Liz’s Report: CA Bills To Support and Oppose

By Liz Froelich, LRWF Legislative Chair

Here are the key bills this month that the California Legislature is currently considering. Please follow up with your representatives, listed below, to support as well as to oppose the measures as indicated.

SUPPORT

AB 229 Violent Felonies (Patterson-R) will be heard February 28 in the Assembly Public Safety Committee.  Would add all robberies, human trafficking, and felony domestic violence to existing law (Prop 47) as offenses for 3 Strikes.

AB 13, Elections: Election Day holiday: voting by mail (Essayli-R)  Elections Committee hearing-no date yet.

This would add the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of any even-numbered year to the list of state holidays.  Would repeal the provisions requiring county elections officials to mail a ballot to every registered voter and authorizing a county to conduct an all-mailed ballot election. Would instead authorize a voter to request a vote by mail ballot for any election, as specified. Would also authorize a voter to apply to become a permanent vote by mail voter, in which case the voter would receive a vote by mail ballot for every election.

This would restrict the persons a voter may authorize to return the voter’s ballot to voter’s spouse, child, parent, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, or a person residing in the same household as the voter and reduce the deadline for receiving a ballot to 3 days after election day.

OPPOSE

ACA 5, as introduced. Marriage equality. (Evan Low-D)  No hearing date yet.

The California Constitution declares that defending life and liberty, acquiring, possessing, and protecting property, and pursuing and obtaining safety, happiness, and privacy are inalienable rights, and that a person may not be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law or equal protection of the laws. 

This measure would express the intent of the Legislature to amend the Constitution of the State relating to marriage equality. Would eliminate Prop 8 language related to traditional marriage.

Contact information:

Assembly:

Tim Grayson Assemblyman Tim Grayson /916-319-2014 or local 521-1511/ PO Box 942849, Sacramento 94249-0014

 Rebecca Bauer-Kahan Assemblywoman Rebecca Bauer-Kahan /916-319-2016 or local 328-1515/ State Capitol, Sacramento 95814

Senate:

  Steve Glazer Senator Steve Glazer / 916-651-4007 or local 258-1176/ State Capitol Rm 5108, Sacramento 95814

Welcome to the updated Position Letter Portal

https://calegistion.lc.ca.gov/Advocates  Register with username and password and submit your position letter as individual to communicate your views to committees.