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KEYBILLS frompage3a *,seas "ease ease *see *as ••••••s & @ 060••••• foes • Among the key considerations: • The huge statewide cost savings that could be achieved in workers' compensation reforms dwarfs the costs cities are likely to experience with SB 2. • The Governor has committed to sign the workers' comp package; he has not promised to sign SB 2. • If SB 2 is signed the implementation details will be hammered out through the regulatory process, giving interested parties the real "bite at the apple ". This bill has now gone to the Governor. As noted above, he has not committed to sign it. Transportation Maintenance of Effort ( S I B 4F0 - Alpert). Proposition 42 provides that cities and counties that receive : evenues from the sales tax r-n gasoline must meet c "maintenance of effort" requitement. This requires local governments to spend Proposition 42 funds above and beyond the amount of local money spent on local transportation projects. The FY 2003 -04 state budget, however, suspends Proposition 42 funds to cities and coun- ties to help close the $38 billion state budget deficit. ,SB 460, passed in the last hours of the legislative session, suspends the maintenance of effort re- quirement when Proposition 42 revenues have been suspended. The bill has been sent to the Governor's office. Greater Exposure for Medical Insurance Claims ( 494 - Escutia). Keeping with the "gut - and- amend" trend, SB 494 was substantially amended last week with the results being greater exposure for employers to higher medical insur- ance liens and lawsuits. Although the bill was limited to MediCal claims, primarily through insur- ance premiums and hospital costs, the amend- ments were sponsored by the "trial attorneys" and expand the potential recovery for medical costs substantially beyond their current levels. Fortu- nately, this measure did not have sufficient votes for passage in the Assembly Health Committee, and is now a "two- year" bill. Other Priority Issues /Legislation Sacred Sites (SB 18 - Burton). This measure technically does not fall under the category of a gut- and - amend," but it was amended several times in recent weeks, following a yearlong debate over the best method to preserve Native Ameri- cans' sacred sites without gutting local land use authority. SB 18 received more than 60 amend- ments on the final day of session; while improved from previous versions, cities, counties, and all but one business group remained adamantly opposed to the measure. Despite the intense lobbying efforts of Senator Burton, tribal interests, and the Governor's office, the Assembly narrowly defeated the measure early Saturday morning. Legislators voting "No" or "Not Voting" should be thanked for standing firm under tremendous pressure. Electronic Waste ( - - Sher). The Legis- lature has passed to the Governor SB 20, which enacts the Electronic Waste Recycling Act of 2003 to provide for the convenient recycling of covered electronic devices in California. Recent amend- ments removed most, but not all, of the opposition to the bill. With a signature by the Governor assured, SB 20 places California in the forefront of innovation in the environmental areas. Capital Facilities Fees ( 1051 Goldberg). One of the more pleasant surprises of the session was the passage of AB 1051. The measure carried by Assembly Member Jackie Goldberg clarifies the conditions under which a public agency utility charges a "capital facilities fee," to schools, public higher education, and state agencies. The bill goes a long way toward ending many resource - tapping lawsuits filed largely by school districts over the current law regarding the charging of capital facili- ties fees. The bill now awaits action by the Gover- nor. For legislators' phone numbers, ad- dresses and e-mail please see the League's website (www.cacitfes.om/ advocacvicenter). PAGE 4 /PRIORITY FOCUS Visit the League's Official Web Site-- www.cacities.org