Legislature Approves 17 Lieu-Sponsored Bills

Gov. Jerry Brown has until Sept. 30 to act on 15 Sen. Ted W. Lieu, D-Carson, bills now on his desk; two additional measures took effect immediately because they did not require gubernatorial action.

The bills facing Brown’s endorsement or veto include:

Senate Bill 336 – Emergency Room Crowding

Hospital emergency-room patients would receive better medical care under a doctor-supported plan to reduce crowding through better planning.

SB 661 – Funeral Protests

This measure seeks greater protections for grieving families from disruptive protests by balancing the constitutionally protected right of free speech with limited restrictions on the time, place and manner in which protests at funerals can be held to protect the grieving families’ right to privacy.

SB 921 – National Guard Inspector General

In response to repeated financial abuses by the California National Guard, this bill by Lieu, a former Air Force prosecutor who remains in the military reserves, would protect against fraud and abuse and help restore confidence to the Guard by creating a California Military Whistleblower Protection Act for service members on state active duty.

SB 956 – Buy Here Pay Here

This consumer-protection bill would enact milestone protections for used-car outlets by cracking down on predatory ‘buy here, pay here’ dealers where interest rates can be as high as 30 percent. In its place would be a lowest-in-the-nation interest cap of 17 percent (plus a minimal variable federal funds rate that currently is .25 percent.) SB 956 has been endorsed by The Los Angeles Times and The Sacramento Bee.

SB 1055 – Rental Payment Flexibility

In response to complaints from residents that more and more landlords are requiring rental payments be made only online, this measure would ensure landlords also accept other forms of payment that are neither cash nor an electronic transfer of funds.

SB 1058 – Victims of Corporate Fraud

Since 2002, California’s fraud-compensation fund has raised nearly $15 million to help compensate those who have been taken advantage of or swindled by smooth-talking hustlers. But in the past 10 years, only seven victims have been paid – for a total of $112,000. SB 1055 would help speed up state payments to these victims of corporate fraud.

SB 1066 – Climate Change

The consequences of climate change could ultimately cost the state tens of billions of dollars if not addressed. Sponsored by the California Nature Conservancy, SB 1066 would empower the California Coastal Conservancy to address climate change and its impacts as part of its broader mission.

SB 1172 – Sexual Orientation Change Therapies

Sen. Lieu’s patient-protection plan would make California the first state in the nation to end the psychological abuse of children through unethical treatments that promise to change a minor’s sexual orientation.

SB 1210 – Victim’s Restitution

With the goal of helping the recovery of those hurt most by crime, this proposal would provide county law enforcement officials the authority to collect restitution from offenders to help the victims of their crimes receive financial restitution.

SB 1221 – Hounding of Bears and Bobcats

Endorsed by The Los Angeles Times, The San Jose Mercury News, The Ventura Sun-Star and others, this animal-protection effort would ban hunters from using packs of dogs to pursue bears and bobcats.

SB 1402 – Workforce Development

Labeled a ‘job creator’ by the California Chamber of Commerce, this would improve and extend the Economic and Workforce Development Program at California Community Colleges to help create a workforce that meets the ongoing and future needs of employers.

SB 1500 – Animal Cruelty

Neglected or injured animals would no longer be returned to abusive owners under this animal-protection measure sponsored by the Los Angeles District Attorney.

The two Lieu measures approved by lawmakers not requiring the governor’s signature to be chaptered into law are:

Senate Concurrent Resolution 79 – Jenny Oropeza Memorial Highway

This measure names a bridge over Pacific Coast Highway in Wilmington, at zero cost to the state, to the memory of his predecessor, the late-Sen. Jenny Oropeza of Long Beach.

SCR 98 – 225^th Anniversary of the U.S. Constitution

This measure celebrates Sept. 17, 2012 as the 225^th anniversary of the original signing of the U.S. Constitution.