Assembly OKs Bill Allowing Schools to Require Uniforms

Legislation giving public school officials the power to require students to wear uniforms on campus and stop them from wearing some gang-related clothing has been approved by the Assembly.

A 56-9 vote sent the bill (SB 1269) by Sen. Phil Wyman (R-Tehachapi) back to the Senate for concurrence in Assembly amendments. There was no debate.

Assemblywoman Betty Karnette (R-Long Beach), a former schoolteacher who handled the measure on the lower house floor, said it also would prevent students from being attacked by gang members who want the expensive leather jackets students sometimes wear to school.

Local school boards could adopt the uniform policy if agreed to by principals and parents on a school-by-school basis. The bill would apply to the kindergarten to 12th-grade levels. For poor students, uniforms would be provided by private sources, such as civic groups.

GOVERNOR

Bills Signed

* Domestic Violence: AB 167 by Assemblywoman Barbara Friedman (D-Los Angeles), which appropriates $30 million for battered women and children services in the next two years. This represents an 800% increase over what the state previously spent on domestic violence services. The bill was sparked by the O.J. Simpson case.

ASSEMBLY

Floor Action

* Junk Laws: Passed and sent to the governor on a 68-0 vote a bill (AB 3326) by Assemblyman Jack O’Connell (D-Carpinteria) repealing a series of obsolete state laws involving dueling, frog-jumping contest rules, “wanted dead or alive” reward posters and the like.

* Court Consolidation: Rejected a constitutional amendment (SCA 3) by Senate President Pro Tem Bill Lockyer (D-Hayward) to merge justice, municipal and superior courts into one system, with voter approval. The vote was 42-26 in favor, but 54 yes votes were required for approval. Reconsideration requested.

* Fruits and Vegetables: Rejected a bill (AB 3837) by Assemblyman Ross Johnson (R-Placentia) prohibiting the sale of edible fruits and vegetables because of small size or blemishes. The vote was 35-25 in favor, but 54 yes votes were required for approval. Reconsideration requested.

* Library Services: Rejected a bill (SB 1448) by Sen. David A. Roberti (D-Van Nuys) allowing cities and counties to form assessment districts to raise revenues for library services. The vote was 51-23 in favor, but 54 yes votes were required for approval. Reconsideration requested.

Committee Action

* Campaign Financing Reform: The Ways and Means Committee approved a bill (SB 588) by Lockyer imposing strict contribution and spending limits on legislative candidates and authorizing partial public campaign financing. A 12-8 vote sent the bill to the Assembly floor.

* Infertility Treatment: The Health Committee approved a bill (SB 1780) by Sen. Art Torres (D-Los Angeles) requiring insurance companies to offer coverage for infertility treatment as a standard part of their health insurance packages. An 11-6 vote sent the bill to the Assembly floor.

* Breast Cancer Treatment: The Health Committee also approved a bill (SB 1816) by Torres requiring insurance companies to pay for necessary breast cancer treatment of women as part of their standard coverage. An 11-6 vote sent this bill to the Ways and Means Committee.

* Cesar Chavez Day: The Governmental Organization Committee approved a bill (SB 1373) by Torres requiring the governor to proclaim March 31 as Cesar Chavez Day in honor of the late founder of the United Farm Workers Union. A 9-4 vote sent the bill to the Ways and Means Committee.

* Sex Offenders: The Public Safety Committee approved a bill (AB 152X) by Assemblyman Richard Polanco (D-Los Angeles) requiring state prison officials to furnish the names, home addresses and offenses of convicted sex offenders to local law enforcement officials 15 days before their release from custody. A 6-0 vote sent the bill to the Ways and Means Committee.

* Tobacco Products: The Health Committee approved a bill (SB 1927) by Sen. Tom Hayden (D-Santa Monica) enforcing California’s 104-year-old law prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to minors by increasing penalties on merchants and authorizing the use of minors to catch merchants in the act. A 10-2 vote sent the bill to the Ways and Means Committee.

SENATE

Committee Action

* Female Employee Slacks: The Industrial Relations Committee approved a bill (AB 3672) by Assemblywoman Diane Martinez (D-Monterey Park) making it illegal for employers to prohibit female workers from wearing slacks to work. A 5-1 vote sent the bill to the Appropriations Committee.

* Firearms Penalties: The Judiciary Committee approved a bill (AB 3499) by O’Connell requiring youths caught illegally carrying concealable guns to lose their driver’s licenses until age 18, and to perform up to 125 hours of community service. A 10-0 vote sent the bill to the Appropriations Committee.

Bill Introductions

* Campaign Contributions: SR 46 by Sen. Ken Maddy (R-Fresno) would prohibit Senate staff members from soliciting or participating in the giving or taking of any campaign contributions at any time.