FCC Asked to Require Captions on TV for Deaf During Quakes

A legislative resolution requests the Federal Communications Commission to require commercial television stations to transmit earthquake emergency information to the deaf and hearing impaired by an open-captioning system.

The resolution (AJR 63), sponsored by Assemblywoman Jackie Speier (D-South San Francisco), was approved by a 54-7 Assembly vote and a 39-0 Senate vote, respectively.

“One important aftershock following the Oct. 17 Bay Area earthquake was the realization that our FCC regulations for the presentation of emergency information were not a reliable source for California’s 2 million deaf and hearing impaired,” Speier said. GOVERNOR

Signed into law a bill (AB 2889) by Assemblywoman Gwen Moore (D-Los Angeles) to require telephone companies to provide advance notice and hold public hearings when establishing new area codes.

Signed into law a bill (AB 185) by Speier to require non-diagnostic cholesterol blood testers who use the finger-prick method, to be properly trained. ASSEMBLY Floor Action

Lottery: Passed and sent to the governor on a 56-2 vote a bill (AB 2847) by Assemblyman Richard Floyd (D-Carson) to require the state Lottery Commission to develop a model agreement for dividing the prize among group members who pool their money and purchase a winning ticket.

Golf Carts: Passed and sent to the governor on a 59-4 vote a bill (AB 3298) by Assemblywoman Tricia Hunter (R-Bonita) to allow people to drive golf carts in the streets of Palm Desert.

Senior Speed Limit: Passed and sent to the governor on a 48-13 vote a bill (AB 2883) by Speier to let local governments establish 25-m.p.h. speed limits on streets where there are facilities primarily used by senior citizens. SENATE Floor Action

Politics: Passed and returned to the Assembly for concurrence in amendments on a 37-0 vote a bill (AB 2220) by Assemblyman Elihu Harris (D-Oakland) to provide civil penalties for state elected officials or employees who misuse state resources for campaign or personal purposes prohibited by law. Miscellany

Assembly Speaker Willie Brown (D-San Francisco) has promised to hold public hearings across the state on forthcoming plans to redraw legislative district lines based on population changes reflected by the 1990 federal census. Brown strongly opposed Propositions 118 and 119 that were rejected by the voters at the polls last month. Both of the losing ballot measures would have taken reapportionment out of the Legislature’s hands. Senate President Pro Tem David A. Roberti (D-Los Angeles), who also opposed them, has agreed to holding public reapportionment hearings in the larger counties. Capital Fact

The California Redwood was designated as the official state tree by the 1937 Legislature.