[Cagdu] FW: Legislative Update

Mon Aug 30 11:12:30 PDT 2010

Subject: RE: Legislative Update

State Board of Guide Dogs for the Blind

Legislative Committee Update

SB 1491 (Senate Business Professions and Economic Development Committee) -
In-Home Training

http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/sen/sb_1451-1500/sb_1491_bill_20100616
_amended_asm_v98.html  

If your organization is in support of SB 1491, please send a letter to
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger encouraging him to sign the bill.  

Update: To enrollment

Board Position: Support

AB 1659 (Huber) - State Government: Agency Repeals

http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/asm/ab_1651-1700/ab_1659_bill_20100715
_amended_sen_v95.html  

This bill would create the Joint Sunset Review Committee to identify and
eliminate waste, duplication, and inefficiency in government agencies and to
conduct a comprehensive analysis of every "eligible agency," as defined, to
determine if the agency is still necessary and cost effective. The bill
would define an "eligible agency" as an entity of state government, however
denominated, for which a date for repeal has been established by statute on
or after January 1, 2011. The bill would require each eligible agency
scheduled for repeal to submit a report to the committee containing
specified information. The bill would require the committee to take public
testimony and evaluate the eligible agency prior to the date the agency is
scheduled to be repealed, and would require that an eligible agency be
eliminated unless the Legislature enacts a law to extend, consolidate, or
reorganize the agency. The bill would specify the composition of the
committee, which would be appointed by the President pro Tempore of the
Senate and the Speaker of the Assembly, and certain aspects of its operating
procedure.

Update: To enrollment

Contact: John Perry (DCA)

Board Position: None 

Staff Recommendation: Watch

AB 2130 (Huber) - Professions and Vocations: Sunset Review

http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/asm/ab_2101-2150/ab_2130_bill_20100818
_amended_sen_v96.html  
This bill would abolish the Joint Committee on Boards, Commissions, and
Consumer Protection. The bill would instead make specified boards and
regulatory programs subject to review by the Joint Sunset Review Committee.
The bill would provide that its provisions would not become operative unless
Assembly Bill 1659 of the 2009-10 Regular Session is enacted and establishes
the Joint Sunset Review Committee.

Update: To enrollment

Contact: John Perry (DCA)

Board Position: None  

Staff Recommendation: Watch

SB 250 (Florez) - Mandatory spay/neuter 

http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/sen/sb_0201-0250/sb_250_bill_20100818_
amended_asm_v93.html   

Update: Read third time.  Refused passage.  Motion to reconsider made by
Assembly Member Blumenfield

Contact: Che Salinas (Sen. Florez' Capitol Office)

Board Position: Oppose Unless Amended

Staff Recommendation: Watch 

SB 294 (Negrete McLeod) - Department of Consumer Affairs: Regulatory Boards.

http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/sen/sb_0251-0300/sb_294_bill_20100823_
enrolled.html  

(2) Existing law also provides for the licensure and regulation of
various  profession   professions  and vocations by boards within the
department, including, the California Board of Accountancy, the California
Architects Board, the Landscape Architects Technical Committee, Professional
Fiduciaries Bureau, the Board for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors,
and the State Board of Guide Dogs for the Blind. Existing law requires or
authorizes, with certain exceptions, these boards to appoint an executive
officer or a registrar. With respect to the Professional Fiduciaries Bureau,
existing law authorizes the Governor to appoint the chief of the bureau.
Under existing law, these provisions will become inoperative on July 1,
2011, and will be repealed on January 1, 2012.

Update: Enrolled

Contact: John Perry (DCA)

Board Position: None

Staff Recommendation: Watch

H.R. 3266 (Rep. Klein) - Wounded Warrior K-9 Corp. 

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.R.3266: 

Congressman was able to get some of the language into another bill.
Currently, Rep. Klein is seeking $5 million to fund service dogs and for the
Veteran Affairs Administration to supply a representative sample of veterans
to conduct the feasibility study on prescribing service dogs to veterans.
The study is eligible for veterans that have physical/mental disabilities.
Veterans with hearing or vision impairments are not included in the study.
If H.R. 3266 continues in the process, guide dog schools would have access
to grant funds for providing guide dogs to veterans. 

Update: 7/24/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the
Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity. 

Contact: Mira Kogen Resnick (Rep. Klein's D.C. Office)

Board position: Support

H.R. 4378 (Rep. Kissell) - To Amend the ADA to require same access to
certified trainers of service animals as is afforded to individuals with
disabilities 

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.R.4378:   

The bill's purpose is to resolve ambiguities between states regarding access
rights for trainers of service animals.  There is no bill sponsor.

Update:  3/1/2010 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the
Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.

Contact: Zach Pfister (Rep. Kissell's D.C. Office)

Board position: Watch

H.R. 5381 (Rep. Waxman) - Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 2010

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.R.5381:  

Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 2010 - Directs the Secretary of Transportation
(DOT), acting through the Administrator of the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA), to establish within NHTSA: (1) a Center for
Vehicle Electronics and Emerging Technologies to build, integrate, and
aggregate NHTSA's expertise in vehicle electronics and other new and
emerging technologies; and (2) an honors recruitment program for engineering
students and other students interested in vehicle safety to train with
engineers and other safety officials for careers in vehicle safety.
Requires the Secretary to initiate a rulemaking to prescribe or amend
federal motor vehicle safety standards to: (1) mitigate unintended
acceleration in passenger motor vehicles (excluding motorcycles, trailers,
or low speed vehicles) through a brake override system; (2) require that at
least one redundant mechanism be built into accelerator control systems,
including electronic throttle control systems, to maintain vehicle control
in the event of accelerator control system failures; (3) prevent potential
obstruction of pedal movement by establishing minimum clearances for
passenger motor vehicle foot pedals; (4) require electronic systems in
passenger motor vehicles to meet minimum performance standards; (5)
establish standards for the operation of passenger motor vehicles equipped
with push-button ignition systems, particularly in emergency situations when
the vehicle is in motion; and (6) improve the recognition of the gear
selector positions for drivers, including the conspicuity of the neutral
position.  Directs the Secretary to modify federal motor vehicle safety
standards to require passenger motor vehicles sold in the United States to
be equipped with an event data recorder (EDR) that continuously records
vehicle operational data that can be stored and accessed for retrieval and
analysis.  Requires the Secretary to issue regulations to require the public
disclosure of possible defects of motor vehicles or motor vehicle equipment
reported to the Secretary by motor vehicle manufacturers (Early Warning
data).  Directs the Secretary to: (1) improve public accessibility to
information on the NHTSA vehicle safety databases; (2) issue regulations to
require passenger motor vehicle manufacturers to affix, in the vehicle glove
compartment or another readily accessible location, a sticker, decal, or
other device that provides information on how to submit a safety-related
motor vehicle defect complaint to NHTSA; and (3) establish a NHTSA passenger
automobile safety defect hotline for manufacturer, dealer, and mechanic
personnel.  Directs the Secretary to require the senior official for safety
for a corporation to be responsible for requests for information in NHTSA
safety or compliance investigations. Prescribes civil penalties for persons
who knowingly and willfully submit false, misleading, or incomplete
information.  Requires the DOT Office of the Inspector General to study over
nine years NHTSA use of Early Warning data.  Establishes the Vehicle Safety
Fund to meet U.S. obligations in carrying out NHTSA vehicle safety programs.
Requires the Secretary to assess and collect, for deposit in the Fund, a
vehicle safety user fee from the manufacturer for each motor vehicle
certified compliant with applicable motor vehicle safety standards.
Increases civil penalties for persons who violate federal motor vehicle
safety requirements.  Requires the Secretary to: (1) notify manufacturers of
motor vehicles or motor vehicle equipment whose defect or noncompliance with
federal motor vehicle safety standards presents a substantial likelihood of
death or serious injury to the public; and (2) expedite proceedings for a
decision and issuance of an imminent hazard order. Directs the Secretary to
issue procedures for the issuance and enforcement of such orders.  Update:
5/26/2010 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Ordered to be
Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 31 - 21.

Update: 7/14/2010 Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 307.

Legislative Committee Recommendation: Support.  Will ask for support vote
from full Board at October 25, 2010 Board meeting.

Staff Recommendation: Support

April 27, 2010

The Honorable Dean Florez

California State Senate

State Capitol, Room 313

Sacramento, California 95814

RE:  SB 250 

Dear Senator Florez:

The State Board of Guide Dogs for the Blind sent a letter of Oppose Unless
Amended for SB 250 on May 7, 2009.  An excerpt from the letter is provided
below:

"The State Board of Guide Dogs for the Blind opposes SB 250 unless it
exempts from its provisions guide dogs in training and breeder stock from
licensed guide dog schools. Guide dog schools currently pay for dog licenses
and should not have to pay an additional fee for unaltered dogs for their
breeding stock to produce guide dogs for the visually impaired."

On August 31, 2009, amendments were made that did address an exemption for
any "owner or trainer of guide dogs."  It has come to our attention,
however, that some of our stakeholders remain concerned that guide dog
breeders are not also exempt from the licensing requirement.  At their
request, we have written to your office to consider adding said language to
the bill upon its re-introduction this legislative session.    

Thank you for your consideration.  Should you have any questions regarding
this issue, please feel free to contact me at (916) 574-7825.  Thank you.

Sincerely,

Thomas B. Scott

Thomas B. Scott

Chair, Legislative Committee

State Board of Guide Dogs for the Blind

1625 N. Market Blvd., S-202

Sacramento, CA 95834

(916) 574-7825 phone

(916) 574-7829 fax

 <mailto:guidedogboard at dca.ca.gov> guidedogboard at dca.ca.gov 

 <http://www.guidedogboard.ca.gov/> www.guidedogboard.ca.gov 

cc:    Board Members

        Frank Welte, Governmental Affairs, California Council of the Blind

        Mary Willows, President, National Federation of the Blind

        Mary Beth Randall, Guide Dog Users California 

        Shannon Dillon, California Association of Guide Dog Users

        Laurie Mehta, Guide Dog Users Incorporated

        Nancy Gardner, CEO, Guide Dogs for the Blind, Inc.

        Dale Hartford, President, Guide Dogs of America

        Roccie Hill, President, Guide Dogs of the Desert

Kim Kirchmeyer, Deputy Director, Board and Bureau Relations, Department of
Consumer Affairs

        John Perry, Legislative Analyst, Department of Consumer Affairs

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