This is the CCB Legislative Report for May 31, 2013 Prepared by Jeff Thom, Chair, Governmental Affairs Committee.
The halls of the Capitol have been busy over the last month, and its time to catch everyone up on what's been going on. If there are items about which you want information and that have not been mentioned here, do not hesitate to call me at 916-9953967 or email me at jeff.thom@ccbnet.org.
Both the Assembly and Senate Budget Committees are proposing partial restoration of funding to reduce the 40% cut for these programs. The Budget Conference Committee will work out a final figure to be sent to the Governor as part of the 2013-14 budget. Since the budget will likely be passed on June 15, we will soon provide information on letting the Governor know that we want him to retain these funds when he signs the budget.
The Assembly Budget Committee has proposed granting an SSI/SSP cost-of-living adjustment. This adjustment is not contained in the Senate's version of the budget, so the issue will be decided in the conference committee. If you would like to express your support for this cost-of-living adjustment, you can email Mark Leno, chair of the Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review at mark.leno@sen.ca.gov or call the committee at 916-6514103.
This bill, opposed by CCB, which would eventually require 100% of foods and beverages in state building vending machines to meet nutritious standards, was not acted on by the Assembly Appropriations Committee within the required deadline for action this year. Thus, no action can be taken on this matter until at least January.
This bill, supported by CCB, has passed the Assembly and is now in the Senate.
This bill, supported by CCB, which would require that braille reading and mathematics standards for k-12 pupils be aligned with common core standards applicable to all students, has passed the Assembly and is now in the Senate.
This bill, supported by CCB, which would expand school vision testing to include binocular vision testing, has passed the Senate and is now in the Assembly.
This bill, which, among other things, expands the scope of practice of optometrists and also imposes various responsibilities on them, has passed the Senate and is now in the Assembly. CCB has not taken a position on this bill.
This bill, on which CCB did not take a position, has been signed by the Governor. It implements a court settlement that requires an 8% cut in IHSS benefits for the 2013-14 fiscal year and a 7% cut the following year.
This report will highlight issues of importance to CCB, some we are supporting, some that we oppose, and some on which we are neutral, but which it is important that members be aware of. If you have a matter of interest on some state legislative proposal that is not mentioned in this report, contact me at 916-9953967 or via email at jeff.thom@ccbnet.org and I’ll update you on it.
First, let me discuss our three legislative imperatives on which CCB members worked so hard on Capitol Day, which occurred on the first day of the Spring Conference and Convention.
These programs took a 40% cut in 2009, while the general budget for community colleges was reduced by only 12%. We are supporting language in the budget process, and pursuant to Senate Bill 705 Block, that would restore half of the cut this year. These cuts led to drastic staff and service reductions, including services for putting books and other materials in alternate formats. This item seems to be gaining a great deal of support in the Legislature.
This bill would require that braille reading and mathematics standards, adopted almost a decade ago, be aligned with more current standards for all California elementary and secondary school pupils. So far, there is no opposition, but the bill still must pass both the Assembly and the Senate.
This bill would eventually require all food and beverages in state building vending machines to be nutritious, as defined. By primarily targeting blind vending facility operators, many of whom make very minimal incomes from these machines, the bill will have a dramatically adverse impact on these small business owners. Not only does nutritious food need to be thrown out sooner, but it does not sell as well as many non-nutritious choices. The bill has passed one Assembly committee, but must still pass both the Assembly and the Senate.