WHILE CALIFORNIA DREAMS: A Weekly Update on the Goings-on in Sacramento

For more information on this measure, see the Sacramento Bee editorial.

HEALTH CARE:

Single-payer health care: SB 840

Senator Sheila Kuehl’s health care for all measure is the real health care prize that all California should be supporting. This bill takes the money-sucking out of the health care system by removing the insurance companies and their singularly profit-driven behavior from delivering health care to all Californians. Funded by less than what we collectively pay the insurance companies, who take on average 30 cents of every premium dollar for their administrative costs, profits and fat CEO compensation packages, this measure will reduce the cost of health care and expand its availability to all Californians.

This measure passed the Senate 25 to 13. It looks like it will pass both houses of the legislature, as it did last year, and be placed on the Governor’s desk. He’s threatened to veto it, like he did last year, but the Health Care for All folks think a massive grassroots response just might turn the tide.

Although we here at Speak Out California aren’t so optimistic with this governor receiving millions of "campaign" dollars from the over-bloated health insurance industry, it’s still certainly worth a go to see if the people of California can’t come out the winner for a change.

For more information on this ground-breaking and vitally important bill, click here.

Health insurance affordability: AB 1554

While the real goal is to knock out the insurance industry altogether, this measure by Assemblymember Dave Jones provides a stop-gap against further premium gouging by the health insurance industry. Barely squeaking by on a vote of 42-33 (one more than the minimum necessary---and without a single republican vote, of course), this measure moves on to the Senate. The gist of this bill requires that prior approval be obtained before health insurance rates can be increased, with the Dept. of Managed Health Care or Dept. of Insurance having to OK rates and requiring that they not be "excessive, unfair or discriminatory."

Unlike automobile rates that were regulated after a vote of the people in 1989, health insurance companies have no rate regulations or oversight whatsoever. They’ve operated under the phony assumption that the market regulates itself (think of gas prices). Until we can get the insurance industry out of the health care business, this state oversight is critical. By regulating auto insurance, it is estimated that California’s consumers have already saved over $23 Billion dollars—hardly chump-change.

For more information on AB 1554, click here.

CIVIL AND HUMAN RIGHTS

Compassionate Choice: AB 374

This measure, by Assemblymembers Patty Berg and Lloyd Levine has had yet another frustrating setback. While an effort to allow individuals a say in their own dying process, the Catholic Church and other well-heeled religious groups have been able to successfully impose their moral opinions on individuals as they go through the agonizing process of terminal illness.

We’ve written extensively on this issue and Patty Berg has written heart-felt blogs for us as well. We’ve also done action-alerts and want to thank the hundreds of you who have sent out emails urging your legislator to support this overwhelmingly popular and compassionate measure to help those at life’s end. This is an issue that is supported overwhelmingly by the people of this state (over 70% of Californians support the right to Die with Dignity---both Republicans and Democrats alike), yet the power of wealthy special interest groups again has turned the will of the people on its head.

Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act: AB 43

This bill, by Assemblymember Mark Leno would guarantee the California Constitution’s promise of religious freedom and extend the vital protections afforded by marriage to loving and committed same sex couples.

This is a similar bill that passed both Houses of the Legislature last year but was vetoed by our Governor who rejected the measure and is expected to do so again.

For more information on the bill, click here.

GOOD GOVERNANCE

Clean Money: AB 583

This measure by Assemblymember Loni Hancock, had to pull back its ambitious goals in order to survive a floor vote. Although the bill to reduce the influence of money in politics received 46 votes to pass, it did so only after being amended to create a limited "pilot" program to allow California voters and candidates to see how the system would work. There was no Republican support, which should be surprising in that this is a measure that would reduce the influence of money for all candidates and elected officials. Of course, it is also somewhat telling as to which party tends to get big dollars from big business—and doesn’t want to kill their cash cow. After all, the Reps are known to do the bidding of the big corporate fat cats, so why try to stop the flow of corporate money into their coffers?

For more information on the bill as it now moves to the Senate, click here.

Redistricting the honest way: SCA 10

This Constitutional Amendment, sponsored by Senator Alan Lowenthal, would take the legislature out of the redistricting game and turn it over to a bipartisan and independent commission. Although the devil is always in the details, the measure received bipartisan support in passing 34-2. Of course this should be no surprise since the Republicans are giving up nothing --they don’t really play in the majority-only needed redistricting process anyway---and for them, they’re getting something (neutrality) for nothing in return. Regardless, it’s good government-although Speak Out California thinks this should be a national policy, not just here in California.

For more information on SCA 10, click here.

THE REST OF THE STORY

There are a number of other bills and topics that we haven’t addressed. We’ll be keeping a close watch on other key bills as the year progresses. But for now, we hope these are of interest to you and we hope you’ll send this newsletter, "While California Dreams" on to your friends and other like-minded progressives! Urge them to sign up for Speak Out California, too. It’s free, informative and written for progressives like you!

Also, stay up-to-date by going to our weblog where we are posting stories and commentary on a regular basis. Just check us out and feel free to post your responses and thoughts there as well.

Hannah-Beth Jackson is a former Assemblymember who served in the California Assembly from 1998-2004. She Chaired the Assembly Committee on Environmental Safety, the Committee on Natural Resources as well as the Legislative Women's Caucus.

After term limits and redistricting forced her out of office, she helped start Speak Out California and serves as its President. Speak Out California is a progressive internet site envisioned by California's progressive leaders to effectively craft the issues and messages that will encourage public participation in bringing new ideas and vision to California's political landscape.