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;?~ - 6 Legislative Bill Action ............................................................... The following are summaries of just a few of the legislative bills that are currently being acted upon by the League of California Cities. For more information about these and other bills, please visit the League website's to access information about legislation, policy issues and related develop- ments. You can track information on bills (www.cacities.org/billsearch), locate legislators and legislative committees, send letters to legislators or the media through the online Advocacy Center (www.cacities.org/advocacycenter), research League policy positions, access useful related links, and much more. Priority Focus #14 April 8, 2005 Bill Summaries SB 1059 (Escutia). Transmission Line Planning. While committee members acknowl- edged the issues raised by the League about preemption of local land use authority as a prob- lem, concerns about the need for broader state- wide energy transmission line planning carried the day and SB 1059 passed the Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee this week on a vote of 10-0. The bill's author, Senator Martha Escutja pledged to work with local govemments to try to meet the delicate balance of planning for the state's long term transmission line needs and respecting local land use authority. As amended this week, the bill still gives the California Energy Commission both the authority to designate transmission corridor zones (TCZ) and to preempt local land use authority. It would require a local government to amend its general and . specific plans to reflect the CEC's TCZ designa- tions and would permit development within a designated zone if approved by the CEC. This process is in addition to that already vested with the Public Utilities Commission, which currently does have authority to preempt land use decisions. The League and other local govemment repre- sentatives will continue to work closely with the author's office and others to attempt to find a resolution to this difficult issue. In the meantime, cities should contact members of the Senate Local Government Committee, where it will be heard next, and their Senators to indicate opposition to SB 1059 unless it is satisfactorily amended to address the concerns expressed by local govern- ments. Staff: Yvonne Hunter, Status: Senate Local Govemment, Hrg. April 20; Position: Oppose unless amended. PUBLIC SAFETY AB 305 (Mountjoy). Vehicles. Police Ve- hicle Pursuits. Punishment. AB 305 would make am ildem earoror a felony the act of willfully driving a motor vehicle in an attempt to flee a peace officer's pursuing vehicle. The bill addresses behavior that is dangerous and unnecessarily places the lives of peace officers and other citizens at risk for injury or even death. AB 305 sends a strong, clear message to deter offenders from attempting to flee law enforce- ment officers and endanger lives, by creating an opportunity for prosecutors to seek a felony conviction and providing for prison sentence enhancements and increased minimum fines. Staff: Liisa Lawson Stark; Status: Assembly Public Safety, Hrg. April 12, Position: Support. SB 148 (Scott). Alcoholic Beverages. Licensing Restrictions. SB 148 would autho- rize a city or county to amortize, terminate or impose conditions on liquor stores not currently subject to local regulation. Under current law, cities or counties can only enforce zoning ordinances that were present when a licensee obtained a license for alcohol sales. It does not, however, give cities the ability to change the law and enforce it. SB 148 re- quires retail liquor sales licensees to comply with zoning regulations which a city or county adopts after a licensee obtains a liquor license. PAGE 6/PRIORITY FOCUS March 11, 2005 -- www.cacities.org