News Room: 2005-2006 Legislation
May 2012
Friday, May 25, 2012
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The Elder Financial Protection Network (EFPN), a nonprofit that works to combat elder financial abuse, honored State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) yesterday for his work protecting the state’s seniors.
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Thursday, May 17, 2012
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Today, the State Senate unanimously passed a bill by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) which would make it easier for surplus, unopened medication to be donated to uninsured Californians. The vote was 38-0.
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Monday, May 14, 2012
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Today, the California State Senate passed Senate Bill 1310, a bill by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) which would strengthen California’s hands-free and no texting laws for motorists. The vote was 24-9.
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March 2012
Wednesday, March 07, 2012
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In an editorial, the San Jose Mercury News said:
Death and injuries from traffic accidents have plummeted in California, a trend tied to the 2008 law that bans gabbing on handheld cellphones while driving. Memo to all those drivers still yakking away: Wake up. Distracted driving can kill.
The number of deaths caused by driving while chattering on handheld cellphones dropped by half in the two years after the law took effect compared with the two years before, according to a study released by the state Office of Traffic Safety. That dramatic improvement should persuade 41 other states to enact similar laws. The rest already have.
State Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, take a bow. He pushed the bill until his reluctant colleagues agreed to pass it. Credit also goes to the California Highway Patrol and local police throughout the state for aggressively enforcing the ban. They seem to have wholeheartedly embraced it, probably because they have to deal with the heartbreak of fatal accidents.
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Tuesday, March 06, 2012
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According to a study announced Monday by the state Office of Traffic Safety, since a state law forbidding the use of handheld phones on the road went into effect in 2008, the number of traffic deaths in California declined by 22 percent. With fewer drivers yakking into handheld phones, the death-by-cellphone rate dropped an even more stunning 47 percent.
“Those are huge numbers,” said Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, author of the bill whose outcome the study tracked, while taking a (hands-free) victory lap after the announcement.
During a two-year period after the law was implemented, there were 53 deaths caused by drivers holding cellphones, compared with 100 in the two years before the law took effect. This came as total accidents and fatalities were down overall for reasons as varied as more cars having air bags.
“The drop in collisions was the biggest, single, year-to-year drop in the history of the state since the CHP began keeping the data,” Simitian said.
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Monday, March 05, 2012
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A study released today by the California Office of Traffic Safety shows that deaths due to hand-held cell phone use by drivers dropped dramatically following the enactment of the hands-free legislation authored by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto).
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February 2012
Monday, February 13, 2012
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), who authored the California law prohibiting coastal dumping by cruise ships and other oceangoing vessels, praised the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its announcement today that it is finalizing a rule to ban all sewage discharge from large ships in state waters along the California coast.
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Monday, February 13, 2012
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A federal rule banning ships from flushing their sewage into the sea within 3 miles of the California coast was approved Thursday by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The prohibition, which will go into effect next month, means cruise and cargo ships will no longer be able to discharge treated or untreated effluent or gray water anywhere along the coast, a practice that regulators blame for spreading bacteria and disease in marine mammals, fish and people.
The new rule will create the largest coastal no-sewage zone in the nation, covering the entire 1,624 mile coast from Mexico to Oregon 3 miles out into the ocean. It is expected to prevent the dumping of 22.5 million gallons annually of ship waste, a good portion of which has historically oozed into San Francisco Bay.
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August 2011
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
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Governor Jerry Brown has signed into law Senate Bill 514, by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto). The bill prohibits the sale of over the counter cold and cough medicines containing dextromethorphan (DXM) to minors. California becomes the first state in the nation to take such action.
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Friday, August 19, 2011
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The California State Legislature has voted to approve Senate Bill 24 by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto); the bill now goes to Governor Brown for consideration. Senate Bill 24 strengthens and improves the state’s existing security breach notification requirements.
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Thursday, August 18, 2011
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The California State Legislature has approved Senate Bill 514, by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), which prohibits the sale of over the counter cold and cough medicines containing dextromethorphan (DXM) to minors.
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Monday, August 15, 2011
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Today, the California State Legislature passed Senate Bill 28, by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), which would strengthen California’s hands-free and no-texting laws for motorists. The bill heads to the Governor’s desk for consideration.
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June 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
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The California State Legislature has passed State Senator Joe Simitian’s (D-Palo Alto) bill to expand access to Small Claims Court, often called the “people’s court.” Senate Bill 221 increases the Small Claims Court jurisdictional limit from $7,500 to $10,000. It follows up on Simitian’s successful 2005 effort (SB 422) which raised the previous limit from $5,000 to $7,500. The bill passed both houses of the Legislature with bipartisan unanimous support.
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Thursday, June 09, 2011
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Sen. Joe Simitian gets an “A” for effort. In fact, he might even be the post-term limits Legislature’s perspicacity poster child.
While not the decade it took Jim Costa to win approval of legislation moving California’s presidential primary forward, it took Simitian six years to pass a measure requiring hands-free use of cell phones while driving.
He’s been as tireless – but not as successful - on a measure he and some 150 school districts contend will help them better control their financial destinies.
In 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009 and now 2011 Simitian has introduced a constitutional amendment that would allow parcel taxes sought by school districts to be approved by a 55-percent rather than a two-thirds vote.
“If the state either can’t or won’t fund public education adequately, the least we can do is give local communities the opportunity to make local choices about their kids,” Simitian, a Palo Alto Democrat, told Capitol Weekly.
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May 2011
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
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State Senator Joe Simitian’s (D-Palo Alto) bill to expand access to Small Claims Court, often called the “people’s court,” passed the State Senate today on a vote of 37 to 0. Senate Bill 221 increases the Small Claims Court jurisdictional limit from $7,500 to $10,000.
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Tuesday, May 31, 2011
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The State Senate voted today 37 to 0 to approve Senate Bill 514, by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), which prohibits the sale of over the counter cough medicine containing dextromethorphan (DXM) to minors.
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April 2011
Thursday, April 14, 2011
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Governor Jerry Brown signed Senate Bill 2X into law at the SunPower/Flextronics solar manufacturing plant in Milpitas on Tuesday, April 12. Governor Brown and Senator Simitian were joined by U.S. Energy Secretary Dr. Steven Chu for the signing ceremony and dedication of SunPower’s new facility.
More pictures are available at the link below.
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Thursday, April 14, 2011
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The California State Senate voted Thursday to approve Senate Bill 24 by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto). Senate Bill 24 strengthens and improves the state’s existing security breach notification requirements.
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Wednesday, April 13, 2011
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Gov. Jerry Brown on Tuesday signed into law a requirement that California get 33% of its electricity from renewable sources, such as wind and solar energy, by the year 2020.
Brown’s signature raises the former renewable-energy mandate of 20%. Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), author of the legislation, said the 33% benchmark would reduce air pollution and U.S. dependence on unstable foreign sources of oil, while creating more than 100,000 jobs. That number is based on research by the Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies, a trade group representing renewable energy companies, according to Simitian’s staff.
“The new law will stimulate the economy and improve the environment, while protecting ratepayers from excessive costs,” Simitian said.
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Tuesday, April 12, 2011
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Governor Jerry Brown has signed a bill into law that requires the state’s public and private utilities to obtain at least 33 percent of their electricity from renewable sources by 2020. He talked about the challenges of environmental policy and even invoked his old nickname:
“You can’t be afraid to be called a moonbeam, weird, deviant, interesting, unexpected and let’s get it done. Senator will you come up here so we can sign this bill? Clapping fades.”
The bill was written by Democratic State Senator Joe Simitian, who’s been pushing the change for several years.
“When we have hit 33% by 2020 ,we will look back on this day and say ‘look what California has done.’”
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Tuesday, April 12, 2011
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Today Governor Jerry Brown signed into law Senate Bill 2X, putting California in the national forefront in its commitment to renewable energy. The bill authored by State Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) requires private and public utilities to obtain 33% of their electricity from renewable energy resources by 2020, raising the target from the current 20%, while providing the flexibility necessary to meet the higher standard.
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March 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
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The sun, the wind and other sources of renewable power would supply one-third of California’s electricity by the end of 2020 under a bill that finally cleared the Legislature on Tuesday after years of false starts.
The bill would give California one of the nation’s most aggressive policies for increasing the use of renewable power at a time when comprehensive federal energy legislation has been stalled in Washington. State Sen. Joe Simitian, who wrote the bill, cast it as a way of boosting California’s clean-energy industry, which has continued to grow in recent years despite the recession.
“If we send a clear signal to the market, the market will respond, and investment dollars and jobs and tax revenues will come to California,” said Simitian, D-Palo Alto. “If we don’t send a clear signal to the market, those dollars and jobs and tax revenues will go to some other state or country.”
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Wednesday, March 30, 2011
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The lawmaker who wrote California’s hands-free cellphone laws says too many motorists are ignoring it. He’s backing legislation that will make the fines and penalties a lot tougher.
Even though the hands-free law has been around for more than three years, Californians are still breaking the law calling, texting and checking emails on their handheld device while behind the wheel.
“Probably 60 or 70 percent of Californians are complying. That means another 30 to 40 percent of folks out there could do a better job,” said California Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto).
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Tuesday, March 29, 2011
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Legislation authored by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) that would put California in the national forefront in its commitment to renewable energy is headed to Governor Jerry Brown. Senate Bill 2X would require private and public utilities to obtain 33% of their electricity from renewable energy sources by 2020, raising the target from the current 20%, while providing the flexibility necessary to meet the higher standard.
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Thursday, March 03, 2011
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) has announced two winners in this year’s “There Oughta Be a Law” contest. The winning entries would improve screening for breast cancer, suggested by Amy Colton of Soquel, and update privacy protections for library patrons, suggested by Mary Minow of Cupertino. Simitian has introduced bills to turn those proposals into law
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February 2011
Thursday, February 24, 2011
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The California Senate today passed legislation authored by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) that would require private and public utilities to obtain 33% of their electricity from renewable energy sources by 2020. Senate Bill 2X would raise the renewable target from the current 20%, while providing the flexibility necessary to meet the higher standard. The measure passed on a vote of 26-11.
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January 2011
Tuesday, January 04, 2011
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In an opinion article, Senator Joe Simitian explains the importance of increasing the amount of electricity generated from renewable resources.
In 2006, the California Legislature and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger ambitiously committed California to obtain 20 percent of its electricity from renewable resources by the end of 2010.
The utilities blanched and the skeptics snickered. But despite much naysaying, we’ll get pretty darned close. The California Public Utilities Commission said we’d reach 18 percent by the end of this month, and move past 20 percent some time in the new year.
That’s good, but we can do better. California’s commitment to green energy has invigorated the renewable-energy market. An explosion of investment in green technology has produced advances in solar and wind power and a smarter electric grid. Combined, they have brought within reach what once seemed an audacious goal: 33 percent renewables by 2020.
With our 2010 goals clearly in sight, I’ve again introduced legislation that calls for a commitment, in state law, to a 33 percent renewable portfolio standard by 2020. That measure, Senate Bill 23, is now before the Senate.
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December 2010
Monday, December 06, 2010
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) today introduced legislation to require private and public utilities to obtain 33% of their electricity from renewable energy sources by 2020. The bill would raise the renewable target from the current 20%, while providing the flexibility necessary to meet the higher standard.
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August 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
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State Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), who authored the California law prohibiting coastal dumping by cruise ships and other oceangoing vessels, praised the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its announcement today that it has proposed to ban all sewage discharges from large ships in state waters the length of the California coast.
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Tuesday, August 24, 2010
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Cruise ships and large commercial ships will be banned from dumping any kind of sewage—even highly filtered wastewater—along California’s coast out to three miles from shore, under new rules from the Obama administration.
The rules, which are scheduled to be announced Wednesday at a news conference in San Francisco, give California among the strictest laws in the nation limiting pollution from large ships.
“This is going to cover the entire California coastline,” said state Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto. “Oceangoing vessels should not consider our coastline a place for dumping sewage.”
In 2005, Simitian wrote a bill that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed banning sewage discharges in state waters from cruise ships and commercial ships larger than 300 gross tons.
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April 2010
Thursday, April 01, 2010
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... A bill working its way through Sacramento could sharply increase the penalties for driving while using a handheld cellphone, fines that some say are already deceptively higher than had been expected.
The ban was instituted in July 2008, and six months later, texting while driving was similarly prohibited. Only hands-free talking is now allowed.
Senator Joe Simitian, Democrat of Palo Alto, wrote both bills, which include modest fines of $20 for a first offense and $50 for the second. ...
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February 2010
Monday, February 22, 2010
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today the introduction of Senate Bill 1475 which strengthens the state’s hands-free and anti-texting laws for motorists.
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Wednesday, February 17, 2010
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Recently released collision and fatality data from the California Highway Patrol (CHP) confirms that California’s streets and highways are safer following the implementation of California’s “hands-free” cell phone law.
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Monday, February 15, 2010
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Op-Ed by Rosamond L. Naylor and George H. Leonard
If aquaculture is to play a responsible role in the future of seafood here at home, we must ensure that the “blue revolution” in ocean fish farming does not cause harm to the oceans and the marine life they support.
In December, Rep. Lois Capps (D-Santa Barbara) introduced in the House the National Sustainable Offshore Aquaculture Act, a bill that addresses the potential threats of poorly regulated fish farming in U.S. ocean waters. Her bill shares many of the features of a California state law, the Sustainable Oceans Act, which was written by state Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) and signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006. That legislation regulates fish farming in state waters, which extend three miles off the California coast. At present, all aquaculture operations in California and the U.S. are located just a few miles offshore. [...]
The Obama administration is currently developing a national policy to guide the development of U.S. aquaculture. The administration would do well to embrace the vision articulated by Capps and Simitian for a science-based and precautionary approach to help ensure a responsible future for U.S. ocean fish farming.
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January 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
December 2009
Thursday, December 10, 2009
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This week KLIV’s Jason Bennert is profiling people who made a significant local impact in Santa Clara County during the 2000s.
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Monday, December 07, 2009
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Long before cellphones became common, industry pioneers were aware of the risks of multitasking behind the wheel.
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October 2009
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
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Motorists in California are strongly encouraged not to use cell phones at all while driving. If they choose to do so, however, it must be hands-free.
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September 2009
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
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State Sen. Joe Simitian -- the lawmaker responsible for California's "hands-free" cell phone law -- is one of about 200 people participating in a summit on distracted driving today (Sept. 30) in Washington, D.C.
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Tuesday, September 29, 2009
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Sacramento – State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) will be participating in U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood’s Distracted Driving Summit this week in Washington, D.C. The Department of Transportation has invited 200 participants from around the country to determine the best ways to reduce the number of crashes and deaths due to distracted driving.
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August 2009
Monday, August 17, 2009
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As dysfunctional and politically petty as Sacramento is, it's hard to imagine an average citizen having any influence on state law. But that's what happened with a Northern California tow truck driver a while back.
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Tuesday, August 11, 2009
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State Sen. Joe Simitian says he remembers exactly where he was when he learned that a 24-year California Highway Patrol officer was struck by a vehicle and killed along Highway 17 on New Year's Eve 2005.
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Thursday, August 06, 2009
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Sacramento- Today Governor Schwarzenegger signed Senate Bill 159, by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), making legislation that requires drivers to move over or slow down when approaching roadside emergency scenes along the highway, permanent.
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July 2009
Sunday, July 19, 2009
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Some states have overcome opposition to pass restrictions. Joe Simitian, a state senator in California, managed to get his hands-free legislation, an effort he began in 2001, passed in 2006.
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May 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
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Privacy Piracy host Mari Frank interviews State Senator Joe Simitian on his range of legislation aimed at protecting Californians' privacy.
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February 2009
Friday, February 13, 2009
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California's environmental report card for electricity looks respectable. Hardly any dirty coal. Many new, efficient natural gas plants. Hydropower generated either in-state or imported. Solar popping up on rooftops and spreading across the desert. Wind farms on the ridges.
And yet, in 2007, only 12 percent of the electricity used in California came from renewable resources such as wind, solar, geothermal, biomass and small hydroelectric facilities. That's renewable as in sustainable — as in landing lightly on the environment.
California is pushing to do better. A 2006 law, authored by state Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, requires the state to obtain 20 percent of its electricity from renewables by 2010.
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May 2008
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
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Sacramento – State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today that research conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) estimates 300-900 lives will be saved annually once California’s hands-free cell phone law goes into effect.
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Tuesday, May 13, 2008
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A California researcher has entered the acrimonious debate over mobile phones by predicting that banning the use of hand-held phones by U.S. drivers could save thousands of lives each year.
In a study released Monday, Jed Kolko, a fellow at the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California, estimated that 300 fewer people will die each year in traffic accidents as a result of a pending hand-held cell-phone ban for California drivers. More than 4,000 people die in traffic accidents in the state every year.
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March 2008
Monday, March 24, 2008
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Claudiu Stoenescu, a database manager from San Ramon, never thought of himself as a wireless headset kind of guy. But his wife insisted he buy the wireless earpiece for his cell phone last month.
The reason: She wants him on the right side of the law when he makes future calls in the car.
Come July 1, drivers in California who make or receive phone calls other than emergencies will be required to have a hands-free way of talking. Motorists who don't can be pulled over and cited, $20 for the first offense and $50 for subsequent violations.
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January 2008
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
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BERKELEY, CA -- There's a much more common threat to health and safety to think about tonight.
A new government study shows three million young people, between 12 and 25, are getting high from cough syrup. It contains a drug that young people are trying just as often as methamphetamine.
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December 2007
Thursday, December 27, 2007
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The $23,095.58 wire transfer from Jack Whittaker's savings account at the Antioch Schools Federal Credit Union was the first sign something was fishy.
A day after the money had left his account, the 82-year-old widower went in to the credit union to make a withdrawal. He was shocked to learn that his account was nearly empty. The money he thought was there had gone to purchase an annuity he knew nothing about.
After that, credit union CEO Rob Greaff and his staff started keeping a close eye on the World War II veteran's account.
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August 2007
Monday, August 27, 2007
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Sacramento – State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today that the State Assembly passed SB 33, his bill to prohibit drivers under the age of 18 from using a cell phone, pager, text-messaging device, or laptop while driving, on an initial vote of 62-5. The bill, which passed the State Senate in April, now goes to the State Senate for a final vote on Assembly amendments, then on to the Governor who has 30 days to sign or veto the bill.
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Thursday, August 23, 2007
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Santa Cruz –The Santa Cruz County Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) announced today that State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) is being honored for his work to protect the privacy rights of Californians. Simitian will accept the “True Patriot” award at the chapter’s annual awards ceremony in Santa Cruz on Sunday.
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Thursday, August 16, 2007
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Sacramento — The Consumer Federation of California, a statewide nonprofit consumer rights advocacy organization, has recognized State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) for scoring 100% on his 2006 voting record on consumer protection legislation.
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July 2007
Monday, July 09, 2007
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About one year from now, July 1, 2008, it will be illegal to talk on a hand-held cell phone and drive a car in California. The bill was sponsored by state Senator Joe Simitian of Palo Alto. And it's one of many legal responses to the hazard of distracted drivers on our nation's roads and highways. Studies show that talking on a cell phone, while you drive, is about as dangerous as driving drunk. And traffic safety officials in California say that most accidents result from drivers being distracted. Legislatures have passed laws against use of cell phones while driving. Text messaging while driving has also been the target of state prohibitions.
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June 2007
Friday, June 29, 2007
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Convinced that gripping a cell phone while driving would become illegal Sunday, a customer walked into Jacob Peykar’s wireless store to beat the deadline.
Peykar said Thursday that he tried to tell his persistent customer that the hands-free law was still a year away, but to no avail. The man spent $300 at the Woodland Hills shop to deck out his wife, kids and mother with blinking blue earpieces.
“He was so convinced, I almost believed him, too,” Peykar said.
But Peykar’s customer and lots of other Californians are wrong. The law will take effect July 1 — of 2008.
Full Story on LA Daily News Website
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May 2007
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
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Scoop a handful of critters out of the San Francisco Bay and you'll find tourists from far away shores. Invasive kinds of mussels, fish and more are choking out native species, challenging experts around the state to change the human behavior that brings them here.
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April 2007
Thursday, April 26, 2007
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Sacramento – State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today that the State Senate passed SB 33, his bill to prohibit drivers under the age of 18 from using a cell phone while driving, on a bipartisan 21-14 vote. The bill will now be sent to the Assembly for a hearing in June or July.
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December 2006
Saturday, December 30, 2006
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If an elderly customer's bank account dwindles from ATM withdrawals and check signatures, tellers will not remain silent.
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Friday, December 29, 2006
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Sacramento – Effective January 1, 2007, a new state law will require drivers approaching a roadside emergency scene to move over one lane to create a safety buffer for emergency crews, or to slow down if they can’t move over safely. Drivers who disobey the law risk receiving a $50 ticket. The law, introduced as SB 1610 by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), was signed by the Governor in September.
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September 2006
Saturday, September 30, 2006
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Sacramento – Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced today that he has signed SB 423, a bill by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), to allow energy companies to donate electricity to non-profit organizations. Under SB 423, non-profits will still pay all normal transmission costs for the energy, so as not to affect other ratepayers, but the organization will receive the energy itself at no cost.
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Friday, September 29, 2006
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Sacramento – Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced today that he has signed SB 202, authored by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), which protects consumers’ phone records from being unknowingly obtained by others.
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Thursday, September 21, 2006
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Sacramento – Governor Schwarzenegger announced today that he has signed Senate Bill 1610, by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), a bill to require motorists to move over or slow down when approaching roadside emergency scenes along the highway. The new “Move Over, Slow Down” law takes effect January 1, 2007.
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Thursday, September 14, 2006
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Governor Schwarzenegger announced today that he will hold a bill signing ceremony in Oakland to sign into law State Senator Joe Simitian’s (D-Palo Alto) SB 1613, which will require California drivers who choose to use a cell phone while driving to use a hands-free device. The bill, which will go into effect on July 1, 2008, allows exceptions for drivers calling law enforcement or public safety agencies, as well as emergency services personnel driving authorized vehicles.
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Tuesday, September 05, 2006
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Governor Schwarzenegger announced today that he will hold a bill signing ceremony in Palo Alto to sign into law State Senator Joe Simitian’s (D-Palo Alto) SB 1609.
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August 2006
Thursday, August 31, 2006
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Sacramento – State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today that his SB 497, the Coastal Ecosystems Protection Act, has been sent to the Governor for signature. SB 497 creates standards for the discharge of ballast water, which is used by cargo vessels to maintain balance when not fully laden.
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Tuesday, August 29, 2006
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Sacramento – Senior groups are urging Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to sign State Senator Joe Simitian’s (D-Palo Alto) Senate Bill 1609, a bill to protect seniors from predatory lending practices and abuse in connection with reverse mortgages, a popular type of loan that allows seniors age 62 or older to receive cash by borrowing against the equity of their homes.
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May 2006
Friday, May 26, 2006
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Sacramento – State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today that SB 1613, his bill to require the use of hands-free cell phone devices while driving, passed the State Senate on Thursday on a 21-14 vote. The bill now moves to the State Assembly.
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Friday, May 26, 2006
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Sacramento – State Senator Joe Simitian (D – Palo Alto) announced today that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed Senate Bill 201, Simitian’s legislation to regulate aquaculture (also known as fish farming) along California’s coast. In his signing message, Schwarzenegger called the legislation a “common sense proposal” that would “provide strict protections for the environment and consumers.
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Thursday, May 11, 2006
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Sacramento – State Senator Joe Simitian (D – Palo Alto) announced today that Senate Bill 201, a bill to regulate aquaculture (also known as fish farming) along California’s coast, has been approved by the Legislature and awaits the Governor’s signature. Simitian said he introduced the bill because of concerns about the fish farming industry’s potential impact on “our coastal environment and economy, as well as the public’s health and safety. The standards are rigorous, but attainable,” said Simitian. “My hope,” he added, “is that these standards will be a model for other states, and for the nation.”
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April 2006
Thursday, April 20, 2006
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A broad coalition comprised of MAVIN Foundation, the Association of MultiEthnic Americans (AMEA), the Multiethnic Education Program, Swirl, Inc, iPride, Asian Americans for Civil Rights & Equality, the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), and the Chicano Consortium, will hold a press conference to discuss their support of SB 1615, authored by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto).
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February 2006
Monday, February 27, 2006
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Sacramento – After reviewing more than 260 bill ideas from within and outside of his district, State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) today announced this year’s winners in his “There Oughta Be A Law” contest.
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Tuesday, February 21, 2006
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Sacramento – State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today that he has introduced SB 1358 to help low-wealth, under-funded school districts across California.
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November 2005
Thursday, November 17, 2005
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Palo Alto – The Congress of California Seniors and the California Alliance for Retired Americans (CARA) released their annual legislative scorecards, giving State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) a 100% voting record on legislation supporting seniors.
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Wednesday, November 09, 2005
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Sacramento - Senate President pro Tem Don Perata announced today that he has appointed State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) as Chair of the Senate Environmental Quality Committee, with jurisdiction over environmental quality, air quality, integrated waste management, toxics, water quality, and hazardous waste.
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October 2005
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
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Sacramento – Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced that he signed SB 422, by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), which will give Californians access to affordable justice by raising the threshold for individuals in small claims court from $5,000 to $7,500.
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Tuesday, October 11, 2005
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Sacramento – Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed SB 798 and SB 802, by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), which will help people of modest means gain access to unused prescription drugs, and protect consumers against identity theft, respectively.
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Friday, October 07, 2005
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SACRAMENTO – Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced today that he has signed SB 771, by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), a bill to protect California’s coast and ocean by prohibiting the rapidly growing commercial shipping industry from dumping harmful substances into California’s water and air.
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September 2005
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
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Sacramento – Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced today that he has signed SB 687, by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), a bill to increase the information that school districts share in their annual School Accountability Report Cards (SARC) about school spending per school site, including how much they spend per student and on teacher salaries.
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Tuesday, September 27, 2005
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Sacramento – Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced today that he has signed SB 679, by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), a bill to allow San Mateo County to operate group homes for emotionally disturbed young people who require out-of-home care.
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Thursday, September 22, 2005
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Sacramento – Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced today that he has signed SB 439, by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), a bill to ensure California’s public pension systems continued access to top-tier, highly profitable alternative investment funds such as venture or hedge funds.
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August 2005
Monday, August 29, 2005
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Sacramento – State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed SB 1018, his bill to protect elders by making bank, savings and loan, and credit union employees mandated reporters of elder financial abuse. Governor Schwarzenegger signed the bill in a ceremony in his office.
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July 2005
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
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Sacramento - State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) today announced that SB 1018, his bill to protect elders by making bank, savings and loan, and credit union employees mandated reporters of elder financial abuse, has passed out of the Assembly on a 54-10 vote. The bill will go back to the Senate for approval of the amendments taken in the Assembly, and then will go to the Governor.
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June 2005
Wednesday, June 01, 2005
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MEDIA ADVISORY
June 1, 2005
For More Information, Contact:
Hema Sareen Mohan (650) 688-6384
NEWS CONFERENCE ABOUT ELDER ABUSE PROTECTIONS
WHAT:
State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) and Assemblywoman Lois Wolk (D-Davis) will discuss their measures, SB 1018 and AB 1605, respectively, to require that bank employees who suspect elder financial abuse immediately notify Adult Protective Services (APS), which investigates reports of elder abuse, or law enforcement authorities.
Bank employees would join other mandated reporters of elder abuse including health care professionals, social workers, nursing home workers, and clergy. As with other mandated reporters, bank employees would not be liable if their suspicions prove unfounded.
Both SB 1018 and AB 1605 have generated widespread support from law enforcement, senior groups and county welfare officials. SB 1018 was approved by the State Senate on May 26 on a 24-14 vote, and will be heard next in the Assembly. AB 1605 will be heard on the Assembly floor later this week.
WHEN:
Thursday, June 2, 2005 at 11:30 AM
WHERE:
State Capitol, Sacramento, Room 1190, Governor’s Press Room
SPEAKERS:
Attorney General Bill Lockyer
State Treasurer Phil Angelides
Assemblywoman Lois Wolk
State Senator Joe Simitian
HOW:
Media can also listen in by phone:
Dial-In Telephone Number: (888) 285-4585
Participant access code: 598641
###
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May 2005
Thursday, May 26, 2005
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SACRAMENTO - State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) today announced that SB 1018, his bill to make bank, savings and loan, and credit union employees mandated reporters of elder financial abuse, has advanced through the Senate on a 24-14 vote. It will be heard next in the Assembly.
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Monday, May 23, 2005
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Sacramento - State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) today announced that SB 680, his bill to provide additional funding to help reduce traffic congestion in Santa Clara County, has advanced through the Senate on a majority vote. It will be heard next in the Assembly.
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Wednesday, May 11, 2005
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Sacramento - State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) today announced that his bill to require motorists to move over or slow down when approaching tow trucks or other emergency crews along the highway has been approved by the State Senate. It will be heard next in the Assembly.
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April 2005
Thursday, April 14, 2005
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A coalition comprised of EdVoice, Education Trust-West, Public Advocates Inc., and the Pacific Institute for Community Organization (PICO) California Project will hold a press conference to discuss their support of Senate Bill 687, authored by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto).
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Friday, April 08, 2005
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The American Civil Liberties Union will hold a press briefing about SB 682, Identity Information Protection Act of 2005, authored by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto). The measure would prohibit state and local governments from using radio frequency identification tags (RFIDs) that broadcast people’s most private information in driver’s licenses, library cards, and other identity documents. These tags put an individual’s privacy, safety, and financial security at risk. Speakers will discuss their support of the bill. After the press briefing, the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing about the bill.
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March 2005
Thursday, March 31, 2005
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Sacramento – After reviewing 129 bill ideas from within and outside of his district, State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) today announced this year’s winners in his “There Oughta Be A Law” contest. The annual competition invites Californians to submit ideas for new state legislation. Three of the five winning entries will first be heard in the Senate April 5, and local contest winners will be traveling to Sacramento to testify on behalf of their proposals.
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