Here is a summary of the important issues.
This measure requires health care service plans and health insurers to apply for prior approval of proposed rate increases, imposes on the Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) and California Department of Insurance (CDI) specific rate review criteria, timelines and hearing requirements, and states that any proposed rate that is not acted on by DMHC or CDI on its own discretion within 60 days is deemed approved.
AB 2578 died on the Senate Floor (16-19)
AYE - Alquist, Cedillo, Corbett, DeSaulnier, Ducheny, Florez, Hancock, Kehoe, Leno, Liu, Lowenthal, Pavley, Romero, Simitian, Steinberg, Yee
NO - Aanestad, Ashburn, Blakeslee, Calderon, Cogdill, Correa, Denham, Dutton, Emmerson, Harman, Hollingsworth, Huff, Negrete McLeod, Runner, Strickland, Walters, Wolk, Wright, Wyland
Not Voting - Oropeza (absent), Padilla, Price, Wiggins (absent)
AB 1998 (Brownley) Plastic Bag Bill
This bill prohibits retailers from providing single-use plastic bags to customers. The bill requires that retailers charge customers for any recycled paper bags the retailer provides. The bill generally preempts local regulation in this area.
AB 1998 died on the Senate Floor (14-21)
AYE - Alquist, Cedillo, Corbett, DeSaulnier, Hancock, Kehoe, Leno, Liu, Lowenthal, Padilla, Pavley, Simitian, Steinberg, Yee
NO - Aanestad, Ashburn, Calderon, Cogdill, Correa, Denham, Ducheny, Dutton, Emmerson, Florez, Harman, Hollingsworth, Huff, Negrete, McLeod, Price, Romero, Runner, Walters, Wolk, Wright, Wyland
Not Voting - Blakeslee, Oropeza (absent), Strickland, Wiggins (absent)
SB 797 (Pavley) Chemicals in baby bottles and sippy cups
This bill prohibits the sale, manufacture or distribution of a bottle or cup or a liquid, food or beverage in the can, jar or plastic bottle that contains bisphenol A (BPA) if the item is primarily intended for children three years of age or younger; (2) repeals this prohibition if the Department of Toxic Substances Control adopts a regulatory response, pursuant to current "Green Chemistry" law, regarding the use of bisphenol A.
SB 797 died on the Senate Floor (19-18)
AYE - Alquist, Cedillo, Corrbett, Correa, DeSaulnier, Ducheny, Florez, Hancock, Kehoe, Leno, Liu, Lowenthal, Padilla, Pavley, Romero, Simitian, Steinberg
NO - Aanestad, Ashburn, Blakeslee, Calderon, Cogdill, Denham, Dutton, Emmerson, Harman, Hollingsworth, Huff, Negrete McLeod, Price, Runner, Strickland, Walters, Wright, Wyland
Not Voting - Oropeza (absent), Wiggins (absent)
SB 691 (Steinberg) Teacher layoffs
Low performing schools - This bill requires school districts to ensure the proportion of classroom teachers at a school ranked in deciles one to three of the Academic Performance Index (API) receiving layoff notices or ultimately laid off due to a reduction in force is not greater than the proportion of classroom teachers receiving layoff notices or laid off districtwide. Some believe that by permitting districts to layoff and rehire teachers out of order this bill would curtail teacher seniority rights without adding any civil rights protections for students that do not already exist.
SB 691 was opposed by a large number of education groups including California Federation of Teachers, California Teachers Association, California School Employees Associations and many more. This bill was very similar to another bill that died in the Assembly.
SB 691 died in Assembly Appropriations Committee (4-5)
AYE - Charles Calderon, Coto, Davis, Norby
NO - Fuentes, Conway, Miller, Skinner, Torlakson
Not Voting - Bradford, De Leon, Gatto, Hall, Harkey, Nielsen, Solorio, Torrico
SB 722 (Simitian) Renewable energy resources
Increases California's renewables portfolio standard (RPS) to require all retail sellers of electricity and all publicly owned utilities to procure at least 33% of electricity delivered to their retail customers from renewable resources by 2020.
SB 722 failed in the Senate when time ran out and the amendments to the bill were not concurred in.]]>
