Turf War Between Auto Insurers and Repair Shops Still Rages

A decade-long turf war between insurers and new car dealers over policyholder choice over repair shops is still simmering on the Senate floor.

An insurance industry backed measure that, on its face, appears to offer stricter protections for consumers from “steering,” the practice by insurers of pushing customers to use an insurer-backed repair shop, actually makes it easier to do so, opponents of AB 1200 argue.    Read more »

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At Least One Problem Solved

The state Senate helped fix one of California’s many problems on September 3 — increasing oversight of the organic fertilizer industry.

On a unanimous vote, the upper house sent AB 856 to the Assembly for a final vote. It is likely to b signed into law by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger since it is supported by both his Department of Finance and Department of Food and Agriculture.    Read more »

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Governor’s Comment on Proposed Fee on Single-Use Bags

This comment by Aaron McLear, Governor Schwarzenegger’s press secretary, was received at 9:34 PM August 31. It is now included in the “Schwarzenegger Administration Floats 25-Cent Fee on Single-Use Plastic and Paper Bags” post of August 31. 

“The Governor supports a ban on plastic bags but does not support a fee associated with this ban.    Read more »

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Schwarzenegger Administration Floats 25-cent Fee on Single-Use Plastic and Paper Bags

Weeks after rejecting a Democrat-backed fee proposal to keep state parks open, the Schwarzenegger administration is proposing shoppers be assessed a 25 cent fee for each single-use paper or plastic bag – up to $2.00 per transaction – to pay for a variety of state recycling efforts.

“Requiring stores to charge and remit a fee for the distribution of single-use carryout bags will help the state and local governments to offset the environmental and social costs of single-use carryout bags,” says a summary of the idea which, sources say, has been discussed with members of both the Governor’s Office and the Department of Conservation, which oversees the state’ bottle and can recycling program.    Read more »

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State Schools Superintendant Jack O’Connell Offers His Top 10 Back-To-School Tips

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Attention Civics Teachers and Law Professors — An Interesting Debate Topic

Sales of t-shirts and other political merchandise using the names of American soldiers killed in Iraq would be banned under a bill pending in the state Senate.

The measure expands California’s protections of the commercial use of a dead celebrity to include “any natural person whose name, voice, signature, photograph or likeness has commercial value either at the time of his or her death or because of his or her death.”    Read more »

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Progress on Water Legislation?

Sacramento, August 26, Shortly Before 10:00 AM — Lobbyists for the Association of California Water Agencies and one of the Central Valley’s more powerful water districts entered the state Resources Building at 9th and O Streets. That suggests a morning meeting at the Department of Water Resources, which is headquartered there, to try to find a consensus on parts of the bills on water pending in the Legislature.     Read more »

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Old News About California’s Water Woes

At the first informational hearing on water and the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta August 18, lawmakers heard a lot of things that have been said to them — and by them — for a long time.

Former Assemblyman, now lobbyist, Phil Isenberg told the joint hearing of the Assembly and Senate water committees that “if you do something significant, a lot of people will be mad at you.”    Read more »

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One Reason a Delta Solution is So Elusive

(Editor’s Note: On Tuesday, August 18, in the 159th year of California’s water wars, amid the dust of a three-year drought, the first of three special hearings by the Senate and Assembly’s water committees is scheduled.

The purpose is to find areas of accord between the myriad water interests, which include farmers, environmentalists, irrigation districts, cities, counties, utilities, the federal government, the state and Native Americans.    Read more »

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Sen. Dave Cogdill on Governor Schwarzenegger’s Williamson Act Veto

Senator Dave Cogdill, former Senate GOP Leader from Modesto, sent the following letter August 5 to county supervisors in Fresno, Madera, Mariposa, San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Tuolumne Counties regarding the Williamson Act:

Dear Local Government Partners:

 With my background as a city council member, I could not support the recent budget package in its entirety because it puts the state’s budget problems squarely on the backs of local governments and only postpones more tough decisions into the future.     Read more »

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