Capitol Update (Friday, June 03, 2011)

More Deadlines!

Today is the last day the Senate and the Assembly have to pass bills out of their house of origin. That means that bills that were introduced in the Assembly have to be passed out of the Assembly and sent to the Senate by tonight and visa versa. This will mean the death of some bills. There are bills we are tracking that have already made the cut and some that have already met their demise.

AB 130/131 (Cedillo, D-45): As you will recall from last week’s Capitol Update, AB 131 just passed out of the Assembly to the Senate. AB 130, the California Dream Act, would allow illegal immigrants to receive California resident status for college tuition if they have attended secondary or vocational school in California for 3 years. The CFRW OPPOSES AB 130 and AB 131! AB 130 is being heard on Wednesday, June 8th in the Senate Education Committee. Please send or fax the Senate Education Committee Chair Alan Lowenthal and let him know that the CFRW OPPOSES this measure!

AB 459 (Hill, D-19): National Popular Vote compact. This bill has already passed out of the Assembly and is now scheduled for Tuesday, June 7th in the Senate Elections and Constitutional Amendments Committee. Again, we need your help! The CFRW has voted to OPPOSE AB 459! Please send letters via fax to Committee Chair Lou Correa at (916) 445-2496. For talking points on AB 459, click here. If you can make the Senate Elections and Constitutional Amendments Committee hearing on Tuesday, June 7th, the meeting will begin at 1:30 in room 3191. Please come and stand in opposition to a National Popular Vote compact!

Now on to some good news! SB 810 (Leno, D-3), single-payer healthcare for California, has failed! SB 810 failed to pass out of its appropriations committee with the necessary votes. This is a small, but important victory for taxpayers and the CFRW, who opposed the bill since last session. Thank you to all those who sent letters, faxes and emails in opposition of this terrible bill!

One more deadline is looming… the budget must be passed on or before June 15th. State Controller John Chiang stated this week that if the budget is not passed by June 15th, he will be withholding legislator’s pay until the budget is passed. Stayed tuned as this budget battle plays out!