AgdaPkt 2004-06-14 - Laserfiche WebLink

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BA-(P . . Legislative Bill Action BUDGET from page 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................... Some legislators have expressed concerns actions that do not result in harm to a patient. The about the budget agreements the governor has suspension of a paramedic's license, however, struck with various parties. The deepest con- could ~esult in a severe shortage of ilaramedics in. cerns seem to focus on the funding cuts in health certain r'arts of California, putting live~. at risk. and welfare and in education (particularly the Allowing ëMSA to levy an administrative fine instead increased higher education student fees and of suspending a paramedic for certain disciplinary limited enrollment opportunities in the U.C. purposes will ensure that action is taken without system). But there are also indications that harmful effects on public safety. AB 1655 makes legislators will push for changes to some as- paramedics fiscally responsible for their actions, pects of the local government agreement negoti- and also ensures that EMSA and local EMS direc- ated by our LOCAL coalition with Governor tors will have records of disciplinary action that may Schwarzenegger. (Note: the language for the be checked by future employers. Staff: Liisa local government package - the statutory lan- Lawson; Status: SenHlth&HumSvc, Hrg. June 9, guage and constitutional amendment - are close Position: Support. to completion, and may be available in printed bill form next week.) ...................... Concerns in the local government package WANT TO SEND A lETTER? include: COMMITTEE LISTINGS: . Locking in a lower VLF rate in the consti- tution. ASSEMBLY HEALTH COMMITTEE (AsHlth): . A constitutional amendment that would Cohn (D)(Chair), Spitzer (R)(Vice Chair), Chan (D), require the state to make good on its Chavez (D), Dutton (R), Dymally (D), Frommer promise to reimburse cities and counties (D), Koretz (D), Lieber (D), Montanez (D), Negrete for the FY 2003-04 VLF funding gap loan McLeod (D), Nakanishi (R), Nakano (D), Plescia (about $1.3 billion total, with $520 million (R), Richman (R), Ridley-Thomas (D), Salinas (D), going to cities). (It's one thing to promise and Wolk (D). Phone: 319-2097; FAX: 916/319- to repay local government. It's another 2197. thing to put the requirement in the consti- SENATE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES tution.) . A continuing desire on the part of some COMMITTEE (SenHlth&HumSvc): Ortiz legislators to take advantage of the (D)(Chair), Aanestad (R)(Vice Chair), Alarcon (D), constitutional measure in the local gov- Ashburn (R), Battin (R), Chesbro (D), Escutia (D), Figueroa (D), Florez (D), Kuehl (D), Romero (D), ernment package to achieve a long- Vasconcellos (D) and Vincent (D). Phone: 916/ sought policy goal of swapping some 445-5965. portion of local sales tax for property tax. Supporters of this approach believe that this revenue swap will create incentives for local government to approve more housing, rather than commercial develop FOR LEGISLATORS' PHONE NUMBERS, ment, which produces sales tax. ADDRESSES AND E-MAIL PLEASE SEE THE The League strongly opposes changes to the LEAGUE'S WEBSITE (WWW.CACITIES.ORG/ local government package, which has been ADVOCACYCENTER}. carefully negotiated with the governor and our LOCAL coalition partners over many months. Continued on Page 7 PAGE 6/PRIORITY FOCUS Visit the league's Official Web Site--www.cacities.org