A number of bills by Assemblyman V. Manuel Pérez, D-Coachella, passed the state Senate policy committee this week, dealing with governance for the Salton Sea, economic development and more.
Assembly Bill 939, Salton Sea Governance, passed in Senate Natural Resources and Water on a vote of 5-1, according to a press release from Pérez’s office. The bill transfers the mandate of the Salton Sea Restoration Council to the local Salton Sea Authority and directs it to collaborate with state’s Natural Resources Agency to develop a restoration plan due to the Legislature by June 30, 2014.
Assembly Bill 1830, Reimbursement of Mobile Home Park Residents, clarifies the Public Utilities Code in instances where water rates charged by the mobile home parks are found to be unjust and unreasonable, so that the term “rate relief” may also include the reimbursement of funds to residents who have been overcharged. This change would provide the same rights and protections to residents of mobile home parks who pay for their water services through the park as are enjoyed by customers of investor owned utilities.
Assembly Bill 2537, Zero Tolerance Policy Reform, passed Senate Education on a vote of 7-1. The bill makes changes to the state’s zero-tolerance school discipline policies to ensure that law-abiding students are not inadvertently caught up in rules intended to address serious student offenses. This bill is part of a package of reforms related to the state’s zero-tolerance school discipline policies.
Assembly Bill 1545, Binational Economic Development Bank, heightens the role of the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank as a facilitator and financing partner of infrastructure and economic development financing activities in the California and Mexico border region. Mexico is California’s largest trading partner, and the two economies are closely integrated through cross-border trade.
Assembly Bill 2671, Small Business Access to Capital, eliminates the sunset on the authority of financial development corporations to secure loans with a minimum loss reserve of 20 percent. The bill passed Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development on a vote of 8-0.
Assembly Bill 2205, Lithium Extraction in Geothermal Technologies, has advanced to the Senate floor pursuant to Rule 28.8 of the Senate Appropriations Committee. The bill makes a regulatory clarification to facilitate the use of a new lithium extraction process at geothermal plants.
To read the full text of the bill, go to www.leginfo.ca.gov
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