jefferson Green, a Texas transplant, who upon recess would say:

“Well boys, let’s go and take a drink, 1,000 drinks.”

History is silent as to how close his colleagues got to goal set by Green, who carried the bill creating the University of California.    Read more »

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On March 21, Say Thanks to California Strawberries — And Baguettes

March 21 is National California Strawberry Day.

Not National Strawberry Day – that’s February 27.

Nor is it National Strawberry Shortcake Day. That’s June 14.

National Strawberry Picking Day looms closer on the horizon. It’s May 20.

July 7 is National Strawberry Sundae Day.

The nation celebrates strawberry parfait on June 25.    Read more »

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Don’t Forget to Wish Willie Brown a Happy 79th Birthday

March 20 is the former Mayor of San Francisco and Assembly Speaker’s birthday. It’s also the birthday of Ozzie Nelson, Carl Reiner, Ray Goulding of “Bob & Ray” fame and Mr. Rogers, one of Brown’s mentors in keeping the Assembly’s membership and San Francisco Board of Supervisors in order. 

Brown talks about his life in some depth in this Academy of Achievement interview from 1996.    Read more »

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Ask About the Jellyfish

It’s bound to happen, just given the odds. This year’s class of legislative freshmen is the largest since 1966 when the Supreme Court’s one-man, one-vote ruling changed how state lawmakers were elected. One-third of the 120 members of the Legislature are new.

Given that volume – and California’s unique diversity – there must be some legislators with interesting backgrounds.    Read more »

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February Revenues 8% Below Estimates, Year-to-Date Still $4.8 Billion Above Expectations

Cash received by the state  in February was $322 million below the $3.9 billion expected in Gov. Jerry Brown’s budget plan, released in January, according to the Department of Finance’s March Bulletin..

Since the fiscal year began on July 1, revenues are $4.8 billion above the forecast of $54 billion.

During February, personal income tax revenues were off the most, $429 million below the month’s forecast of $2.1 billion.    Read more »

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State Board Calls for No Sales Tax on Pet Meds

California pet and animal owners wouldn’t pay sales tax on medicines purchased from a local veterinarian under legislation proposed by the state Board of Equalization. 

The proposal recognizes the reality that many of California’s estimated 18 million pet owners search the Internet to avoid paying sales tax on medications prescribed by a veterinarian.    Read more »

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Public Cemetery Districts — A Dying Breed?

Apparently 2012 wasn’t a banner year for California cemeteries, particularly the one maintained by the Kern River Valley Cemetery District.

It’s not that there isn’t a market for plots. The U.S. Census Bureau says 242,848 Californians died last year alone.

People are just dying to get in somewhere else.

A measure — SB159 by Sen.    Read more »

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Go Ahead, Bite the Big Apple!

“Don’t mind the maggots,” adds Mick Jagger on “Shattered.”

Although the airfare might be getting a bit dear with just 72 hours until flight time, there’s still space to spend a long weekend with Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva, a Fullerton Democrat, and her guest Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez, also an Orange County Democrat.    Read more »

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Of Missives and Misogyny

The following letter was sent to Hawk Koch, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences by the California Legislative Women’s Caucus. It says the Academy’s choice of Master of Ceremonies Seth MacFarlane “struck a new low in its treatment of women.”  MacFarlane “crossed the line from humor to misogyny” by “singing about ‘boobs’ during a film’s rape scene,” says the letter.      Read more »

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