Governor Gets Bill to Provide Metal Detectors at L.A. Schools

The Assembly has passed legislation authorizing expenditure of $1 million at Los Angeles city schools to purchase metal detectors and other safety equipment to prevent students from bringing guns onto campuses.

A 66-0 vote sent the bill (AB 777) by Assemblyman Richard Katz (D-Sylmar) to Gov. Pete Wilson’s desk for his signature into law or for veto.

There were 709 incidents of students bringing weapons onto school grounds in 1992, and 25% of those incidents resulted in assaults with deadly weapons against pupils, according to the Los Angeles Unified School District.

“Children should feel protected and safe in school so they can concentrate on learning, not worrying about whether they’re going to get to their next class alive,” Katz said.

GOVERNOR

Bill Signed

* Inmate Movies: AB 1685 by Assemblyman Ray Haynes (R-Murrieta) to prohibit sexually explicit or extremely violent movies or videos from being shown to Youth Authority and juvenile hall inmates.

ASSEMBLY

Floor Action

* O.J. Simpson Case: Passed and returned to the Senate for concurrence in Assembly amendments on a 68-0 vote a bill (SB 254) by Sen. Quentin Kopp (I-San Francisco) to require the State Bar to recommend rules of conduct to restrict trial attorneys from making public comments that could prejudice potential jurors. The bill was inspired by highly publicized statements made by counsel on both sides in the O.J. Simpson case.

* Infertility Treatment: Passed and returned to the Senate for concurrence in Assembly amendments on a 46-29 vote a bill (SB 1780) by Sen. Art Torres (D-Los Angeles) to require health insurance plans to provide infertility treatment as part of their basic coverage.

* Graffiti Crimes: Passed and returned to the Senate for concurrence in Assembly amendments on a 48-12 vote a bill (SB 583) by Sen. John Lewis (R-Orange) to make it a misdemeanor for a person to possess an aerosol paint container, a felt tip marker pen or any other marking substance with the intent to commit vandalism or graffiti.

* Lawsuit Damages: Passed and sent to the governor on a 44-6 vote a bill (AB 2467) by Assemblywoman Debra Bowen (D-Marina del Rey) to prohibit the use of public funds to pay court judgments against elected officials who are sued for unethical or illegal actions.

* Voter Registration: Passed and returned to the Senate for concurrence in Assembly amendments on a 44-31 vote a bill (SB 1518) by Sen. Milton Marks (D-San Francisco) to restrict access to voter registration records to prevent stalkers from obtaining home addresses and telephone numbers of their potential victims.

Committee Action

* School Tests: The Ways and Means Committee approved a bill (SB 1273) by Sen. Gary K. Hart (D-Santa Barbara) to revamp the format for school performance tests known as the California Comprehensive Testing Program, formerly the California Learning Assessment System, and give parents a larger role in their development. A 13-7 vote sent the bill to the Assembly floor.

SENATE

Floor Action

* Cesar Chavez Day: Passed and sent to the governor on a 25-1 vote a bill (SB 1373) by Sen. Art Torres (D-Los Angeles) to make March 31 a state holiday in honor of Cesar Chavez, the late founder of the United Farm Workers Union, and allow state workers to take that day off in lieu of personal leave time.

* Los Angeles Riots: Passed and returned to the Assembly for concurrence in amendments on a 22-13 vote a bill (AB 1974) by Assemblyman Paul Horcher (R-Diamond Bar) to allow so-called central Los Angeles “mom and pop” grocery stores that sell liquor and were destroyed during the 1992 riots to reopen without new conditions being imposed by local ordinances.

* Female Employee Slacks: Rejected on a 16-19 vote a bill (AB 3672) by Assemblywoman Diane Martinez (D-Monterey Park) to make it illegal for employers to prohibit female employees from wearing slacks to work. Reconsideration granted.

* Tax Board Merger: Passed and returned to the Assembly for concurrence in amendments on a 29-2 vote a bill (AB 15) by Assemblyman Johan Klehs (D-San Leandro) to abolish the state Franchise Tax Board and transfer its duties to the state Board of Equalization.