2010 Legislative Package

Mindful of the fact that the Legislature's focus should be on the state's budget crisis and jumpstarting our economy, I limited the number of bills I introduced this year.

I am the joint author of a measure to create jobs by annually protecting 25 shovel-ready public works projects across the state from frivolous legal challenges. This proposal has the support of Governor Schwarzenegger and was included in the Jobs Initiative he announced during this year's State of the State Address.

Here are other measures I introduced this year:

Senate Bill 1070: Fresno Flood Control: Tulare Lake Basin: This bill makes technical changes to the Central Valley Flood Protection Plan, which inadvertently included the Tulare Lake Basin. This area was previously thought to be exempt from flood control mandates.

Senate Bill 1046: CSU Claims: This bill would eliminate unnecessary costs within the California State University System ( CSU) by allowing CSU to process its own lawsuits instead of having Victim Claim and Government Claims Board simply act as a clearinghouse at a cost of up to 15 percent of the award amount.

Senate Bill 1060: Pandering: This bill will help prosecutors by clarifying the law defining the criminal act of coercing a person into prostitution.

Senate Bill 1167: Annual Surplus Property Disposition: This bill will authorize the sale of various surplus properties. Currently, the bill authorizes the sale of state-owned land in Fresno County. However, as my work as chair of the Select Committee on Surplus Property continues, other properties will likely be added later this year.

Senate Bill 1349: Experimental Species: This law would make state law mirror federal law as it relates to experimental species. The bill is intended to help the business and agriculture communities comply with a single set of regulations.

Senate Bill 1458: District Hospital Finance: This bill makes technical changes to a law signed last year that allows healthcare districts to consolidate and refinance old debts using long-term lines of credit.