SACRAMENTO FILE

Governor Will hold a general press conference in Sacramento today.

Will attend a World Trade Commission meeting in Fresno Friday.

Assembly Floor Action:

Hotel-Motel Mini-Bars: Approved and sent to the governor on 59-9 vote a bill (SB 954) by Sen. Ralph C. Dills (D-Gardena) to allow hotels and motels to sell alcoholic beverages to registered guests from liquor cabinets located in their rooms.

Ballot Measure Analyses: Approved and sent to the Senate on a 41-32 vote a bill (SB 92) by Sen. Bill Lockyer (D-Hayward) to require the legislative analyst to submit his analysis of each state ballot measure to a review committee to assure that it can be easily understood by voters.

Chinese Friendship State: Granted final approval on a 41-25 vote to a resolution (SCR 19) by Sen. John Garamendi (D-Walnut Grove) to declare Jiangsu Province of the People’s Republic of China to be a friendship state of California to promote business and cultural ties. It previously passed the Senate on a 30-0 vote.

Committee Action:

Fires: The Assembly Ways and Means Committee approved two bills (AB 2575 and AB 2576) by Assemblywoman Lucy Killea (D-San Diego) to appropriate $2.7 million to contract for three more firefighting tanker aircraft and convert three surplus military planes to the same use. The two bills were sent to the Assembly floor by 18-1 and 13-5 votes, respectively.

Methane Gas: The Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee approved a bill (SB 1458) by Senate President Pro Tem David A. Roberti (D-Los Angeles) calling for a study of abandoned oil and gas wells in the Los Angeles area to determine which wells have accumulations of methane gas. The proposed study would make recommendations on how to remove the gas. The legislation was sparked by a Fairfax district methane gas explosion that injured 22 people last March. A 14-0 vote sent the bill to the Assembly Ways and Means Committee.

Senate Floor Action:

Veto Overrides: Failed to override Gov. George Deukmejian’s budget vetoes of $15.6 million for health care and toxic waste programs. The vote on the health care item was 25-13 with Democrats largely voting yes and Republicans mostly voting no. It would have expanded a cancer registry to more counties and provided more money for monitoring of birth defects and education concerning acquired immune deficiency syndrome. The vote on the toxic waste item was 23-15, mostly along the same party lines as the health care bill. The toxics bill would have speeded the cleanup of leaking underground toxic tanks and provided more money for water quality protection. The Administration argued that sufficient funds have been appropriated for both programs. A two-thirds margin or 27 votes in the Senate and 54 votes in the Assembly are required to override a gubernatorial veto.

Fires: Approved and sent to the Assembly on a 27-0 vote a resolution (SJR 36) by Sen. Diane Watson (D-Los Angeles) asking the President and Congress to declare major disaster areas in San Diego County and in the Baldwin Hills area of Los Angeles so that federal assistance can be made available to fire victims.