FIGHTING TO IMPROVE OUR SCHOOLS
 
Enacting Reforms to Help our Students Compete.  Pushed through education reforms that would have allowed California to compete for $700 million in new federal school funds.  Reforms will provide greater parental choice and give students in failing schools better access to a quality education.
Source: SB 1 XXXXX and SB 4 XXXXX, 2010
 
Guaranteed Funding for Schools.  Voted to provide $11.2 billion in increased school funding once  there is an economic recovery.
Source: AB 3 XXXX, 2009
 
Increased Funding for Science and Math.  Authored legislation to increase state funding for the recruitment of science and math teachers.
Source: AB 2306, 2010
 
Require School Accountability Report Cards.  Supported requiring that the School Accountability Report Card  provide more information about spending at each school, including more details about outlays for teacher salaries.
Source: SB 687, 2005
 
Career Tech Programs.  Supported greater resources for career technical education programs at middle schools, high schools, community colleges and regional occupational centers.
Source: SB 70, 2005
 
On-Line Classrooms.  Supported permanently establishing the Online Classroom Program which monitors and evaluates pupil participation in on-line asynchronous interactive instructional programs conducted over the Internet.
Source: AB 1985, 2006
 
Up-to Date Teaching Materials.  Supported ensuring that classroom teachers, students and schools have access to the state of the art technology-based materials.
Source: AB 1398, 2009
 
Better Trained Teachers.  Supported improving training in math and reading for teachers as well as classroom aides to enhance their instructional skills.   Source: SB 414, 2005
 
 
REFORMING THE STATE BUDGET PROCESS
 
Backed Spending Cap to End Budget Deficits.  Supported placing a spending limit measure on the ballot.
Source: ACA 1 XXX, 2009
 
Rainy Day Reserve.  Backed effort to set up “rainy day” fund to weather bad economic times.
Source: ACA 1 XXX, 2009
 
Stop Legislative Pay Raises When State Has Budget Deficit.  Backed Senator Abel Maldonado’s measure that prohibited pay increases for state officers when the state has a budget deficit.
Source: Proposition 1F, 2009
 
Reduce State Spending By Ending IOUs.  Supported budget reforms to reduce Sacramento’s irresponsible spending by halting budget IOUs.
Source: AB 1XXX, 2009
 
Protect IHSS Services for the Elderly & Disabled.  Helped protect in-home health care services for the elderly and disabled by making non-essential targeted cuts and adding fraud prevention measures.
Source: AB 19XXXX, 2009
 
Reformed Welfare to Save Half a Billion in Tax Dollars.  Supported welfare reform that saved more than a half of billion in tax dollars while protecting programs for children, elderly and the disabled.
SB 6XXX, 2009 and SB 8XXXX
 
Co-Authored Measure to Eliminate Outdated Commissions:  Eliminates eleven outdated boards and commissions while consolidating others into existing departments.
Source: AB 20 XXXX, 2009
 
Authored Measure to Restore Budget Discipline.  Authored a constitutional amendment establishing the California Strategic Reserve Bank Board (CSRB) that enforces state budget discipline.  Required excess revenue generated during healthy economic years to be deposited into the CSRB until such time as the Reserve is fully funded to 20% of the General Fund.  During lean years, the Legislature could withdraw funds as long as such withdrawals did not threaten the financial viability of the Reserve.
Source: ACA 11, 2008
 
Authored Measure to Avoid Government Shut Downs.  Authored a constitutional amendment to protect basic funding for critical state services in the event a state budget not signed on time.  The budget has been passed by its deadline just ten times over the past thirty years, threatening the interruption of services critical to the health, safety and welfare of the people of California.
Source: ACA 19, 2009
 
 
WORKING TO STRENGTHEN THE ECONOMY
 
Putting Californians Back to Work.  Promoted job creation in California by giving small businesses (employers) a $3,000 tax credit for each newly created full-time job.  This tax credit would be provide $400 million in tax relief and would be available to companies that employ twenty or fewer employees.
Source: SB 15 XXX, 2009
 
Authored Measure to Promote Job Creation through Enterprise Zones. Promoted job creation and economic growth through the expansion of enterprise zones.
Source: AB 1111, 2009         
 
Authored Measure to Promote Clean Tech Manufacturing Jobs.  Promoted job creation in the manufacturing sector by providing tax incentives to companies producing alternative energy and advanced transportation technologies.
Source: AB X8 35, 2010
 
Job Friendly Regulations.  Authored legislation that protects jobs by requiring California regulators to perform a thorough and rigorous evaluation of the impacts a proposed new rule may have on jobs before the new regulation is adopted.
Source: AB 2299, 2010
 
 
PUSHING FOR MORE ENERGY EFFICIENCY
 
Pushing for Solar Power.   Co-authored measure to implement the “Million Solar Roofs” program which requires new home developments with at least fifty houses to offer solar energy systems to customers starting in 2010.
Source: SB 1, 2006

Promote Energy Efficiency.  Authored measure to promote energy efficiency that also reduces pollution.
Source: AB 1613, 2008

Lower Utility Bills.  Authored measure to better equip utility customers with the rate information they need to make informed energy efficiency and conservation decisions.
Source: AB 1763, 2008
 
Reduce State Government Energy Consumption.  Authored measure permitting the state to finance capital costs of energy efficient systems by allowing repayment costs to be recouped through energy savings in their monthly bills. This "pay-as-you-save" program enables local and state agencies to utilize clean technologies that will achieve significant reductions in pollution at no new cost to California taxpayers.
Source: AB 2791, 2008
 
Expand Use of Alternative Fuels.  Worked with the California Farm Bureau to author a measure ensuring that California farmers who grow alternative fuel crops are not disqualified from the Williamson Act.
Source: AB 1764, 2008
 
Promote Wind Power.   Authored measure to encourage the development of renewable energy “small wind” systems that would also protect private property rights.
Source: AB 45, 2009
 
 
MAKING OUR COMMUNITIES SAFER
 
No Early Release of Prisoners.  Rejected plans to release prisoners who had not completed their sentences.
Source: SB X3 18, 2008
 
Restored Local Law Enforcement Funding.  Saved funding for Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement task forces while protecting dollars for COPS program and rural sheriffs’ crime prevention.
AB 1XXX and 2XXX, 2009
 
Co-authored Measure to Enact Chelsea’s Law.  Strengthens  laws protecting children from sexual predators by putting violent sex offenders who target children under age fourteen away for life without the possibility of parole.
Source: AB 1844, 2010
 
 
DEMONSTRATING ETHICAL LEADERSHIP
 
Authored Lobbying Reform.  Closed the loophole that allows lobbyist employers to provide extravagant gifts to state legislators and staff.
Source: AB 2795, 2008 & AB 2368, 2010
 

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