March 2 Legislation Report

State Senator Hollingsworth

• SB 57: State Personal Income Tax Repeal – Would gradually repeal the State Personal Income Tax over a period of several years until it is completely repealed.

• SB 149: Impersonating a Peace Officer – Adds sentencing enhancements for certain crimes committed while impersonating a peace officer or committed by an actual peace officer while in uniform and under color of authority.

• SB 477: Burglary/Attempt to Commit Assault – Would make it an automatic felony to intentionally enter a home to purposely assault someone.

• SB 501: Sex Offenders – Would require sex offenders to register under penalty of perjury.

• SB 502: Sexually Violent Predators (SVPs) GPS – Would require any person who has ever been found to be an SVP to be monitored by Global Positioning System (GPS) for life upon being unconditionally released.

• SB 503: Sexually Violent Predators – Would provide that during a hearing on whether to conditionally release or unconditionally discharge an SVP, the SVP’s failure to engage in treatment shall be considered evidence that his or her condition has not changed.

• SB 505: High Risk Sexually Violent Predators – Would require all transient high-risk sex offenders to wear GPS devices for life and register with authorities every five days.

• SB 506: Sexually Violent Predators – Would prohibit anyone ever declared an SVP from registering as a transient under Megan’s Law.

• SB 913: Sex Offenders Parole – Existing law prohibits a person released on parole for violation of a registerable sex offense from residing in a single-family dwelling with any other person required to register as a sex offender, unless they are related by blood, marriage or adoption. This bill would make the prohibition applicable to a group home, including one that serves six or fewer persons.

• SB 148: Freeze Relief (property tax exemption) – Exempts immature trees (up to four years old) that were severely damaged by the January freeze from property taxation.

Congresswoman Mary Bono

Congresswoman Mary Bono (CA-45) has introduced the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians Settlement Act, co-sponsored by Congressmen Joe Baca (CA-43) and Jerry Lewis (CA-41). The bill codifies a water rights agreement made between the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, Eastern Municipal Water District and Lake Hemet Water District after decades of litigation and negotiations surrounding water rights.

As the nation’s medical emergency rooms grapple with record numbers of admitted patients, Congresswoman Bono introduced critical legislation that will amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and allow doctors to partially offset the cost of providing uncompensated care that is required under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act.

Congressman Darrell Issa

Rep. Darrell Issa, who represents the Congressional District that contains Camp Pendleton, voted “no” on H.Con.Res. 63, the non-binding Democratic Iraq War Resolution opposing President George W. Bush’s decision to augment US forces in Iraq.

“This resolution offers no alternative course for America in Iraq – no plan for victory and no plan for withdrawal,” said Issa. “Their resolution lacks the courage to take a position on what America should do in regard to our involvement in Iraq.” The resolution was passed by a vote of 246 to 182.

Assemblyman Kevin Jeffries

Freshman Assemblyman Kevin Jeffries (R-Lake Elsinore) publicly released his first complete bill package. The most ambitious proposal (AB 791) would take a page from the Governor’s California Performance Review by combining all state government’s various first responder police and fire agencies and merging them into a single California Public Safety Agency.

An example of a local transportation bill is AB 291. The bill will permit the City of Lake Elsinore to take over portions of Highway 74 that pass through the city.

Jeffries also introduced AB 1485 to try to help military widows by increasing the property tax exemption for spouses of those killed in action.

For more complete descriptions, please visit http://www.thevillagenews.com; full text and status of all legislation is available on the Internet at http://www.leginfo.ca.gov.