Senator Hollingsworth unveils 2007 bill package

SACRAMENTO — State Senator Dennis Hollingsworth (R-Murrieta) recently unveiled his bill package for 2007. The following bills are in addition to the ones listed in the March 8 issue.

Project KidSafe: sex offender group homes

• Group Home Business Licenses: SB 914 would allow a local jurisdiction to require that a community care facility obtain a business license from local authorities if the facility serves any adult or juvenile who is under the supervision of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

• Group Home Zoning: SB 915 would require group homes housing sex offenders to be subject to local zoning laws as an adult-oriented business.

Public Safety

• Burglary: SB 476 seeks to increase penalties for stealing firearms from a licensed firearms dealer.

• California Emergency Services Act: The sunset date of the state Disaster Response Emergency Operations Account, establish by the California Emergency Services Act, would be extended under SB 548 to January 1, 2013.

• Unlawful Business Entry: It would be a misdemeanor to enter or remain in a business establishment after being requested to leave, under SB 804, after being served with a written warning or request prohibiting that person’s presence on the property for a period of six months by the owner, owner's agent or by a peace officer.

Fire consolidation

• Fire Agency Consolidation: Measure SB 819 would eliminate the sunset on an existing law that outlines the procedures for the consolidation of two or more special districts not formed pursuant to the same principal act. (Sponsor: CALAFCO)

• San Diego Fire Agency Consolidation: In addition to SB 819, SB 806 would allow a new consolidated regional fire agency to be created in San Diego County of at least 20 agencies. This consolidation would be funded by reapportioning the school districts’ share of property tax dollars by 1 cent for every property tax dollar collected in San Diego County, and allocate that funding to the newly formed consolidated fire agency. (Sponsor: San Diego County Supervisor Dianne Jacob)

Welfare reform and healthcare

• CalWORKS Reform: SB 58 would impose full family sanctions when adults do not comply with CalWORKS program requirements beyond 60 months. It would continue safety net benefits only if they meet CalWORK’s 60-month time limit and federal work participation requirements and it would limit cash aid to family with child-only benefits to 60 months.

• California Medial Corps: SB 478 would create a mechanism by which doctors would be provided incentives to locate in and render service in underserved areas and clinics, in repayment for assistance with medical school.

Additional

• Palomar Mountain School: SB 667 would allow Palomar Mountain School of the Valley Center-Pauma Unified School District to receive necessary small schools funding. The district has considered closing the beloved schoolhouse due to district-wide financial constraints.

• Highway Construction: SB 947 would streamline construction projects of on-ramps, off-ramps and overpasses on highways by removing "red-tape," such as environmental reports.

Senator Hollingsworth may be contacted by e-mail at [email protected]. For a more detailed listing of bills with online links, visit http://www.thevillagenews.com.