Sacramento CA: UPDATE: Senator Jerry Hill Bills - Part 3

Sacramento CA: UPDATE: Senator Jerry Hill Bills – Part 3

2014 Legislative Session Ends with 16 Senator Jerry Hill Bills on Governor’s Desk; Two Others Already Signed

SACRAMENTO – The California Legislature adjourned for the year early today with 16 bills by Senator Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo/Santa Clara counties, awaiting action by the governor, including bills that would protect consumers, improve oversight of utilities by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and restore public access to Martins Beach. The governor – who has already signed two Hill bills – has until Sept. 30 to sign or veto the legislation.

SB 831 – Political Spending Transparency and Prohibitions –Would modernize California’s Political Reform Act by requiring elected officials to disclose the destination of travel in reporting to the Fair Political Practice Commission and require nonprofits that pay for legislators’ travel to disclose the source of travel funding. The bill also prohibits elected officials from contributing campaign funds to 501(c)(4) nonprofits owned or operated by their family members. In addition, it prohibits the expenditure of campaign funds for an elected official’s mortgage, rent, utility bills, clothing, club memberships, vacations, tuition, vehicles and gifts to family members.

SB 835 and SB 1311 – Restricting Antibiotics in Farm Animals and Establishing Hospital Protocols for Use in People – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that every year resistance to antibiotics kills at least 23,000 Americans. This means antibiotics used to treat common bacterial infections no longer work. SB 835 would allow antibiotics to be sold for use in livestock only for medical reasons. California would become the first state in the nation in which antibiotics could be administered to these animals only with a prescription and under veterinary oversight. SB 1311 would require that general acute care hospitals in California establish antimicrobial stewardship programs by July 1, 2015. Stewardship programs ensure that antibiotics are used only when necessary, that the right antibiotic is chosen, and that antibiotics are administered correctly.

SB 900 – CPUC Safety in Ratemaking – Would require the CPUC to consider the safety performance of natural gas and electricity companies when setting customer rates and developing regulations. For at least three years, the PUC has recognized the need to scope safety into its proceedings, but the development of effective procedures for doing so has been slow. Because the commission has only recently begun to incorporate risk management tools in its policymaking, it has yet to embed safety considerations in the process. SB 900 would ensure such efforts continue and are completed.

SB 968 – Martins Beach Access – Would require the State Lands Commission to enter into negotiations with Silicon Valley billionaire and Martins Beach property owner Vinod Khosla for one year, in an effort to reopen the beach near Half Moon Bay to the public. In 2010, two years after Khosla’s purchase of beachfront land, his property manager closed the gate to the only road leading to Martins Beach and put up a sign reading, “Beach closed, keep out.” Since then, Californians have been unable to legally gain access a beach they’ve enjoyed for generations. A grassroots movement to reopen the road has attracted national attention, focusing on the rights of Californians to beach access. This bill does not mandate use of eminent domain. Instead, it would mandate negotiations for a year as an attempt to reach a positive outcome for all parties.

SB 1064 – NTSB Rail Safety Recommendations – Would require the CPUC to respond to National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommendations for rail safety. The legislation mirrors Hill’s AB 578 of 2012, which requires the PUC to reply to NTSB recommendations for natural gas safety within 90 days and to vote on those recommendations and how they will be carried out. Last year, a rail car on the Angel’s Flight Railway in Los Angeles’ Bunker Hill derailed, leading to a dangerous rescue of four passengers. The firefighter who led the effort had no ropes, railing or walkway to prevent him or the passengers from falling onto concrete 25 feet below. After a fatal 2001 accident on the line, the NTSB had recommended that the commission prevent Angel’s Flight from reopening unless a walkway was constructed to provide a safe path of escape, but the CPUC chose not to do so – an action NTSB considered “unacceptable,” though there had been no mechanism to force the CPUC to comply.

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Nate Solov

Office of Senator Jerry Hill

916-651-4013

www.senate.ca.gov/hill

CONTACT:

Aurelio Rojas, 916-747-3199 cell

Leslie Guevarra,415-298-3404 cell

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Robert Riechel

http://patch.com/users/robert-riechel

Photo Credit: San Bruno Patch Archives

Source Credit: California State Senator Jerry Hill

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Learn all of the reasons to VOTE YES on Measure N by going to the following link

http://sanbruno.ca.gov/comdev_election.html