AgdaPkt 2009-09-21 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

8A Page 2 'End of Session' Continued from Page 1... Prison Reforms As expected, the Senate passed the prison reform package (SBx3 18) as approved by the Assembly on Aug. 31. Now being referred to as "Prison Reform lite." the package does not include provisions which would change some wobbler crimes to misdemeanors, revise the threshold for grand theft and grand theft auto, or create a sentencing commission. In July, the Legislature approved an unaJlocated $1.2 billion cut to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) and an agreement to specify how to implement that cut before the end of session in September. SSx3 18 leaves approximately $250 million of the cut as well as part of a court order to reduce the prison population by about 40,000 inmates unaddressed. Emergency Response Initiative The Governor's Emergency Response Initiative gained new life in the last days of session, but ultimately was not approved due to Senate Republicans refusal to vote for any bills required a two-thirds vote and concerns about increased taxes. AS 196 would have placed a 4.8 percent surcharge on all residential and commercial property insurance policies to pay for emergency response. The surcharge would have Increased revenues by $480 million annually. Local agencies that participate in the Mutual Aid system would have been eligible for grants from 31.3 percent of the revenues or approximately $150 million annually. Water The water debate came to a "boil" Friday night after months of discussions, two weeks of conference committee and 10 different bills. Ultimately the water package lacked enough votes to move off either floor of the Legislature. Assembly Speaker Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles) and Senate Pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) both said that they hope that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger calls a special session this fall on water. The final measure, which was never voted on, included a $12 billion bond package and policy provisions that would create several new state boards and commissions. Authored by Sen. Steinberg, the measure would have created a seven-member Delta Commission to manage the Delta and help move forward with a new Delta Conveyance System. It also included a 20 percent reduction in water use by 2020 for urban water suppliers, better enforcement of water rights and groundwater management, and an overhaul of the way the Delta and state water are managed and enforced. While the League does not have a current substantial water policy (new League policy on water should be complete in 2010), the staff sent a letter to the legislative leadership requesting additional protection for local land use decisions. This letter has been posted on the League's Web site at www.cacities.ora/resource files/28321.Water Conference Committee Delta Land Use Letter 4seot09.odf. Energy Renewable energy issues also dominated last minute discussions. 5814 (Simitian), AB 64 and AS 21 (Krekorlan) focused on increasing the state's Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) passed the Legislature early Saturday morning. RPS is the amount of renewable energy that an energy provider is required to have in its portfolio. These bills require providers to meet a 33 percent standard by 2020. Under these measures, municipal utilities for the first time would have to meet the 33 percent RPS. The bills also make changes to the current renewable procurement rules and procedures for siting of large renewable generation and transmission. While these bills are now on the Governor's desk, the Governor has said the bills are "overly complex" and is expected to veto them. The Governor will instead ask the California Air Resources Board (ARB) to pass regulations requiring a 33 percent RPS. The first discussion by the ARB on this issue is expected this week. California Beverage Container Recycling Program Earlier this summer, the state announced a deficit in their Beverage Container Recycling Program (bottle bill) of more than $200 million. This means that a number of recycling programs throughout the state are at significant risk of being substantially reduced or eliminated. The Legislature passed SB 402 (Walk), supported by the League, to keep the existing bottle bill program solvent 2