Helping the Cash-Starved Wannabe Organic Farmer

California would create its own program to help the state’s farmers transition to certified organic farming which takes three years and contains a variety of costs.

The program would be similar to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Organic Certification Cost-Share Program, created in 2002. The federal program gives $5 million to state organic programs in proportion to the number of organic producers and handlers within each state.    Read more »

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Ignition Interlock Devices in Jeopardy

As if evidence of the state’s fiscal straits wasn’t stark enough, consider Assembly Bill 91, which would create pilot project in Alameda, Los Angeles, Sacramento and Tulare counties where persons convicted of drunk driving would be required to install an interlock device on their vehicles.

New Mexico, Texas, Washington, among other states, use the devices which the bill’s author, Assemblyman Mike Feuer, a Los Angeles Democrat, says can reduce DUI recidivism by as much as 95 percent.    Read more »

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Come on Kids, Jump on the Walking Schoolbus

The subject of Senate Bill 315, as listed on its analysis, is: “Walking schoolbus.”

There’s not much more than that to the legislation, which is only a few paragraphs.

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 “THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   SECTION 1.  Article 1.5 (commencing with Section 49310) is added to Chapter 8 of Part 27 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code, to read:

      Article 1.5.     Read more »

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Everyone Agrees — Organ Donations Uber Alles

Lest one believe the California Legislature is more discordant than a combination of Charles Ives, Dead space and the first two cuts on Bitches Brew, at least one measure was sent to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on a unanimous vote.

Apparently, expanding the ability of California drivers to make organ and tissue donations is an issue that transcends partisan politics.    Read more »

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Electronic Cigarettes: Are They A Menace to Minors?

(Editor’s Note: Thanks to Lacey Underall of E-Cig.org for her comment below clarifying that the bill mentioned in this post bans ALL sales of electronic cigarettes in California absent action by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, not just sales to minors. This post has been changed accordingly.  Lacey also notes: “The bill also was changed so that ANY product that vaporizers nicotine is not allowed for sale in the state of California.    Read more »

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One of the End-of-Session Casualties

One of the casualties of the cat fighting and bickering that mark the close of every legislative session was a measure that would allow more Californian first-time homebuyers to receive tax credit.

The program was created when the budget for the current fiscal year was passed in February in legislation carried by GOP Sen.    Read more »

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A Few Issues Gov. Schwarzenegger Will Be Deciding

Among the decisions Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will make over the month after the 2009 legislative session ends September 11 are whether to allow 17-year-olds to pre-register to vote, permit cities and counties to use street sweeper mounted cameras to nab parking violators and require health care providers and insurers to pay for breast pumps and lactation consultants.    Read more »

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Can’t Make This Stuff Up

Pending a title and summary by California Attorney General Jerry Brown is an initiative that would allow Christmas music — as defined — to be performed in public school classrooms and assemblies. Parents would be notified in writing of the performances and could request their child not attend.

The initiative, submitted on August 28, declares in part:

“Listening to, or performing, Christmas music during the holiday season is a long-standing American tradition and a significant element of our cultural heritage as Americans.    Read more »

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Tax Dollars At Work

(Editor’s Note: Tuesday, September 8 is the first day of the last week of the 2009 legislative session. For the next 96 hours, hundreds of bills re hurriedly passed by lawmakers, usually with little debate, while lobbyists clog the halls outside of the Assembly and Senate chambers. To get a sense of the tumult and chaos of the final week, California’s Capitol spent 30 minutes in the 40-member state Senate.    Read more »

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“Education Finance Districts” Headed to the Governor

Awaiting a final vote on the Assembly floor is legislation aimed at making it easier for school districts to raise local revenue.

The measure, AB 267, was sent to the Assembly Sept. 3 by the 40-member Senate, which approved it on a party line 23 to 14 vote. The Assembly is expected to send the bill to Gov.    Read more »

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