New Laws Shaped by Coronado Legislators

From state Senator Juan Vargas:

• SB 291: Increased Bail for Extradited Criminal Defendants, would increase the bail amount of criminal defendants who have skipped out on bail at least once, by $100,000.
• SB 583: ALS tax check off, allows individual taxpayers to contribute funds to the ALS/Lou Gehrig’s Disease Research Fund.
• SB 718: Elder Abuse Online Reporting, would authorize the County of San Diego and other counties to offer a confidential internet referral reporting system for suspected abuse of elder and dependent adults.
• SCR 52: (Vargas, La Malfa), provides for Caltrans Highway Maintenance Leadworker Jaime Obeso Memorial Highway, Caltrans Leadworker Gary Wayne Smith Memorial Highway, and Caltrans Equipment Operator II Richard Gonzalez Memorial Interchange.

From Assemblyman Benjamin Hueso: 

• SB 420: Synthetic Cannabinoids, co-author, makes it a misdemeanor to sell or distribute any synthetic drug compound, commonly known as spice.
• AB 1024: Low Cost Auto Insurance, expands the use of California's low-cost auto insurance program by making it accessible to all individuals through the creation and regulation of an Internet website.
• AB 981: California Capital Access Program (Cal CAP), expands access to small business loans specifically to businesses in high unemployment areas.
• ACR 22: declares March as Bullying Prevention Awareness month, and urges school districts to discuss the issue of bullying and methods of preventing it.
• ACR 69: calls on law enforcement, first responders, schools, local elected officials, and parents to educate youth and raise awareness about the risks associated with synthetic drugs.
• AB 581: Public Health/Healthy Food, co-author, increases access to healthy and nutritious foods and creates new economic opportunities in California's underserved urban and rural communities by establishing the California Healthy Food Financing Initiative.
• AB 654: Mills Act Reform, modifies the Mills Act, which gives a tax break to property owners who preserve and rehabilitate historically significant properties. The bill requires an inspection of the exterior and interior of the premises to determine compliance with the Act.

From information provided by the legislators' offices.