After hearing recall efforts against Assemblyman Anthony Adams failed, Assembly Minority Leader Sam Blakeslee released the following statement:

"The recall process should be reserved for cases of corruption, abuse of power, and malfeasance in office.

"With this recall effort behind us, Republicans will continue focusing on reforming and restructuring state government during this time of unprecedented economic and budget crisis.

"The top priority of Assembly Republicans is to restore California's economy, create jobs and balance our state's budget. Republicans must move forward united in the effort to tackle these crucial issues and prepare for the historic election in 2010."

The effort to recall Assemblyman Anthony Adams has failed, according to the Secretary of State.

The Secretary of State released this memo on the recall effort.

The following is a comparison between the Senate health care reform bill proposed by Majority Leader Harry Reid and a bill passed Nov. 7 by the House of Representatives:

The Democratic-controlled House voted Thursday to add more than $200 billion to the deficit to prevent steep Medicare payment cuts to doctors, a move Republicans denounced as a political payoff.

The measure, approved on a near party-line vote of 243 to 183, is a top priority for the American Medical Association.

The GOP contended that Democrats supported the bill to thank the doctors group for backing
President Barack Obama's health care overhaul.

Doctors are facing a 21 percent reduction in Medicare reimbursement rates in January unless Congress acts first, the result of a flawed funding-formula that lawmakers have had to step in nearly annually to block in recent years.

The bill passed Thursday attempts a permanent fix by restructuring the payments to factor in how much doctors spend on various services, among other changes.

In response to a request from legislative leaders, Attorney General Edmund G Brown Jr. today concluded that the state Constitution allows the California Citizens Compensation Commission to reduce the salaries of legislators and other elected officials in the middle of their terms. 

Legislative leaders questioned the Commission's authority after it voted earlier this year to reduce the salaries of elected officials by 18 percent.

Brown pointed to the voters' 1990 approval of Proposition 112, which requires the Commission to "adjust the annual salaries of state officers" each year, in confirming the Commission's authority to reduce salaries. 

According to Brown, Proposition 112 contradicts and supercedes a ballot measure adopted in 1972 that prohibited mid-term salary reductions.

"Any other interpretation would require assuming against all evidence that the voters in 1990 intended mid-term annual adjustments to only go up and never down, even in the face of a faltering economy and huge budget deficits," Brown said.

Rep.  Joe Baca on Thursday voted to preserve seniors' access to their doctors by fixing the way Medicare pays physicians. 

H.R. 3961, the Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act, permanently reforms the Medicare payment system, repealing a 21% cut in payments to doctors scheduled to take place in January and replacing it with a stable system that protects seniors, preserves their relationship with their doctors and promotes primary care. 

The bill passed the House with a 243 to 183 vote.

"I am proud to support this responsible bill, which lowers costs and improves care for America's senior citizens," Bacac said. 

"Medicare is a lifeline for our seniors in the Inland Empire and across the nation. 

"This bill strengthens our system and protects the ability of the over 194,000 Medicare recipients in my District to have reliable access to their doctors."
 
This bill tackles seniors' main concern - preventing pay cuts that could encourage doctors to stop seeing Medicare patients, according to a news release from Baca's office.

The bill builds on the health insurance reform bill the House passed earlier this month, which will lower premiums, extend the solvency of Medicare by five years, improve preventive and primary care for seniors, and close the "donut hole" drug coverage gap, according to the news release.

Baca is a Democrat who represents the 43rd District, which includes Fontana and Ontario.

Assembly Speaker Karen Bass and Assemblymember Julia Brownley, chairwoman of the Assembly Education Committee, have announced that a vote by the Assembly Education Committee on legislation to help make California eligible for federal Race to the Top education grants has been scheduled for Dec. 9.

A floor vote will likely take place soon after.

The announcement follows the acceleration of the schedule of hearings aimed at ensuring legislation matches recently released federal requirements that California must follow to receive the competitive grants.

Sen. Bob Huff has been pushing for the vote.

State Sen. John Benoit will be honored tonight by the Civil Justice Association of California for his leadership during the 2009-10 legislative session.

During this past legislative session, Benoit authored several bills that would improve California's legal climate and help businesses, consumers, and taxpayers.

"Having first-hand experience with many aspects of the legal system through my career in public safety, I have always had immense respect for the law and its important role in our society," Benoit said. "I am incredibly grateful for this prestigious honor. An effective and fair justice system requires the dedication and vigilance of all Californians."

Senate Bill 39 was written in response to a California Supreme Court decision that stripped traditional liability protections from non-medical "Good Samaritans" and such volunteers providing non-medical help. The bill, which went into effect immediately, extended liability protections to any person providing help in good faith at the scene of an emergency, according to an association news release.

Benoit authored Senate Bill 187, which would have allowed employees to work four 10-hour days without being paid for overtime. This would have provided employees with flexibility and helped reduce the number of employment-related lawsuits.

He also authored Senate Bill 807, which would have clarified the law on meal and rest break periods, benefitting employers and employees by reducing litigation in their area.

"Senator Benoit will receive our Civil Justice Leadership Award for his work and dedication in trying to bring fairness and balance to California's civil justice system," CJAC President John H. Sullivan said.

On Nov. 4, Benoit was appointed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to fill the 4th District Riverside County Supervisor seat. Benoit will be sworn into that position on Dec. 1.

The Civil Justice Association of California annually recognizes lawmakers whose commitment to balance and fairness in the state's civil justice system benefits consumers, taxpayers and businesses of all kinds.

Benoit is a Republican who represents the 37th District, which includes Norco.

California Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein has issued a call for national energy efficiency standards for televisions, one day after the California Energy Commission approved a measure that would require televisions to reduce current energy consumption by one-third by 2011 and by one-half by 2013. 

Television usage accounts for nearly 10 percent of all household energy consumption. 
 
On Wednesday, Feinstein sent a letter urging Dr. Steven Chu, secretary of the Department of Energy, to follow California's lead by setting a rigorous national efficiency standard.

On a unanimous vote, the California Energy Commission required all new televisions up to 58 inches be more energy efficient, beginning in 2011. The requirement will be tougher in 2013, with only a quarter of all TVs currently on the market meeting that standard.

The concern is that the energy draw will rise by as much as 8 percent a year as consumers buy larger televisions, add more to their homes and watch them longer.

Commissioners say energy efficiency standards are the cheapest and easiest way to save electricity.

The Media News Group Sacramento Bureau reported on Californian Republican Senate candidate Carly Fiorina holding a roundtable today in Washington, D.C, with the press.

It was meet the press time for Carly Fiorina on Wednesday.

But, judging from her responses to many questions, it was not time for this rookie candidate to let the press pin her down.

In a question-and-answer session with reporters, the just-announced Republican candidate for U.S. Senate and former CEO of Hewlett-Packard straddled the fence on issues ranging from climate change to immigration, refusing to give specific answers on the most controversial aspects of those debates.

California Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein earlier this month on the Senate floor discussed the history of health insurance in the United States.

Senate Democrats made a big step toward comprehensive health care reform Wednesday night as Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) unveiled a bill that merges the two plans that passed the health and finance committees.

With the House having already passed its own bill, Congress is now closer to achieving health care reform than it has ever been in the six decades that Democrats have pursued it.

California Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer made the following remarks on the proposed bill:

"This is an important moment for our country.

"If you have health insurance, this bill gives you the security of knowing it will be there for you.

"If you don't have health insurance, you'll be able to get affordable coverage through the exchange, which includes the public option.
 

Rep. David Dreier on Wednesday voted to help fire departments and emergency response organizations access the resources necessary to safely and effectively respond to emergencies. 

H.R. 3791, the Fire Grants Reauthorization Act of 2009, was approved with strong bipartisan support,  395-31.  

"The residents of the Foothills needn't look any further than the charred mountainside to be reminded of the dangers faced by our brave firefighters and first responders."  Dreier said on the House floor. 

"The recent Station Fire burned more than 160,000 acres and took the lives of two dedicated firefighters, Fire Captain Ted Hall and Fire Fighter Specialist Arnie Quinones. 

"This bill will help to ensure that our firefighters have the tools and support they need to protect our communities and safely respond to emergencies."
 
H.R. 3791 reauthorizes the Assistance to Firefighters Grants and Staffing for Adequate Fire Emergency Response programs within the Federal Emergency Management Agency  through 2014, according to a news release from Dreier's office.

The AFG program, which is authorized at $1 billion annually, provides grants to fire departments and emergency medical service organizations for equipment and support for fire prevention and safety programs.

Dreier is a Republican who represents the 26th District, which includes Montclair, Rancho Cucamonga, Upland, San Antonio Heights, Claremont, La Verne and San Dimas. 

Assemblyman Anthony Adams issued the following statement in response to the release of the Legislative Analyst's Office report projecting California's budget problem to reach over $20 billion between now and the time the Legislature enacts a 2010-11 state budget.

"We knew going into this year's budget cycle that California's broken system wasn't going to be fixed overnight," Adams said.

"With California facing a major transition in how the state governs and spends its money, we need to take this opportunity to make our core institutions more effective and leaner.

"Californians are looking hard at their options and are living within their means, and there is no reason why state government should be exempt from doing that as well.

"We cannot keep asking California families to put more of their hard-earned dollars toward supporting a government that continues to overspend."

Adams is a Republican who represents the 59th District, which includes La Verne and Claremont. 

 

California will face a nearly $21 billion budget gap over the next year and a half, extending a fiscal crisis that already has led to steep cuts to public schools, social services and health programs, according to The Associated Press.

In a report Wednesday, the Legislature's nonpartisan budget analyst pins the blame on the deep recession and poor decisions by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and state lawmakers over the past year.

Many of the steps they said would patch previous budget deficits have failed, creating a $6.3 billion hole in the current fiscal year ending June 30.

Legislative Analyst Mac Taylor said the shortfall will expand to $14.4 billion for fiscal year 2010-11, forcing state leaders to make even more painful cuts.

The report does, however, suggest California's economy is on the mend, but analysts don't expect it to recover for another year or two.

A thriving economy sends more sales, capital gains and income taxes to the state. With a steep downturn, tens of billions in tax revenue evaporates.

The options for Schwarzenegger and lawmakers are limited to spending cuts, higher taxes or borrowing. Tax cuts and borrowing appear to be in disfavor after taxes were raised earlier this year and tens of billions of dollars were added to the state's credit card during Schwarzenegger's tenure.

Carly Fiorina, who has announced her run for a California Senate seat, was recently interviewed on FOX News. Fiorina said it is time to have people working in Washington, D.C. who understand how to create jobs.

The Associated Press reports that In the weeks since Carly Fiorina announced her run for a California Senate seat, the former Hewlett-Packard Co. chief executive has been working to convince conservatives that she is one of them.

She signed a pledge opposing any increase in income taxes, blasted the spending in the proposed health care overhaul, took up the cause of farmers who want relief from government-imposed water restrictions, and has sent a steady volley of shots aimed at the record of Democrat Barbara Boxer, who is up for re-election next year.

But in doing so, Fiorina is walking a political tightrope that has proved the downfall of many Republicans before her.

Some employers are pressuring workers not to report illnesses and injuries, just one problem that has led to widespread underreporting of workplace safety issues, according to congressional investigators.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspectors often didn't interview workers to verify what employers claim when keeping tabs on accident and illness rates, the Government Accountability Office report released Monday states.

The report said workplace injuries and illnesses went unreported because companies pressured employees to withhold the information, and about a third of health providers said they were pressured to withhold medical treatment so companies could avoid filing reports with OSHA, according to The Associated Press.

Cal Poly Pomona graduate and Labor Secretary Hilda Solis said Monday she will move swiftly to correct the problems highlighted in the GAO report.

"Many of the problems identified in the report are quite alarming and OSHA will be taking strong enforcement action where we find underreporting," Solis said.

The Media New Group's Sacramento Bureau released the following report on Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman's conservative credentials taking another hit.

Already attacked for past support of environmental causes, Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman's conservative credentials took another blow Tuesday when it was disclosed her charitable foundation donated $1.15 million to a Colorado group that supported seizing private property for open space.

Tax returns from 2008, filed this week, also show the Griffith R. Harsh IV and Margaret C. Whitman Charitable Foundation foundation lost about $27 million, mostly in eBay stock -- more than half its original value.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan has released the final guidelines for the Race to the Top federal education grants and states now have only 60 days to pass necessary legislation and craft applications to qualify for the funding.

Earlier this month, the California Senate passed SB 1-5X, authored by Sen. Bob Huff and other members of the Senate Education Committee.

So far the Assembly has dragged its feet and has signaled it would not address the legislation until as late as January. But if the lower house does not act, they are going to preclude California from $700 million dollars in education funding and future on-going funds, not to mention much needed reforms for struggling schools, according to a news release from Huff's office.

"As the Senate has shown with the passage of SB 1-5X, having areas of disagreementdoes not preclude us from having areas of agreement," Huff said.

He said Assembly Speaker Karen Bass needs to bring in the members for a vote as soon as possible.  Under the 60 day timeline outlined by Duncan, January would be too late as the final application is incredibly involved, which entails consulting with various school districts as well as with the Attorney General's Office, Huff said.

"There is no excuse to wait until the legislature normally convenes in January," Huff said.

"Republicans and Democrats must work together to improve our schools and end the failed status-quo which has been protected by powerful special interests for too long," Huff said.

"Parents, local teachers, and students want change and action."

California will only be competitive for Race to the Top federal grants if SB 1-5X is passed and signed by the governor, Huff said.

The Race to the Top Fund provides competitive grants to encourage and reward States that are creating the conditions for education innovation and reform.

Huff represents the 29th District, which includes San Dimas, Claremont, Diamond Bar, La Verne, Chino Hills and part of Chino.