CDCAN
DISABILITY
RIGHTS NEWS REPORTCalifornia Disability Community Action Network
Advocacy
Without Borders:
News
Impacting People With Disabilities, Mental Health Needs,
Seniors &
Others
Goes out to
over 45,000 people, organizations, policy makers across
California
Marty Omoto
- martyomoto@rcip.com
website: www.cdcan.us
Report
#024-2008 - February 6, 2008 - Wednesday
California
Elections:
* Proposition 93 Term Limits Change
Defeated
* Major Impact on Democratic Legislative Leaders
* Coming Change In Legislative Leadership
* Impact On State Budget & Policy
* Warren Furutani Wins Special Assembly Election
SACRAMENTO (CDCAN) - Though
national attention was focused on "Super Tuesday"
and the presidential election, the political leadership of
the State Capitol has been turned on its head, with
California voters rejecting Proposition 93, a ballot
initiative that would have changed the term limits state law
by reducing the total number of years a person can serve in
the Legislature from 14 to 12 years, but allow a person to
serve that entire time in one house.
If Proposition 93 would have passed, it would have meant
that 34 members of the Legislature who are termed
out this year could have served anywhere from an
additional 4 to 6 years, including Assembly Speaker
Nunez and Senate President Pro Tem Perata.
The proposition was backed by
Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez (Democrat - Los Angeles),
Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata (Democrat - Oakland)
and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and opposed by the
state Republican Party and Insurance Commissioner Steve
Poizner.
Voters also rejected by larger margins two propositions impacting
the funding for transportation and community
colleges.
Impact of Defeat of
Proposition 93 on California Legislature
The defeat means that Assembly Speaker Nunez and Senate President Pro Tem and Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman, and 31 other legislators from both parties, will be forced out of the Legislature by November 30, 2008 - and a major change in the leadership of both houses that is likely to come much earlier than that.
The defeat means that Assembly Speaker Nunez and Senate President Pro Tem and Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman, and 31 other legislators from both parties, will be forced out of the Legislature by November 30, 2008 - and a major change in the leadership of both houses that is likely to come much earlier than that.
In past years in the Assembly, that change usually
has occurred in mid-spring, with a likely battle
for the speakership between Assemblymember Kevin
De Leon (Democrat - Los Angeles) and
Assemblymember Karen Bass (Democrat - Los Angeles)
In the State Senate, Sen. Darrell Steinberg
(Democrat - Sacramento) and Sen. Alex Padilla
(Democrat - Los Angeles) are likely contenders to
succeed Perata - though the State Senate in past
years has made its leadership change later in the
session. .
The defeat of Proposition 93 also means that
several former legislators who were termed out of
the Senate or Assembly but had time left to serve
in the other house, can continue their campaigns
for the June 2008 state primary. This includes
former Sen. Wes Chesbro who is seeking to replace
Assemblymember Patty Berg (Democrat - Eureka),
who, with the defeat of Proposition 93, will be
termed out by the end of 2008.
Impact to People with Disabilities,
Seniors and Mental Health Needs
In both cases the impact of the coming change in
legislative leaders will have dramatic impact on
major decisions on the state budget and
legislation that has impact on people with
disabilities, mental health needs, seniors, their
families and community organizations and workers
that provide services and supports.
Even if the present Democratic leaders remain in
office until the end of the legislative session -
they will wield far less power, influence and
authority over their members.
Policy-wise the likely potential successors to
Nunez and Perata are similar and no major shifts
in over-all policy are expected. All four
potential leaders have been strong supporters of
services and programs for people with
disabilities, seniors and mental health needs -
with Steinberg in particular having a record
as leader in the Legislature especially on mental
health and autism issues.
However what is likely to change is how
the new leaders will end up making specific
decisions on the Governor's proposed
budget, and also policy decisions impacting
legislation.
The make-up of some or all of committee chairs and
membership could change this year - though major
shifts don't appear likely unless there the battle
for the leadership position in either house
becomes bitter or close.
Second Time A Charm: Warren Furutani Wins Special
Election for 55th Assembly Seat
Meanwhile, Democrat Warren Furutani, as expected, easily
won the run-off to win the vacant Assembly 55th District
seat, winning 70% of the vote (see below for details of
the election results).
No Republican ran in the primary in December or the
run-off for the seat that was vacated last August 21, 2007
by Laura Richardson, who resigned the office after winning
a special election to Congress. Furutani will take
office as soon as the election results are made official,
though will have to stand for election for a full two year
term in the June 2008 primary and the November 2008
general election.
Furutani, an Asian American and member of the Los Angeles
Community College Board of Trustees and a staffer in the
Assembly Speaker's office in Los Angeles, previously ran
unsuccessfully for the seat against Laura Richardson in a
bitter and close June 2006 primary.
Richardson later won the November 2006 general election,
but ended up serving in the Assembly barely 8 months
before running for 37th Congressional seat made
vacant by the death of Juanita Millender-McDonald in June
2007.
Richardson, continuing the bitterness of the June 2006
primary, ended up endorsing another candidate - Mike
Gipson, a local city councilmember, to succeed her
in the December 2007 primary. Furutani won that
primary in December with 48.81% of the vote, but needed to
win a majority of the vote to avoid a run-off.
Furutani's election doesn't change the control of the
Assembly, but does bring the Assembly membership back up
to its full 80 members, with Democrats holding 48 seats
and Republicans holding 32. (Democrats control the
40 member State Senate with 25 seats to the Republicans
15).
Latest Results of Key State Propositions
With 96.1% (22,217 of 23,109 ) precincts reporting as
of February 6, 2008, at 09:00 AM (red indicates if
the proposition lost or won):
Proposition 93 - Limits on Legislators' Terms in
Office
Yes: 3,077,373 (46.5%)
NO: 3,532,127 (53.5%)
Proposition 91 - Transportation Funds
Yes: 2,660,054 (41.9%)
NO: 3,683,643 (58.1%)
Proposition 92 - Community Colleges Funding Fees
Proposition 92 - Community Colleges Funding Fees
Yes: 2,789,400 (42.6%)
NO: 3,747,831 (57.4%)
Propositions 94-97, the initiatives dealing with the
Indian Gaming Compacts, all passed.
Latest Returns for the 55th Assembly Seat:
100% (239 of 239) precincts reporting as of February 5, 2008
4:00 AM (red indicates winner)
Turn-out was 43.29% or 73,942 ballots cast out of 170,793
registered voters in the 55th Assembly District
WARREN FURUTANI (Democrat) -
41,518 (69.84%)
Charlotte Sadiyah Gibson (American Independent) - 9,153
(15.40%)
Herb Peters (Libertarian) - 8,775 (14.76%)
Latest Returns of the Democratic Presidential Primary
With 96.1% (22,217 of 23,109 ) precincts reporting as of Feb
6, 2008, at 09:00 AM (active candidates on the ballot in
capital letters - winner of the primary in red)
Joe Biden - 15,114 (0.3 %)
Dennis Kucinich - 19,886 (0.5 %)
BARACK OBAMA - 1,690,307 (42.4 %)
Bill Richardson - 16,493 (0.5 %)
HILLARY CLINTON - 2,068,837 (51.9 %)
Chris Dodd - 6,569 (0.1 %)
Dennis Kucinich - 19,886 (0.5 %)
BARACK OBAMA - 1,690,307 (42.4 %)
Bill Richardson - 16,493 (0.5 %)
HILLARY CLINTON - 2,068,837 (51.9 %)
Chris Dodd - 6,569 (0.1 %)
John Edwards - 167,373 (4.2 %)
Mike Gravel - 6,479 (0.1 %)
Mike Gravel - 6,479 (0.1 %)
Latest Returns of the Republican Presidential
Primary
With 96.1% (22,217 of 23,109 ) precincts reporting as of
Feb 6, 2008, at 09:00 AM (active candidates on the ballot in
capital letters, winner of the primary in red)
MIKE HUCKABEE - 261,276 (11.6 %)
Duncan Hunter - 12,055 (0.5 %)
Alan Keyes - 9,274 (0.4 %)
Sam Brownback - 1,978 (0.0 %)
John H. Cox - 2,580 (0.1 %)
Rudy Giuliani - 114,942 (5.1 %)
JOHN McCAIN - 955,211
(42.1 %)
RON PAUL - 96,544 (4.2 %)
MITT ROMNEY - 768,338 (33.9 %)
RON PAUL - 96,544 (4.2 %)
MITT ROMNEY - 768,338 (33.9 %)
Tom Tancredo - 3,237 (0.1 %)
Fred Thompson - 45,446 (2.0 %)
Please:
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Advocacy
Without Borders
Connecting People With Disabilities, Mental Health Needs, Seniors, Traumatic Brain & other injuries, People with MS & other health needs, including People of color, different languages, cultures, Families, Workers, Providers, & Organizations to Rights & Unified Action.
Connecting People With Disabilities, Mental Health Needs, Seniors, Traumatic Brain & other injuries, People with MS & other health needs, including People of color, different languages, cultures, Families, Workers, Providers, & Organizations to Rights & Unified Action.
This
report - and the CDCAN townhall telemeetings, and other events
and projects are for all of them and for promoting advocacy
without borders toward unified action. We are one
community.
To respond to this report reply to: Marty Omoto at martyomoto@rcip.com CDCAN website: www.cdcan.us
To continue the CDCAN website, the CDCAN News Reports. sent out and read by over 45,000 people and organizations, policy makers and media across California and to continue the CDCAN Townhall Telemeetings which since December 2003 have connected thousands of people with disabilities, seniors, mental health needs, people with MS and other disorders, people with traumatic brain and other injuries to public policy makers, legislators, and issues. Please send your contribution/donation (make payable to "CDCAN" or "California Disability Community Action Network):
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To respond to this report reply to: Marty Omoto at martyomoto@rcip.com CDCAN website: www.cdcan.us
To continue the CDCAN website, the CDCAN News Reports. sent out and read by over 45,000 people and organizations, policy makers and media across California and to continue the CDCAN Townhall Telemeetings which since December 2003 have connected thousands of people with disabilities, seniors, mental health needs, people with MS and other disorders, people with traumatic brain and other injuries to public policy makers, legislators, and issues. Please send your contribution/donation (make payable to "CDCAN" or "California Disability Community Action Network):
CDCAN
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Sacramento, CA 95814
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The CDCAN Townhall Telemeetings are partially funded by a small grant from the USC UCEDD, Grant #90DD0540 from the Administration on Developmental Disabilities. (note: the opinions expressed or content in these reports do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the USC UCEDD.
MANY THANKS to Parents Helping Parents, UCP of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, Work Training, FSNC, Foothill Autism Alliance, Arc Contra Costa, Pause4Kids, Manteca CAPS, Training Toward Self Reliance, UCP, California NAELA, Californians for Disability Rights, Inc (CDR) including CDR chapters, CHANCE Inc, , Strategies To Empower People (STEP), Alta California Regional Center, Harbor Regional Center, Tri-Counties Regional Center, Asian American parents groups, Resources for Independent Living and many other Independent Living Centers, several regional centers, People First chapters, IHSS workers, other self advocacy and family support groups, developmental center families, adoption assistance program families and children, and others across California
The CDCAN Townhall Telemeetings are partially funded by a small grant from the USC UCEDD, Grant #90DD0540 from the Administration on Developmental Disabilities. (note: the opinions expressed or content in these reports do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the USC UCEDD.
MANY THANKS to Parents Helping Parents, UCP of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, Work Training, FSNC, Foothill Autism Alliance, Arc Contra Costa, Pause4Kids, Manteca CAPS, Training Toward Self Reliance, UCP, California NAELA, Californians for Disability Rights, Inc (CDR) including CDR chapters, CHANCE Inc, , Strategies To Empower People (STEP), Alta California Regional Center, Harbor Regional Center, Tri-Counties Regional Center, Asian American parents groups, Resources for Independent Living and many other Independent Living Centers, several regional centers, People First chapters, IHSS workers, other self advocacy and family support groups, developmental center families, adoption assistance program families and children, and others across California