April 16, 2010

Last week the the fiscal committee moved a large number of bills to the floor before the August 13 deadline.  For the next two weeks both houses will be holding floor sessions, although the Budget Conference Committee will also hold hearings.

The Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee (Wolk/D-05) held an informational hearing on Wednesday, August 11 to dissect the 2010 Budget Tax Reform Package.  The Committee is currently considering four budget proposals-- the Governor's, the Assembly's, the Senate's and the Conference Committee's.

To assess all four proposals, see the California Budget Project's side-by-side  comparison. 

TOP BILLS WE'RE FOLLOWING

AB 790 & AB 1699 (Hernandez/D-57) Supported by ACSS, CSEA Retirees, Inc., SEIU Local 1000 and CSUEU -- Would provide that state workers salaries would still be paid in full if the Legislature fails to pass a budget on time, and would deem employees to have no break in their service. Both of these bills are on third reading in the Senate. Support full pay for state workers by urging legislators to pass AB 1699.

AB 1592 (Buchanan/D-15), which ratifies MOU's reached between DPA and six non-CSEA statewide bargaining units, was on third reading in the Senate Appropriations Committee will be heard on the Senate floor Monday this week.

SB 846 (Correa/D-34), a second MOU bill, was on third reading in the Assembly, on Thursday, Aug. 12 an urgency clause was adopted.  The measure passed out of the Assembly and now heads back to the Senate's unfinished business file.

AB 1897 Supported  by SEIU Local 1000 -- repeals the authority of the governor's Director of Finance to sell the State Compensation Insurance Fund (SCIF) and requires Senate confirmation for the governor's nine SCIF Board appointments.

AB 1827 Supported by SEIU Local 1000 -- allows the Employment Development Department to give out-of-work Californians the option of in-person assistance in one-stop career centers.

AB 2494 Suported by SEIU Local 1000--would require a state agency to discontinue a contract disapproved by the State Personnel Board (SPB) and would prohibit departments from circumventing or disregarding SPB action by entering into a new contract for the same or similar services.

AB 1899 Supported by SEIU Local 1000 -- would allow the general public to see how private contracting usually costs more than having state workers perform the same work. The bill requires state agencies to post audits and contracts, in an easily searchable format, to the state's public website.

AB 2608 Supported by SEIU Local 1000 -- would continue equitable health care coverage for state workers, regardless of geographic region, by extending the Rural Health Care Equity Program until January 1, 2012