CALIFORNIA DISABILITY COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK (CDCAN)
CAPITOL NEWS REPORT #008-2005   www.cdcan.us 
January 12, 2005 - Wednesday
Linking people to disability rights and unified action

Legislative Update
* Senate President Pro Tem Perata Announces Committee Appointments
* Assembly Speaker Nunez Committee Appointments Made Last Week
* Committees Critical To Issues Impacting People With Disabilities/Seniors

SACRAMENTO  - Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata (D-Oakland) announced today his appointments to the Senate policy and budget committees.  Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez (D-Los Angeles) announced Assembly committee appointments last week.  The make-up of the Assembly and Senate committees are very important on legislation and budget issues impacting people with disabilities and seniors. [please see CDCAN Capitol News Report #010-2005 and #011-2005 for reports on budget impact on Medi-Cal, developmental services and education]

This report lists both the Assembly and Senate committees where bills or budget issues impacting people with developmental or other disabilities and seniors are likely to be considered in.

BUDGET COMMITTEES
How These Committees Impact People With Disabilities and Seniors: These budget committees consider the Governor's proposed budget.  The budget subcommittees listed - health and human services covers Medi-Cal, SSI/SSP, regional center funded services, developmental centers, mental health, vocational and rehabilitation and other related issues.  The subcommittee dealing with education and education finance includes covering K-12 education, including adult education programs that serve people with developmental and other disabilities, and also special education.
Note:  Perata did not release appointments to the Senate Budget subcommittees.

Assembly Budget Committee - 25 Members Total
Committee Chair: John Laird (D-Santa Cruz) [replaced Darrell Steinberg, who was termed out]
Vice Chair: Rick Keene (R-Chico, 3rd District)
Change made:  Speaker reduced the membership from 30 member to 25.
 Democrats (16) : Juan Arambula* (D-Fresno, 31st District), Rudy Bermudez (D-Norwalk, 56th District), Wilma Chan (D-Oakland, 16th District), Joe Coto* (D-San Jose, 23rd District),  Hector De La Torre* (D-Southgate, 50th District), Mervyn Dymally (D-Compton, 52nd District), Noreen Evans* (D-Santa Rosa, 7th District), Jackie Goldberg (D-Los Angeles, 45th District), Loni Hancock (D-Berkeley, 14th District), Cindy Montanez (D-San Fernando, 39th District), Gene Mullin (D-South San Francisco, 19th District), Pedro Nava* (D-Santa Barbara, 35th District), Nicole Parra (D-Hanford, 30th District), Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills, 41st District),  Lois Wolk (D-Davis, 8th District)
Republicans (9):  John Benoit (R-Riverside, 64th District),  Sam Blakeslee*  (R-Santa Maria 33rd District),  Dave Cogdill (R-Modesto, 25th District), Lynn Daucher (R-Brea, 72nd District), Chuck DeVore* (R-Irvine, 70th District), Bob Huff* (R-Diamond Bar, 60th District), George Plescia (R-La Jolla, 75th District), Michael Villines* (R-Fresno, 29th District)

Assembly Budget Subcommittee #1 on  Health and Human Services  - 5 Members Total
Chair: Hector De La Torre* (D-Southgate, 50th District)   [replaced Mervyn Dymally who chairs education finance]]
Democrats (3): Loni Hancock (D-Berkeley, 14th District),  Gene Mullin (D-South San Francisco, 19th District),
Republicans (2):  Dave Cogdill (R-Modesto, 25th District), Rick Keene (R-Chico, 3rd District)
Change: No changes to the committee membership (remains at 5)

Assembly Budget Subcommittee #2 – Education Finance - 6 Members Total
Chair: Assemblymember Mervyn Dymally (D-Los Angeles)  [replaced Joe Simitian who was elected to Senate]
Democrats (4): WIlma Chan (D-Oakland, 16th District), Joe Coto (D-San Jose, 23rd District), Jackie Goldberg (D-Los Angeles, 45th District)
Republicans (2): Lynn Daucher (R-Brea, 72 District), Bob Huff* (R-Diamond Bar, 60th District)

Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee - 17 Members Total
Committee Chair:  Wes Chesbro (D-Arcata, 2nd District)  [no change in committee hair]
Vice Chair:  Dennis Hollingsworth (R-Murrieta, 36th District)
Democrats (11):  Denise Ducheny (D-San Diego, 40th District), Joe Dunn (D-Santa Ana, 34th District), Christine Kehoe (D-San Diego, 39th District), Sheila Kuehel (D-Santa Monica, 23rd District), Alan Lowenthal* (D-Long Beach, 27th District), Mike Machado (D-Linden, 5th District),  Gloria Romero (D-Los Angeles, 24th DIstrict), Jack Scott (D-Altadena, 21st District), Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto, 11th District), Tom Torlakson (D-Antioch, 7th District)
Republicans (6):  John Campbell* (R-Irvine, 35th District), Bob Dutton* (R-Rancho Cucamonga, 31st District), Bob Margett (R-Arcadia, 29th District), Tom McClintock (R-Thousand Oaks, 19th District), George Runner (R-Palmdale, 17th DIstrict),

Senate Budget Subcommittee #1 -on Education
Chair: Jack Scott (D-Altadena, 21st District)  [no change in subcommittee chair]
Note: subcommittee members not announced yet.

Senate Budget Subcommittee #3 on Health and Human Services
Chair: Denise Ducheny (D-San Diego, 80th District) [replaced Wes Chesbro who chaired both committees]
Note: subcommittee members not announced yet.

HEALTH COMMITTEES
How This Committee Impacts People With Disabilities and Seniors:  includes Medi-Cal, health insurance issues.  The Senate broke up the previous Senate Health and Human Services, which now mirrors the two Assembly committees (with the exception of aging and long term care issues, which only the Assembly has).

Assembly Health Committee - 13 Members Total
Chair: Wilma Chan (D-Oakland, 16th District)  [replaced Rebecca Cohn]
Vice Chair: Greg Aghazarian (R-Stockton, 26th District)
Democrats (9):  Patty Berg (D-Eureka, 1st District), Rebecca Cohn (D-Saratoga, 24th District), Mervyn Dymally (D-Compton, 52nd District), Dario Frommer (D-Los Angeles, 43rd District), Mike Gordon* (D-El Segundo, 53rd District), Dave Jones* (D-Sacramento, 9th District), Cindy Montanez (D-San Fernando, 39th District), Gloria Negrete McLeod (D-Chino, 61st District),
Republicans (4): Alan Nakanishi (R-Lodi, 10th District), Keith Richman (R-Northridge, 38th District), Audra Strickland* (R-Thousand Oaks, 37th District)
Change: Assembly Speaker reduced membership from 18 to 13

Senate Health Committee - 11 members total
Chair: Deborah Ortiz (D-Sacramento, 6th District)   [headed Health & Human Services last year]
Vice Chair: George Runner (R-Palmdale, 17th District)
Democrats (7):  Elaine Alquist* (D-Santa Clara, 13th District), Wes Chesbro (D-Arcata, 2nd District), Liz Figueroa (D-Fremont, 10th District), Sheila Kuehl (D-Santa Monica, 23rd District), Jackie Speier (D-Hillsborough, 8th District), Edward  Vincent (D-Inglewood, 25th District)
Republicans (4):  Sam Aanestad (R-Grass Valley, 4th District), Dave Cox* (R-Fair Oaks, 1st District),  Abel Maldonado* (R-Santa Maria, 15th District)

HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEES
How This Committee Impacts People With Disabilities and Seniors:  Covers legislation dealing with rehabilitation services, developmental services (including regional centers and developmental centers), SSI/SSP, In-Home Supportive Services.  Aging and long term care issues go to the Assembly Aging and Long Term Care Committee, but in the Senate, go to the Human Services Committee (because no comparable committee exists there).  The Senate broke up in December the previous Senate Health and Human Services Committee.

Assembly Human Services Committee - 7 Members Total
Chair: Noreen Evans* (D-Santa Rosa, 7th District)  [Replaced Lois Wolk, who is chairing another committee]
Vice Chair: Ray Haynes (R-Murrieta, 66th District)
Democrats (5): Juan Arambula* (D-Fresno, 31st District), Karen Bass* (D-Los Angeles, 47th District), Joe Coto* (D-San Jose, 23rd District), Joe Nation (D-San Rafael, 6th District)
Republicans (2): Todd Spitzer (R-Orange, 71st District)
Note:  This is the only committee in either house that has a majority of members who are newly elected - 4 members (all Democrats), including the chair.

Assembly Aging and Long-Term Care Committee - 5 Members Total
Chair: Patty Berg (D-Eureka, 1st District)  [no change in committee chair]
Vice Chair: Lynn Daucher (R-Brea, 72nd District)
Democrats (3):  Rudy Bermudez (D-Norwalk, 56th District), Joe Canciamilla (D-Pittsburg, 11th DIstrict)
Republicans (2):  Mimi Waters* (R-Laguna Niguel, 73rd District)

Senate Human Services Committee - 7 Members Total
Chair: Joe Simitian* (D-Palo Alto, 11th District)  [new chair - replaces Deborah Ortiz - see below]
Vice Chair: Abel Maldonaldo (R-Santa Maria, 15th District)
Democrats (5):  Richard Alarcon (D-Sun Valley, 20th District), Elaine Alquist* (D-Santa Clara, 13th District), Wes Chesbro (D-Arcata, 2nd District), Dean Florez (D-Shafter, 16th District)
Republicans (2): Sam Aanestad (R-Grass Valley, 4th District).
Note: Deborah Ortiz previously headed the Senate Health and Human Services Committee before it was broken up.

EDUCATION COMMITTEES
How This Committee Impacts People With Disabilities/Seniors:  All special education bills would go through these committee, impacting children with special needs.  In addition bills impacting adult education programs serving people with developmental and other disabilities and seniors would also be heard in these committees.
Importance: Considered very high because of the frequency of special education related bills.

Assembly Education Committee - 11 Members Total
Chair: Jackie Goldberg (D-Los Angeles 45th District)  [NO CHANGE]
Vice Chair: Mark Wyland (R-Del Mar, 74th District)
Democrats (8):  Juan Arambula* (D-Fresno, 31st District), Joe Coto* (D-San Jose, 23rd District), Loni Hancock (D-Berkeley, 14th District), Carol Liu (D-Pasadena, 44th District), Gene Mullin (D-South San Francisco, 19th District), Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills, 41st District), Tom Umberg* (D-Santa Ana, 69th District)
Republicans (3): Bob Huff* (R-Diamond Bar, 60th District),  Keith Richman (R-Northridge, 38th District)

Senate Education Committee - 12 Members Total
Chair: Sen. Jack Scott (D-Altadena)  [replaced John Vasconcellos, who was termed out]
Vice Chair: Sen. Abel Maldonado (R-Santa Maria, 15th District)
Democrats (8):  Elaine Alquist* (D-Santa Clara, 13th District), Alan Lowenthal* (D-Long Beach, 27th District), Gloria Romero (D-Los Angeles, 24th District), Joe Simitian* (D-Palo Alto, 11th District), Nell Soto (D-Pomona, 32nd District), Jackie Speier (D-Hillsborough, 8th District), Tom Torlakson (D-Antioch, 7th District)
Republicans (4) : Jeffrey Denham (R-Merced, 12th District), Bob Dutton* (R-Rancho Cucamonga, 31st District), Bill Morrow (R-Oceanside, 38th District)

HOUSING COMMITTEES
How This Committee Impacts People with Disabilities and Seniors: bills impacting affordable and accessible housing, including universal design would go through these committees.  In the Senate, the committee also covers transportation issues, which includes bills that deal with accessible transportation, mass transit issues, etc. Normally in a two-year session there are not a high number of bills in housing or transportation having direct or immediate impact to people with disabilities or seniors.

Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee - 7 Members Total
Chair: Gene Mullin (D-South San Francisco, 19th District)
Vice Chair: Bonnie Garcia (R-Cathedral City, 80th District)
Democrats (5): Joe Baca, Jr* (D-San Bernardino, 62nd District), Loni Hancock (D-Berkeley, 14th District), Simon Salinas (D-Salinas, 28th District), Alberto Torrico* (D-Fremont, 20th District)
Republicans (2):  Jay La Suer (R-La Mesa, 77th District)
Change: Assembly Speaker reduced membership from 9 to 7.

Senate Transportation and Housing Committee - 14 Members Total
Chair:  Tom Torlakson (D-Antioch, 7th District)
Vice Chair: Tom McClintock (R-Thousand Oaks, 19th District)
Democrats (9):  Gil Cedillo (D-Los Angeles, 22nd District), Denise Ducheny (D-San Diego, 40th District), Christine Kehoe* (D-San Diego, 39th District), Alan Lowenthal* (D-Long Beach, 27th District), Mike Machado (D-Linden, 5th District), Carole Migden (D-San Francisco, 3rd District), Joe Simitian* (D-Palo Alto, 11th District), Jackie Speier (D-Hillsborough, 8th District)
Republicans (5): Roy Ashburn (R-Bakersfield, 18th District), Abel Maldonado* (R-Santa Maria, 15th District), Bob Margett (R-Arcadia, 29th District), George Runner* (R-Palmdale, 17th District)

JUDICIARY COMMITTEES
How These Committees Impact People With Disabilities and Seniors:  Though normally most bills don't have direct impact, those bills relating to access rights under federal and state laws would be reviewed by these committees.  Last session had several bills relating to access and public accomodations, all which died in committee  - and during this new 2005-2006, several more are expected, including AB 20 by Assemblymember Tim Leslie.

Assembly Judiciary Committee - 9 Members Total
Chair:  Dave Jones*  (D-Sacramento, 9th District)
Vice Chair: Tom Harman (R-Huntington Beach, 67th District)
Democrats (6):  Noreen Evans* (D-Santa Rosa, 7th District), John Laird (D-Santa Cruz, 27th District), Lloyd Levine (D-Sherman Oaks, 40th District), Sally Lieber (D-Santa Clara, 22nd District), Cindy Montanez (D-San Fernando, 39th District)
Republicans (3):  Ray Haynes (R-Murrieta, 66th District), Tim Leslie (R-Tahoe CIty, 4th District),
Change:  Assembly Speaker reduced the membership from 11 to 9 members.

Senate Judiciary Committee - 7 Members Total
Chair: Joe Dunn (D-Santa Ana, 34th District)
Vice Chair: Bill Morrow (R-Oceanside, 38th District)
Democrats (5):  Gil Cedillo (D-Los Angeles, 22nd District), Martha Escutia (D-Norwalk, 30th District), Liz Figueroa (D-Fremont, 10th District), Sheila Kuehl (D-Santa Monica, 23rd District)
Republicans (2): Dick Ackerman (R-Irvine, 33rd District)

LABOR COMMITTEES
How This Impacts People With Disabilities And Seniors: Normally legislation before these committees don't have immediate or direct impact, however last session and this new session, bills calling for increasing the State minimum wage would have significant and direct impact to hundreds of thousands of workers who work in community-based organizations who serve people with disabilities and seniors, and  thousands of workers who work in the In-Home Supportive Services and other homecare programs. Some advocates say an increase- without mandating that the State be required to reimburse community-based organizations who provide services to people with disabilities and seniors, would have an significant adverse impact including loss of workers. Labor advocates say an increase is desperately needed for workers in California to provide a wage a person can live on.

Assembly Labor and Employment Committee - 8 Members Total
Chair: Paul Koretz (D-West Hollywood, 42nd District)  [no change in committee chair]
Vice Chair: Alan Nakanishi (R-Lodi, 10th District)
Democrats (6): Wilma Chan (D-Oakland, 16th District), Judy Chu (D-Monterey Park, 49th District), Johan Klehs* (D-San Leandro, 18th District), John Laird (D-Santa Cruz, 27th District), Mark Leno (D-San Francisco, 13th District)
Republicans (2): Guy Houston (R-Livermore, 15th District),

Senate Labor and Industrial Relations - 8 Members Total
Chair: Richard Alarcon (D-Sun Valley, 20th District)  [no change in committee chair]
Vice Chair: John Campbell* (R-Irvine, 35th District)
Democrats (5): Joe Dunn (D-Santa Ana, 34th District), Liz Figueroa (D-Fremont, 10th District), Sheila Kuehl (D-Santa Monica, 23rd District), Alan Lowenthal* (D-Long Beach, 27th District)
Republicans (3): Dick Ackerman (R-Irvine, 33rd District), George Runner* (R-Palmdale, 17th District)

PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEES
How These Committees Impact People With Disabilities and Seniors - bills dealing with crime and abuse of people with developmental and other disabilities and seniors (sometimes referred to as "dependent adults"), hate crimes, go through these committees.  Most bills in these committees don't have immediate or direct impact to people with disabilities and seniors.

Assembly Public Safety Committee - 7 Members Total
Chair: Mark Leno (D-San Francisco)  [no change in committee chair]
Vice Chair: Jay La Suer (R-La Mesa, 77th District)
Democrats (5): Rebecca Cohn (D-Saratoga, 24th District), Mervyn Dymally (D-Compton, 52nd District), Jackie Goldberg (D-Los Angeles, 45th District), Ira Ruskin* (D-Redwood City, 21st District)
Republicans (2): Todd Spitzer (R-Orange, 71st District)
Change: Speaker increased the membership of this committee from 6 to 7 members.

Senate Public Safety Committee - 7 Members Total
Chair: Elaine Alquist (D-Santa Clara, 13th District)  [replaced Bruce McPherson, who was termed out]
Vice Chair: Charles Poochigian (R-Fresno, 14th District)
Democrats (5): Gil Cedillo (D-Los Angeles, 22nd District), Carole Migden* (D-San Francisco, 3rd District), Don Perata (D-Oakland, 9th District), Gloria Romero (D-Los Angeles, 24th District)
Republicans (2): Bob Margett (R-Arcadia, 29th District)

FISCAL COMMITTEES
How These Committees Impact People with Disabilities and senaiors: : all non-budget bills that would cost the State money (fiscal impact) must be reviewed and passed out of this committee in both houses (after being heard in the policy committees), including all those that impact people with disabilities and seniors.

Assembly Appropriations Committee - 18 Members Total
Chair: Judy Chu (D-Monterey Park 49th District)  [no change in committee chair]
Vice Chair: Sharon Runner (R-36th District)
Democrats (13): Karen Bass* (D-Los Angeles, 47th District), Patty Berg (D-Eureka, 1st District), Ron Calderon (D-Montebello, 58th District), Mike Gordon (D-El Segundo, 53rd District), Johan Klehs* (D-San Leandro, 18th District), Betty Karnette* (D-Long Beach, 54th District), Mark Leno (D-San Francisco, 13th District), Joe Nation ()D-San Rafael, 6th District), Jenny Oropeza (D-Carson, 55th District), Mark Ridley-Thomas (D-Los Angeles, 48th District), Lori Saldana* (D-San Diego, 76th District), Leland Yee (D-San Francisco, 12th District)
Republicans (5): Bill Emmerson* (R-Rancho Cucamonga, 63rd District),  Ray Haynes (R-Murrieta, 66th District),  Alan Nakanishi (R-Lodi, 10th District),  Mimi Waters* (R-Laguna Niguel, 73rd District)
Change: Assembly Speaker reduced the membership from 21 to 18.

Senate Appropriations Committee - 13 Members Total
Chair: Carole Migden (D-San Francisco, 3rd District)  [replaced Dede Alpert, who was termed out]
Vice Chair: Sam Aanestad (R-Grass Valley, 4th District)
Vacancy (1):  vacancy
Democrats (7): Elaine Alquist (D-Santa Clara, 13th District), Debra Bowen (D-Marina Del Rey, 28th District), Martha Escutia (D-Norwalk, 30th District), Kevin Murray (D-Culver City, 26th District), Deborah Ortiz (D-Sacramento, 6th District), Jackie Speier (D-Hillsborough, 8th District)
Republicans (5): Roy Ashburn (R-Bakersfield, 18th District), Jim Battin (R-LaQuinta, 37th District), Bob Dutton* (R-Rancho Cucamonga, 31st District), Charles Poochigian (R-Fresno, 14th District)

NEXT STEPS
.* BUDGET HEARINGS - The Governor's budget plan needs approval by both houses of the Legislature.  The Governor's proposals impacting SSI/SSP and IHSS, regional centers, developmental centers, mental health and Medi-Cal, etc will be heard by the by the Senate Budget Subcommittee #3 on Health and Human Services and the Assembly Budget Subcommittee #1 on Health and Human Services most likely beginning in March and April, though nothing is currently scheduled.
* LEGISLATIVE BILL HEARINGS - No hearings have been scheduled yet on any billl.  Hearings on bills could begin as soon as early February, now that committees have been formed.
* DISABILITY/SENIOR RIGHTS TOWNHALL TELEMEETING - update on budget, next steps, set for January 14, Friday morning 10 AM to noon.  To participate, see CDCAN website at www.cdcan.us or call CDCAN at 916/442-8877 ext 100 and talk to Kathryn Storm (Training Toward Self Reliance staff).  This telemeeting is being sponsored by Arc California.  Previous townhall telemeetings have been sponsored by Alpha Resource Center, SBC, Association of Regional Center Agencies, Community Technology Foundation of California, UCP, Training Toward Self Reliance, Easter Seals (several times), Jay Nolan Community Services, Arriba and other groups.

URGENT - CONTRIBUTIONS NEEDED TO CONTINUE EFFORT CAN CONTRIBUTE VIA NON-PROFIT 501(c)3  see below
Many many, thanks again,  to the friends, people with disabilities and their families, community organizations and others who have sent in generous and needed contributions and donations.  Contributions from people and organizations is very urgently needed to keep the advocacy efforts going for the next several months, as we work to establish non-profit status which we are working on.. Apologies to anyone who have not yet received a thank you - email, letters, calls have been overwhelming!  Your help is needed though to keep the effort going in 2005.
Please make check or money order  to:  California Disability Community Action Network  (or abbreviate CDCAN) OR, if for tax deduction purposes, you can make the check out to TTSR (Training Toward Self Reliance), which is a 501C-3 non-profit organization, and indicate on check that contribution is for support for "CDCAN".
A method to contribute by credit card (through Paypal) is NOW set up on our website, at www.cdcan.us [new site address]  Send contributions to: California Disability Community Action Network (see below for mailing address)
* How To Receive CDCAN Capitol News Reports and Alerts
The California Disability Community Action Network is a non-partisan link to thousands of Californians with developmental and other disabilities, people with traumatic brain and other injures, seniors and their families, community organizations and providers, direct care and other workers, and other advocates. These action alerts and news reports is for all of them.   If you would like to get on this distribution (and conversely, get off of it) please send an email with that  request to:  martyomoto@rcip.com  OR sign up via the NEW CDCAN website at www.cdcan.us  Sharing information is part of our organizing effort. Please feel free to forward or copy  this (attribution is nice). We're all in this together!
* How To Contact CDCAN
Marty Omoto, director/organizer  New WEBSITE address:  www.cdcan.us
1225 8th Street Suite 480 Sacramento, CA 95814   VOICE PHONE: 916/446-0013
FAX number: 916/446-0026        email: martyomoto@rcip.com