HEARINGS CONTINUE ON WIDE RANGE OF BILLS

The committees in the State Legislature continue to be very busy with hearings on all the bills that have been introduced this year. Here are a few of the significant events of the past week.

AB 2449 Military service: privileges: job protection. (Mike Davis, Los Angeles)
Existing law provides protections for members of the National Guard ordered into active state or federal service for emergency purposes, and for reservists called to active duty. Protections are provided for these persons during their period of military service with respect to their private employment rights upon return from service, and authorizes a district attorney of the county in which an employer maintains a place of business to act as an attorney on behalf of a service member in any action against an employer who fails or refuses to comply with those provisions.
This bill would expand those provisions by additionally allowing a city attorney of the city in which an employer maintains a place of business to act as an attorney on behalf of a service member against an employer who fails or refuses to comply with those provisions.
Passed by Assembly Committees on Veterans Affairs, Judiciary, and Appropriations.
This bill is sponsored by the California State Commanders Veterans Council.

AB 2557 Vehicles: special license plates. (Chuck DeVore, Irvine)
Would provide for the issuance of special license plates for an active member of the California National Guard who furnishes a certificate provided by the Adjutant General and would exempt these license plates from the payment of a $40 application fee and a $30 transfer fee.
The bill had passed the Assembly Committee on Transportation, but was placed on the Suspense File by the Committee on Appropriations. The Consultant for the Appropriations Committee pegged the costs of this bill at $1.465 million for FY 2008-2009, and additional millions of dollars in future years. The Legislative Analyst is projecting a deficit in the Motor Vehicle Account, which receives its funding from license plate and registration fees, of $160 million in FY 2008-2009 and increasingly higher deficits in future years. Regretfully, we should not expect this bill, or any similar bill authorizing free license plates to anyone, to come off the Suspense File.

SB 1274 Patriotic exercise and instruction. (Mark Wyland, San Juan Capistrano/Carlsbad. Coauthor: Jeff Denham, (Merced)
This bill has been extensively amended.
Current law requires schools to conduct appropriate patriotic exercises. The Pledge of Allegiance satisfies the requirements of current law, but is not the only patriotic exercise that can satisfy the law.
As amended, this bill would require that, when pupils are instructed with regard to the words of the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America as part of these patriotic exercises, the instruction ensure that pupils understand the concepts of “pledge,” “allegiance,” and “republic.” The bill would require that pupils understand the importance of the pledge as an expression of patriotism, love of country, and pride in the United States of America.
During the meeting of the Council on April 12 at Fresno, it was voted to take no position on this bill. In view of the extensive changes that have now been made, I recommend that the Council support the bill as amended. If there are no objections, I will send the support letter in a few days.

Two Resolutions have been introduced, and passed by their respective houses of the Legislature, to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the U.S. Army Reserve.
SR 26, Bob Dutton (Inland Empire) and coauthored by 11 other Senators.
HR 29, Chuck DeVore (Irvine) and coauthored by so 70 Members of the Assembly.
Both Resolutions are sponsored by the California State Commanders Veterans Council, through arrangements made by Pete Conaty.

Arrangements are proceeding for the Assembly Veterans Recognition Day on May 7. A reminder to all members of the Council that I need information concerning attendees at this event no later than Wednesday, April 30. I have to provide a firm guarantee to the caterer for the luncheon, and we have to have a list of names for building security. So far, I have practically no information from anyone.

Also, the Council will be presenting the Legislator of the Year Award to Senator Dave Cogdill in the morning. The Assembly awardee, Ted Lieu, will not be available because of scheduled military service. A separate presentation will have to be scheduled at a later date.

Complete information on all state legislation involving veterans issues is available at the website: http://www.califveterans.com/

Bill Manes, Legislative Officer
California State Commanders Veterans Council

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