Year-end bill rush hits state capital

By: EDWARD SIFUENTES - Staff Writer | Tuesday, August 24, 2004 9:52 PM PDT ∞

As the legislative year enters its final week, a rush of new bills is headed for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's desk. The legislation could include a controversial bill regarding driver's licenses for illegal immigrants, an ocean protection measure and a set of prescription drug purchase reforms.

North County's Republican delegation is in the minority party in Sacramento, which means many of the bills proposed by North County lawmakers have been killed or have little chance of passing. But there are still about 700 bills awaiting action before the Aug. 31 deadline.

"We don't have much of a legislative dog in this fight," said Pam Loomis, a legislative aide with the office of Sen. Bill Morrow, R-Oceanside. "Most of our legislation has already passed except for a few stragglers."

Among some of the bills that have reached the governor's desk are an effort to raise the state's minimum wage, a measure that would restrict random drug and alcohol testing of students, and a measure that would require employers to tell employees if their calls and Internet use are being monitored.

If approved, Assembly Bill 2832 would raise the state's minimum wage from $6.75 to $7.75 by July 2006. Officially, there is no decision on whether the governor will sign the measure, but Gov. Schwarzenegger is expected to veto the labor-backed bill.

Opponents of the bill, including most North County representatives who voted against it, say the pay raise would hurt small businesses and drive jobs away from the state. Democrats voted Monday in the majority 43-31 to pass the measure.

Some legislative staffers said they expect to work through part of the weekend to get bills to the governor. Tyler Wade, a spokesman for Assemblyman Mark Wyland, R-Escondido, said the last-minute bill scramble is just business as usual this time of year.

"There's a lot of work to be done, but Friday and Saturday, that's when it gets crazy," Wade said. "This happens every year."

Among the most controversial pieces of legislation this year is Sen. Gil Cedillo's driver's license for illegal immigrants' bill. The Los Angeles Democrat has made it something of a crusade to have the bill passed in the Legislature and approved by the governor.

A deal was thought to be near last week, but Gov. Schwarzenegger requested that licenses issued to illegal immigrants have marks that make them stand out from other licenses. Cedillo disagreed with the proposal to mark the documents, calling it discriminatory.

Cedillo spokesman Edward Headington said last week that the measure was likely to be taken up for a vote this week. If it is vetoed, the senator will bring back the issue "year after year," Headington said.

Opponents of the bill, including Wyland, say the measure would reward illegal immigrants. They also say they fear licenses will lead to other benefits for illegal immigrants while eroding national security. Earlier this month, Wyland proposed a constitutional amendment to bar illegal immigrants most state benefits, including access to driver's licences.

The measure, Assembly Constitutional Amendment 32, is unlikely to be heard this year, but Wyland has promised to also revive the issue next legislative year.

Other bills awaiting legislative action this week include: a measure that would bar cruise ships from discharging sewage within three miles of shore, a Web site to help Californians buy lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada, and a bill that would set different nutritional standards for school food.

Contact staff writer Edward Sifuentes at (760) 740-5426 or esifuentes@nctimes.com.