Almost 200 bills await governor’s OK — or not
“We have passed historic laws ... but we have unfinished business.” Assemblyman David Chiu, D-San Francisco
SACRAMENTO — The fate of hundreds of bills will be decided by Wednesday, when state lawmakers wrap up their two-year session.
There are already nearly 200 bills on Gov. Jerry Brown’s desk, including legislation to eliminate the statute of limitation on rape prosecutions, limit the use of solitary confinement at juvenile detention facilities, and eliminate sales tax on tampons and other feminine hygiene products.
Lawmakers will decide how many more bills will make it to the governor’s desk among the more than 300 bills remaining to be heard in the Senate and Assembly this week. Among those is a bill aimed at increasing voter participation in elections by transforming how people vote.
SB450 by Sen. Ben Allen, D-Santa Monica, would require county registrars to mail ballots to all voters, who could then return them by mail or drop them off at several locations in
their county. Currently, voters can request mail ballots. The legislation also would give voters the option of casting votes in person on election day or in the 10 days leading up to it. The bill is awaiting a vote in the Senate.
“Our current broken system is simply failing us and is not leading to the type of representation and engagement and vibrancy we all hope for from a modern democracy such as ours,” Allen said.
While the fates of many bills have yet to be decided, Brown has already signed some of the session’s biggest bills, including SB32 to extend the state’s greenhouse gas reduction targets to 2030, and SB1279, which cuts off state funding to any port that ships coal into or out of California.
In July, Brown signed six gun control bills, which, among other things, will make it harder to buy ammunition in the state and make it illegal to own a magazine clip that holds more than 10 rounds. In April, Brown signed a bill that will raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 over the course of six years.
“We have passed historic laws on climate change, gun safety and minimum wage, but we have unfinished business,” said Assemblyman David Chiu, D-San Francisco.
Gov. Jerry Brown has until Sept. 30 to sign or veto a bill that reaches his desk on Wednesday.
Here’s a look at some of the other bills this session.
On the governor’s desk:
AB1995 Assemblyman Das Williams, D-Santa Barbara — Allows homeless students enrolled at a California Community Colleges campus to take showers at the school for their personal hygiene needs.
“I was once homeless while attending community college, so I personally know what it feels like to be desperate for a shower before attending classes,” Williams said.
SB1322 by Sen. Holly Mitchell, D-Los Angeles — Ends prosecution of minors for prostitution and requires law enforcement to report sexually exploited minors to county social services.
AB797 by Assemblyman Marc Steinorth, R-Rancho Cucamonga (San Bernardino County) — Protects citizens against civil or criminal actions if they break into a hot car to rescue an animal that faces imminent danger inside, but only after alerting law enforcement.
“The Right to Rescue Act will save lives,” Steinorth said.
SB999 by Sen. Fran Pavley, D-Agoura Hills (Los Angeles County) — Requires public and private health plans to cover a year’s supply of birth control, instead of requiring refills every 30 or 90 days.
AB2499 by Assemblyman Brian Maienschein, R-San Diego — Requires the Department of Justice to upgrade its database for tracking rape kits so that victims of sexual assault can follow the progress of their own kit.
AB1744 by Assemblyman Jim Cooper, D-Elk Grove (Sacramento County) — Requires all counties to use one standardized rape kit instead of the dozen currently in use.
AB1561 by Assemblywomen Cristina Garcia, D-Bell Gardens (Los Angeles County), and Ling Ling Chang, R-Diamond Bar (Los Angeles County) — Eliminates state taxes on tampons and other menstrual products.
AB701 by Garcia and Assemblywoman Susan Talamantes Eggman, D-Stockton — Redefines state laws to say rape is unlawful penetration by any object. The bill stems from what lawmakers called a light sentence in the Stanford sexual-assault case that sparked national outrage.
SB1287 by Sen. Mike McGuire, D-Healdsburg — Creates an industry-funded program for cleaning up lost or abandoned crab traps that have led to a record number of whales becoming entangled off California’s coast.
SB1072 by Sen. Tony Mendoza, D-Artesia (Los Angeles County) — Requires school buses to have alarm systems to prompt drivers to inspect all seats before exiting the bus. The bill was named the Paul Lee School Bus Safety Law for a special-needs Whittier Union High School District student who died after being left unattended on a hot bus for hours.
SB1063 by Sen. Isadore Hall, D-Los Angeles — Prohibits employers from paying an employee less than a coworker of a different race or ethnicity for doing substantially similar work.
SB1150 by Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco — Extends Homeowner Bill of Rights protections to spouses and children who inherit a home.
SB1143 by Leno — Limits the use of solitary confinement of minors at juvenile justice facilities to a last resort after all other less restrictive options have been tried. The bill bans isolation rooms for punishment or convenience.
SB1046 by Sen. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo — Requires Breathalyzers on vehicles for drivers convicted of driving under the influence.
Awaiting votes in the Legislature:
SB1234 by Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon, D-Los Angeles — Creates retirement savings plan for nearly 7 million workers in the state who do not currently have one through their employers. Employees would contribute 3 to 5 percent of their earnings into the account unless they opt out.
SB465 by Hill — Requires the Contractors State License Board to study whether contractors should report any settlements or judgments related to faulty work. Requires the Building Standards Commission to study whether existing building standards for apartment balconies need updating. The bill was introduced in response to the deadly balcony collapse in Berkeley last year.
SB813 by Sen. Connie Leyva, D-Chino (San Bernardino County) — Eliminates the statute of limitations for rape and other sex crimes committed after Jan. 1, 2017. The statute of limitations in California is currently 10 years, unless DNA evidence is found, which gives prosecutors additional time to file charges.
AB1066 by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, D-San Diego — Lowers the overtime threshold for farmworkers from a 10-hour day to eight-hour day.
Failed to pass the Legislature:
AB385 by Assemblyman Kansen Chu, D-San Jose — Would have created a ballot measure to allow voters to abandon daylight-saving time.
SB308 by Sen. Bob Wieckowski, D-Fremont — Would have increased the amount of equity homeowners can protect when filing bankruptcy so that people aren’t forced to sell their primary residence in order to pay off creditors.