Senate Creates Ethics Panel to Oversee House Standards

The state Senate has created a six-member Ethics Committee, described by President Pro Tem David A. Roberti (D-Los Angeles) as “an important follow-up to the voter-approved Proposition 112” in the June primary election.

Proposition 112 bans legislative speaking fees and restricts outside income of lawmakers. It also established an independent commission to set salaries and benefits for elected state officials that is expected to result in a legislative pay raise.

Assembly members and senators now receive $40,816 a year and an estimated $18,000 in expenses, plus other lucrative fringe benefits. The yearly salary is already scheduled to go up to $44,898 after the November general election.

Roberti said the new committee will give the Senate “a means of dealing with situations which are not questions of law, but rather issues of House standards . . . a means of dealing with situations before they reach the point of investigation.” GOVERNOR Bills Signed

Vocational Nurses: AB 3306 by Assemblyman Bill Lancaster (R-Covina) to raise the minimum educational requirement for a licensed vocational nurse from the 10th-grade level to the 12th-grade level.

Hearing Aids: SB 1916 by Sen. Herschel Rosenthal (D-Los Angeles) to prohibit the sale of hearing aids by catalogue or through the mail by unlicensed distributors.

Appraisers: AB 527 by Assemblyman Tom Hannigan (D-Fairfield) calling for state licensing and certification of real estate appraisers who deal in federally related home and business loan transactions.

Gangs: SB 2460 by Sen. Cecil Green (D-Norwalk) to direct the state Commission on Teacher Credentialing to include training in dealing with youth gangs, drug and alcohol abuse and school violence in teacher and administrator preparation programs.

Jails: SB 2661 by Sen. Robert Presley (D-Riverside) to authorize the Orange County Regional Justice Facility Commission to require a two-thirds vote, instead of a simple majority vote, for the passage of a general tax increase to be used for jails if the courts so rule. Bills Vetoed

Methadone: SB 2383 by Sen. Wadie Deddeh (D-Bonita) to provide that methadone treatment programs are made available as a condition of probation to drug-dependent refugees convicted of using controlled substances. The governor said he was concerned about preferential treatment for a certain class of criminal defendant. ASSEMBLY Committee Action

Corporate Crime: The Ways and Means Committee approved a bill (SB 2500) by Sen. Gary K. Hart (D-Santa Barbara) to allow state judges to place corporations convicted of felony and serious misdemeanor crimes on probation in addition to fines or other punishment. A 12-6 vote sent the bill to the Assembly floor.

Pay Equity: The Ways and Means Committee also approved another bill (SB 2078) by Senate President Pro Tem David A. Roberti (D-Los Angeles) to set up a pay equity commission to look into state employee salary differences between men and women who do the same job. The vote was 14 to 8. SENATE Committee Action

Empty Bottles: The Natural Resources Committee rejected a bill (AB 3050) by Assemblyman Burt Margolin (D-Los Angeles) to add empty wine and liquor bottles to the state’s recycling and redemption litter-reducing program effective July 1, 1991. A 3-2 vote was cast on the bill, but it needed five yes votes for approval. Capital Fact

The 1989-90 legislative session is scheduled to end Aug. 31. The 1991-92 session is scheduled to convene Dec. 3.