Last Day of California Legislature Session Ends With Passage of Major Bills—But No Budget as Republicans Reject Appeals From Governor of Their Own Party and Democrats

AB 1830 (Lieu): A mortgage foreclosure bill dealing with subprime loans with some strong provisions that will need a big push to get signed by the Governor given the opposition of some of the state’s powerful financial interests, despite neutrality from others due to recent amendments.

AB 180 (Bass): Another mortgage bill that goes after the “bad apple” foreclosure consultants who take advantage of people in their most vulnerable times, holding them accountable for fraud and requiring those providing these services to register with the California Department of Justice to ensure this.
SB 1440 (Kuehl): Requiring health plans and health insurers to spend at least 85% of the premiums they take in on health care benefits and not their own overhead and profit.

SB 840 (Kuehl): Universal health insurance for all Californians—dubbed by some as “Medicare for all,” similar to the bill passed in the last legislative session that was vetoed by the Governor.

AB 1945 (De La Torre): At truly historic bill on rescission of health insurance-- to protect innocent patients from retroactive cancellations of their coverage after they become ill and file an insurance claim.

Two “green chemistry” bills on toxic chemicals: AB 1879 (Feuer) to bring science and rigor into the identification and prioritization of action on toxic chemicals that need to be regulated or outlawed. SB 509 (Simitian) that dovetails with AB 1879 in the definitions and exemptions of these chemicals dangerous to human health. Together these established a comprehensive program of action by California government.

AB 2939 (Hancock): Allowing cities and counties to implement stricter green building guidelines than state law.

AB 1656 (Jones) to ensure the privacy and reduce the risk of identity theft of Californians from data breaches due to the failures of businesses to protect credit and debit cards.

SB 1407 (Perata): $5 billion of lease-revenue bond funding for the state of California taking responsibility for all 450 courthouses in the state and dangerous conditions that endanger jurors, witnesses, litigants, visitors, and court employees due to disrepair and antiquated design--paid for by increased criminal fines and civil fees and penalties.

SB 823 (Perata): To prevent “diploma mill” abuses by private post secondary education and vocational education for which state oversight and regulation has lapsed.

We will have lots more-- beginning tomorrow. There were many more significant bills passed yesterday and dozens in the last two weeks that deserve commentary and note as they await Governor Schwarzenegger's attention. We will also report on bills that didn't make it through the legislative gauntlet and remain for action next year. And, of course, the budget--where analysis of the Republican Senate Caucus proposal warrants a detailed look.