News Room: 2011-2012 Legislation
November 2012
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
hide summary...
State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) was recently honored by a breast cancer advocacy group for championing legislation to improve breast cancer detection in women with dense breast tissue.
read more ...
October 2012
Thursday, October 11, 2012
hide summary...
Police forces and private companies are scanning auto license plates and building huge databases of location information--whether or not the owners of the cars have done anything wrong. WSJ's Julia Angwin reports.
read more ...
Monday, October 01, 2012
hide summary...
Governor Jerry Brown signed legislation Friday providing schools with a construction alternative proven to save millions in school construction dollars, provide added flexibility and speed up the construction process.
read more ...
September 2012
Friday, September 28, 2012
hide summary...
Today, Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill to keep the public safe and protect the rights of drivers by regulating red-light cameras.
read more ...
Friday, September 28, 2012
hide summary...
Today, Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) that would make it easier for surplus, unopened medication to be donated to uninsured Californians.
read more ...
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
hide summary...
A winning entry in State Senator Joe Simitian’s (D-Palo Alto) 2011-12 "There Oughta Be a Law" contest was signed into law Tuesday by Governor Jerry Brown. Senate Bill 1191 will warn prospective tenants when the property they are looking to rent is subject to foreclosure.
read more ...
Monday, September 24, 2012
hide summary...
A bill to allow voluntary contributions to two popular cancer research tax check-off funds was signed by the Governor yesterday.
read more ...
Monday, September 24, 2012
hide summary...
Gov. Jerry Brown on Saturday signed a bill by Sen. Joe Simitian requiring extra warnings for the 40 percent of women over the age of 40 who have breast tissue dense enough to mask cancers on mammograms.
Last year, Brown had vetoed a similar bill, expressing doubts about whether the warnings were what he termed "a path to greater knowledge or unnecessary anxiety." Since then Simitian amended the bill to make it acceptable to the governor.
"I'm tremendously thankful for the governor's support of this measure and for his willingness to listen to and work with us on this issue over the past year," Simitian, D-Palo Alto, said in a statement.
read more ...
Saturday, September 22, 2012
hide summary...
Governor Jerry Brown has signed a bill to improve breast cancer detection in women with dense breast tissue, Senate Bill 1538, authored by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto).
read more ...
Monday, September 17, 2012
hide summary...
In the latest shot against what many say are the abuses of red light traffic cameras, a state senator's bill to clamp down on how the devices are used has landed on the governor's desk for approval.
The bill by Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, would prohibit cities or counties from using the cameras purely to raise cash, make it easier to get wrongfully issued tickets dismissed and forbid the creation of so-called "snitch" tickets that threaten drivers with penalties based on sketchy information.
read more ...
Monday, September 10, 2012
hide summary...
In an editorial, the San Jose Mercury News said: Gov. Jerry Brown has run out of reasons to veto Sen. Joe Simitian's bill requiring full disclosure to women with dense breast tissue that their mammograms may be ineffective.
The governor bowed to pressure primarily from the California Medical Association last year and vetoed Simitian's legislation. Brown objected to language requiring doctors to notify women about potential risks and the need for further screening. As we said at the time, good grief. Physicians informing their patients of a serious risk is a problem?
read more ...
August 2012
Thursday, August 30, 2012
hide summary...
Today, the State Senate passed a bill by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) that would make it easier for surplus, unopened medication to be donated to uninsured Californians. Senate Bill 1329, passed out on a 38-0 vote, is now headed to Governor Jerry Brown’s desk for approval.
read more ...
Thursday, August 30, 2012
hide summary...
A bill to improve breast cancer detection in women with dense breast tissue passed unanimously out of the State Senate and is now headed to Governor Jerry Brown’s desk.
read more ...
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
hide summary...
A bill to allow voluntary contributions to two popular breast cancer research tax check-off funds passed unanimously out of the State Senate today and is now headed to Governor Jerry Brown’s desk. The vote was 37-0.
read more ...
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
hide summary...
Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo alto), Chair of the Senate Select Committee on Breast Cancer Awareness and Detection, invites the public to attend an important “Are You Dense?” forum on Tuesday, September 11th to talk about the risks associated with dense breast tissue and what women should be discussing with their doctors.
read more ...
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
hide summary...
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 28-9. The bill now heads to Governor Jerry Brown’s desk for approval.
read more ...
Monday, August 27, 2012
hide summary...
A bill to protect the rights of drivers by regulating red-light cameras passed today in the State Senate and is now headed to the Governor for approval. The vote was 34-0. Senate Bill 1303, by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), would establish statewide standards for the installation and operation of traffic enforcement cameras, and make it easier to challenge unjustified tickets.
read more ...
Thursday, August 23, 2012
hide summary...
A winning entry in State Senator Joe Simitian’s (D-Palo Alto) 2011-12 “There Oughta Be a Law” contest passed recently out of the Legislature and is now headed to Governor Jerry Brown’s desk. Senate Bill 1191 would warn prospective tenants when the property they are looking to rent is subject to foreclosure. It requires that a landlord who receives a Notice of Default provide written notice to any prospective tenant before a lease is signed.
read more ...
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
hide summary...
Earlier this year the Mercury News told the story of a dozen tenants crammed into a single home, being victimized by a landlord who was making thousands of dollars by continuing to rent rooms despite having lost the house to the bank in foreclosure.
As I discovered through my own experience, it’s shocking not only what some landlords will do, but also how little protection state law offers people looking to rent a room, a house or an apartment. Fortunately, state Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) is working to arm prospective tenants with better information by authoring legislation, Senate Bill 1191, that would require landlords to inform prospective tenants that the property is subject to foreclosure.
read more ...
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
hide summary...
As the school year begins, districts throughout California will begin offering transitional kindergarten (TK) – the first new grade level in the state since 1891. This school year, more than 800 school districts are expected to offer transitional kindergarten, the first year of a two-year kindergarten for children with fall birthdays who will be too young under a new cutoff date to enter regular kindergarten.
read more ...
Monday, August 06, 2012
hide summary...
In an oped article in the Contra Costa Times, breast cancer survivor Amy Colton writes:
In 2009, at age 47, I was shocked to be diagnosed with a later stage breast cancer. I was what you would describe as a “health nut.”. . . I followed my doctor’s instructions for regular checkups and screenings, including annual mammograms, starting when I was 40. Every year I received a form letter telling me that no cancer was found.
Mammography was unable to detect my cancer in an early stage because I have a condition called “dense breast tissue.”
The shock of my diagnosis and the ordeal of treatment I endured have made me determined to give other women a better chance of being diagnosed before their cancer has spread. That is why I am so heartened by the legislative approval of a resolution authored by Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, to declare Aug. 8 to be “Are You Dense? Day.”
read more ...
Monday, August 06, 2012
hide summary...
Are you dense? Ask your doctor.
That’s the tagline State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) will be using this week to raise awareness among Californians about dense breast tissue, a common yet little-known condition that increases the risk for developing breast cancer and makes it more difficult to detect cancer on a mammogram. Simitian is the author of Senate Joint Resolution 27 declaring August 8 “Are You Dense? Day” in California.
read more ...
June 2012
Monday, June 04, 2012
hide summary...
A bill from Palo Alto State Senator Joe Simitian would crack down on red light cameras and would make it easier for drivers to fight tickets, reports CBS Channel 5.
read more ...
Friday, June 01, 2012
hide summary...
The State Senate this week passed a bill by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) to ensure that any liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals built in California are done in a safe and environmentally responsible manner.
read more ...
May 2012
Thursday, May 31, 2012
hide summary...
A bill to protect the rights of drivers by regulating red-light cameras passed unanimously today in the State Senate. The vote was 37-0. Senate Bill 1303, by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), would establish statewide standards for the installation and operation of traffic enforcement cameras, and make it easier to challenge unjustified tickets.
read more ...
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
hide summary...
A winning entry in State Senator Joe Simitian’s (D-Palo Alto) 2011-12 “There Oughta Be a Law” contest passed Tuesday off the Senate floor. Senate Bill 1191 would warn prospective tenants when the property they are looking to rent is subject to foreclosure. It requires that a landlord who receives a Notice of Default provide written notice to any prospective tenant before a lease is signed.
read more ...
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
hide summary...
A bill to improve breast cancer detection in women with dense breast tissue passed unanimously out of the State Senate today. Senate Bill 1538, authored by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), would require that following a mammogram, women with dense breast tissue be informed that they have dense breast tissue, which can obscure abnormalities (i.e. cancer) on a mammogram; and that they may wish to discuss the potential value of additional screening(s) with their doctors.
read more ...
Friday, May 25, 2012
hide summary...
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.
read more ...
Thursday, May 17, 2012
hide summary...
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.
read more ...
Monday, May 14, 2012
hide summary...
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.
read more ...
April 2012
Friday, April 27, 2012
hide summary...
On Monday at 11 a.m., State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) will hold a media call to bring attention to the importance of press freedom and the many countries in which it is threatened.
read more ...
Sunday, April 15, 2012
hide summary...
This year, access to this swift and relatively inexpensive forum for justice was expanded thanks to Senate Bill 221, authored by state Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto. Signed into law last year, SB221 raised the small claims court jurisdictional limit -- the maximum amount of damages that can be awarded to a plaintiff -- from $7,500 to $10,000. This builds on a previous measure by Simitian, signed into law in 2005, that raised the limit from $5,000 to $7,500
read more ...
March 2012
Thursday, March 29, 2012
hide summary...
In an editorial, the San Francisco Chronicle said:
The message that mammograms save lives has resulted in an increase in early detection of breast cancer. But for 40 percent of women who get mammograms, the technology might not detect early-stage cancer because their dense breast tissue masks the cancer cells. Most women do not know whether they have dense breast tissue and that, if they do, they should seek alternatives to mammography, such as ultrasound or MRI screenings.
That's why state Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, has reintroduced legislation to require physicians to inform their patients if they have highly dense breast tissue. Simitian's bill passed last year with broad bipartisan support, but Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed it.
read more ...
Thursday, March 29, 2012
hide summary...
Inspired by a breast cancer survivor in his district, State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) is reintroducing legislation to improve breast cancer detection.
read more ...
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
hide summary...
On Wednesday at 10:30 a.m., State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) will hold a media call on a bill that he’s reintroducing to improve breast cancer detection in women with dense breast tissue. A prior version of the bill was vetoed last year by Governor Jerry Brown.
read more ...
Wednesday, March 07, 2012
hide summary...
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.
read more ...
Tuesday, March 06, 2012
hide summary...
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.
read more ...
February 2012
Wednesday, February 01, 2012
hide summary...
California's preschool and kindergarten set are targeted to take some of the biggest hits to funding in the state budget proposed by Gov. Jerry Brown. The governor should withdraw his plan before it undercuts the critical years of education for some of California's most vulnerable children.
Almost one-fifth of the $4 billion in state program cuts Brown has proposed would come from early childhood education -- child care, preschool and the new transitional kindergarten scheduled to start in the fall. These programs should be among the state's highest priorities. Children are our most precious resource, and their success paves the way for California's economy to grow and prosper.
read more ...
January 2012
Monday, January 23, 2012
hide summary...
The financial exploitation of seniors can take many forms. Some scams involve persuading people to put up good faith money, or a spurious transaction fee to claim a lottery prize. Others are more menacing, where a perpetrator coerces an elder into signing over investments, real estate or other assets through the use of manipulation, intimidation or threats.
Often, these scams raise the suspicions of bank employees who -- when given proper guidance and training -- are effective guards against financial abuse of elders. Since the passage in 2005 of the Financial Elder Abuse Reporting Act, authored by State Sen. Joe Simitian D-Palo Alto, bank employees have been required to notify authorities of incidents where elder financial abuse is suspected.
read more ...
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
hide summary...
The Power Association of Northern California (PANC), a nonprofit energy and utility association, has chosen State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) as their “Person of the Year.” Simitian is being recognized for his work authoring SB 2X, a bill which made California a national leader in its commitment to renewable energy. Simitian will be presented with the award on Thursday in San Francisco.
read more ...
December 2011
Thursday, December 29, 2011
hide summary...
Starting Sunday, California will become the first state to try to curb the abuse of over-the-counter cold medicines containing a powerful cough suppressant by requiring consumers to show proof they're over age 18.
The ingredient is dextromethorphan, or DXM, and it's found in popular medications such as Robitussin-DM, Mucinex-DM, Delsym, Coricidin and NyQuil.
Some teenagers, and even younger kids, down the drug in excessive quantities to get a euphoric high, an act known as "robotripping," "skittling" or "dexing." The drug is sometimes referred to as "poor man's PCP" for its hallucinogenic effects.
"By limiting the sale to minors, we hope to reduce the number of cases where there's misuse or abuse of over-the-counter cough medications containing DXM," said the bill's author, state Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto. "This is really nasty stuff with very serious consequences."
read more ...
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
hide summary...
On issues ranging from clean energy to elder abuse and from drug abuse to consumer protection, these bills authored by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) will become law on or by January 1.
read more ...
Friday, December 23, 2011
hide summary...
When we were growing up, the drugs of choice for teenagers were beer and marijuana. So much has changed. Now, kids are into hard liquor and a variety of really dangerous drugs.
Dextromethorphan (DXM) is one such drug. Taken as directed in products such as Robitussin and Coricidin, it is safe and effective. But when taken at higher doses, DXM can cause hallucinations, loss of motor control, vomiting, paranoia, numbness, lethargy, slurred speech and "out-of-body" sensations similar to PCP and LSD.
But now, we fervently hope, the abuse of DXM will decrease. As of Jan. 1, a new law authored by state Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, prohibits the sale of cold and cough medicines containing DXM to minors.
read more ...
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
hide summary...
On January 1, California will become the first state in the nation to prohibit the sale of over-the-counter cold and cough medications containing dextromethorphan (DXM) to minors.
Senate Bill 514, authored by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), will require store clerks to check identification to ensure that no one under 18 purchases these medications, which are known to cause a potentially life-threatening high when consumed in high doses.
read more ...
Thursday, December 15, 2011
hide summary...
State Senator Joe Simitian of California, who succeeded in getting a law passed in 2006 that bans drivers there from talking on a hand-held phone, called the board’s recommendation “a wake-up call about the dangers of distracted driving.”
Yet, he also said he doubted it would achieve the desired result because it was unlikely that legislators in California or elsewhere would be able to pass such a ban. Mr. Simitian noted that he spent five years trying to push a ban on hand-held devices, and faced intense opposition from the phone industry.
“It’s a political nonstarter,” he said, adding that he would not attempt to propose a total ban on drivers using their devices. “I don’t believe you’ll see such a ban in my lifetime.” For all his skepticism, though, he acknowledged that political winds could shift. “A decade ago, people didn’t think we’d have a hands-free law in California. Only time will tell.”
read more ...
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
hide summary...
Texting, talking and tweeting behind the wheel - even using hands-free devices - should be banned, the National Transportation Safety Board recommended Tuesday, but any such prohibition in California seems far down the road.
While state law enforcement and traffic safety officials agreed with the recommendation, the state’s main champion of cell phone regulations for drivers said legislation imposing a ban “would be a nonstarter politically.”
“The notion of an outright ban is hard to imagine,” said state Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, and author of three laws restricting the use of cell phones by drivers. “I don’t predict it to happen in my lifetime. But then, a decade ago, I couldn’t even get a hands-free bill out of the Legislature.”
Simitian said he would continue to press for increased penalties for violating the bans on handheld phones and texting, and for stepped-up enforcement.
read more ...
Wednesday, December 07, 2011
hide summary...
SolarTech, a national renewable energy consortium, will present State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) with its annual “Solar Hero” award on Thursday in San Jose. As this year’s public sector honoree, Simitian is being recognized for his Senate Bill 2X, which made California a national leader in its commitment to renewable energy.
read more ...
November 2011
Monday, November 28, 2011
hide summary...
State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) today recognized the California Office of Privacy Protection with a resolution celebrating that Office’s tenth anniversary. Simitian was joined in the recognition by his colleagues on the Senate Select Committee on Privacy and State Senator Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
read more ...
October 2011
Thursday, October 13, 2011
hide summary...
Gov. Jerry Brown probably made more good than bad decisions on various bills this fall. But it was infuriating to see him veto Sen. Joe Simitian’s bill requiring full disclosure to women whose mammograms may be ineffective.
It was so simple, so certain to save lives that we could not imagine a veto. But the medical establishment pulled out all the stops to kill it.
Amy Colton persuaded Simitian to carry the bill after she was diagnosed with advanced breast cancer despite years of supposedly clear mammograms. She learned, too late, that her dense breast tissue obscured the cancer. This condition is noted in reports to doctors but not in reports sent to patients, who develop a false sense of security.
In his veto statement, Brown said women should have the information, but he objected to the notification suggesting women talk to their physicians about further screening. Good grief. If women learn mammograms aren’t effective for them, they’d be crazy not to ask about alternatives.
When the Legislature reconvenes, Simitian should resubmit the bill minus the offending suggestion to consult doctors. The original bill got broad bipartisan support. In the meantime, Colton and Simitian may have saved lives just by airing the issue: All women should ask their doctors about dense breast tissue. And—sorry, governor—about alternative screening.
read more ...
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
hide summary...
Governor Jerry Brown has vetoed State Senator Joe Simitian’s (D-Palo Alto) bill to improve breast cancer detection, notwithstanding the bill’s broad bipartisan support (35-1 in the Senate, 66-6 in the Assembly). Senate Bill 791 required that following a mammogram, women with dense breast tissue be informed that: they have dense breast tissue; that dense breast tissue can obscure abnormalities (i.e., cancer) on a mammogram; and that they may wish to discuss the potential value of additional screening(s) with their doctors.
read more ...
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
hide summary...
Legislation that will let California citizens continue making voluntary donations to two worthwhile causes when filing their personal income tax returns was signed by Governor Jerry Brown.
read more ...
Friday, October 07, 2011
hide summary...
Governor Jerry Brown has vetoed Senate Bill 29, legislation that would have protected the rights of drivers by regulating “red-light cameras.” The measure’s author, State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), called the veto “a lost opportunity to help restore public trust in the purpose and operation of red-light cameras by bringing accountability and fairness to the process.”
read more ...
Thursday, October 06, 2011
hide summary...
Governor Jerry Brown has signed State Senator Joe Simitian’s (D-Palo Alto) bill to expand the California Capital Access Program (CalCAP) for small businesses. Through Senate Bill 225, small trucking companies will be able to access financing mechanisms for fleet upgrades necessary to improve air quality.
read more ...
Wednesday, October 05, 2011
hide summary...
Governor Jerry Brown has signed into law State Senator Joe Simitian’s (D-Palo Alto) bill to streamline regulatory and environmental reviews for infill development and renewable energy projects.
read more ...
Monday, October 03, 2011
hide summary...
County governments will be better able to cover the growing number of California children who lack health insurance under legislation signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown. Senate Bill 36, introduced by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), enables counties that provide children’s health insurance to tap additional federal funds at no cost to the state. The bill goes into effect January 1, 2012.
read more ...
September 2011
Friday, September 30, 2011
hide summary...
State Senator Joe Simitian’s (D-Palo Alto) bill to make permanent protections against elder financial abuse has been signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown. The legislation, which makes permanent mandated reporting of elder financial abuse, passed the Assembly and the Senate with unanimous support.
read more ...
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
hide summary...
Next year, California’s population will surpass 40 million. That’s twice as many people as were here in 1970 when the state passed its landmark resource protection law, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
CEQA, which governs the environmental review process for most construction and infrastructure projects, has been at the heart of some notable achievements, such as saving Mono Lake and looking at the cumulative impacts of proposed development. While the law has protected the environment by improving planning processes and stopping many ill-conceived projects, critics can fairly point to cases where competitors have used it to obstruct projects, even where the environmental benefits and job creation opportunities were obvious.
Forty years later, it’s time to make changes to CEQA to better align the law that governs most growth decisions in the state with 21st century challenges, like climate change and how to support a rapidly growing population.
One such reform is on Gov. Jerry Brown’s desk now. He should sign it.
Senate Bill 226 by Senators Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, and Juan Vargas, D-San Diego, allows infill projects—that is, projects within already-developed areas—that meet state-of-the-art environmental standards to take advantage of a streamlined review process. The bill rewards applicants whose projects have the best environmental features with faster and lower cost approval, and it provides other projects with a meaningful incentive to improve. It also eliminates duplicative levels of review, eliminating waste and allowing sponsors of infill projects to take advantage of previous environmental analyses and rely on good local planning.
read more ...
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
hide summary...
California lawmakers passed 600 bills in recent weeks, and Jerry Brown vows to veto most of them, explaining simply, “not every human problem deserves a law.”
NBC Bay Area couldn’t agree more.
But, we’re sorry the governor vetoed a bill that would have toughened the hands-free, no-texting laws for drivers.
As we see on the roads, compliance with our current law is low — the bill’s author, State Senator Joe Simitian, hoped to raise deterrence by raising the base fine from $20 to $50, the same fine as rolling through a stop sign.
Governor Brown said “no.”
So we ask him - if you won’t raise fines, Governor, how will you get drivers to put away their cell phones?
Hundreds of lives are at stake.
read more ...
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
hide summary...
Governor Jerry Brown has signed into law a bill by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) to revise and update California’s bond laws. Senate Bill 506 changes existing law to clearly allow the recipient of a registered warrant to use the warrant to offset or pay an existing tax liability.
read more ...
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
hide summary...
No, Sen. Joe Simitian isn't even thinking about trying to override Gov. Jerry Brown's veto of his bill that would have required doctors to inform women with high breast density that they have the condition -- which can mask tumors during mammograms.
read more ...
Thursday, September 15, 2011
hide summary...
Legislation that would streamline regulatory and environmental reviews for infill development and renewable energy projects passed the Legislature on a bipartisan vote last week and now heads to Governor Jerry Brown for approval.
read more ...
Monday, September 12, 2011
hide summary...
State Senator Joe Simitian’s (D-Palo Alto) bill to improve breast cancer detection has passed the State Legislature and now goes to the Governor for consideration. Senate Bill 791 requires that following a mammogram, patients with dense breast tissue be informed that they have dense breast tissue, that dense breast tissue can obscure abnormalities (i.e., cancer) on a mammogram and that they may wish to discuss the potential value of additional screening(s) with their doctors.
read more ...
Wednesday, September 07, 2011
hide summary...
For seven straight years since turning 40, Amy Colton religiously scheduled a mammogram. Every year, the test showed nothing.
Two years ago, however, the registered nurse was shocked to discover she was in the latter stages of breast cancer. Then she learned that her radiologist and primary-care physician knew she had a condition that blocks the detection of cancer cells in mammograms—but they never told her.
Now she’s even more shocked that California’s powerful medical lobby is trying to block legislation that would require physicians to tell women if they have the condition, known as “extremely dense breast tissue.”
“I’m the patient; it’s my body. But I was never informed,” said Colton, who lives in Soquel. “It just took my breath away.”
Colton took her complaint to Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, who introduced SB 173, which would require doctors to tell women if they have the condition.
read more ...
Wednesday, September 07, 2011
hide summary...
Governor Jerry Brown has vetoed Senate Bill 28, which would have strengthened California’s hands-free and no-texting laws for motorists. The measure’s author, State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), called the veto “a lost opportunity to save more lives.” Simitian said he would, “review the Governor’s veto message to see if there is any room for compromise in the coming year.”
read more ...
Tuesday, September 06, 2011
hide summary...
Although many Californians ignore laws against using hand-held cellphones and sending text messages while driving, Gov. Jerry Brown on Wednesday rejected a proposal that would have taken a bigger bite from the wallets of violators.
Repeat offenders could have ended up paying more than $500 when court fees and penalties are added in, under legislation sponsored by Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto).
Simitian proposed that the base fine for the first offense increase from $20 to $50 because of concern that not enough motorists are complying with the 3-year-old hands-free requirement for cellphone uses.
read more ...
Thursday, September 01, 2011
hide summary...
Persistence paid off for Senator Joe Simitian. Governor Jerry Brown just signed Simitian’s Senate Bill 24, which will arm consumers with information to help prevent identity theft. In 2008, 2009 and 2010, Senator Simitian placed three previous versions of his security breach notification bill on the desk of former Governor Schwarzenegger, only to encounter vetoes.
If you are one of the many Californians who had your confidential information compromised in a security breach, you most likely found out by receiving a letter in the mail. After reading it, you were probably quite upset, but confused about what you should do about it. SB 24 will help consumers make sense of these notices, and help arm us to stop identity theft.
read more ...
Thursday, September 01, 2011
hide summary...
Legislation that protects the rights of drivers by regulating “red-light cameras” was approved by the Legislature on a bi-partisan vote, and now heads to Governor Jerry Brown for approval. Senate Bill 29, by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), would establish statewide standards for the installation and operation of traffic enforcement cameras, and make it easier to challenge unjustified tickets.
read more ...
Thursday, September 01, 2011
hide summary...
County governments will be better able to cover the growing number of California children who lack health insurance under legislation that passed the Assembly and the Senate today. Senate Bill 36, introduced by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), enables counties that provide children’s health insurance to tap additional federal funds at no cost to the state. The bill now goes to the Governor for his signature.
read more ...
August 2011
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
hide summary...
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.
read more ...
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
hide summary...
Earlier today Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law a bill by State Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) to enhance consumer privacy protection when sensitive data is lost or stolen. Senate Bill 24 strengthens the state’s existing data breach notification requirements by providing consumers with the information they need to protect themselves against identity theft.
read more ...
Friday, August 19, 2011
hide summary...
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.
read more ...
Thursday, August 18, 2011
hide summary...
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.
read more ...
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
hide summary...
To all those drivers who continue to yak on a handheld cellphone or text while behind the wheel—and there are many of you—pay attention. Fines are very likely to go up.
The California Legislature on Monday passed a bill that would raise the current fine plus penalties to $309 from $189. The bill now goes before Gov. Jerry Brown. A spokesman said Brown had no immediate comment on the bill, but supporters believe he will sign it into law.
Senate Bill 28, authored by Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, also would make a second offense a moving violation that would go on a driver’s record. That would potentially add up to $100 a year or more to violators’ insurance premiums unless they went to traffic school.
read more ...
Monday, August 15, 2011
hide summary...
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.
read more ...
July 2011
Saturday, July 23, 2011
hide summary...
A new state law that takes effect Jan. 1 will add an extra layer of privacy for library users in the digital age.
California’s library privacy laws were created before the advent of the Internet and, as a result, an individual’s interaction with the library outside of circulation was not protected under state law until Gov. Jerry Brown signed Senate Bill 445 earlier this month.
The bill was authored by state Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, but inspired by Librarylaw.com founder Mary Minow, who also manages the Stanford Copyright and Fair Use website.
Minow proposed the legislation as part of Simitian’s “There Oughta Be A Law” contest.
read more ...
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
hide summary...
Senate Bill 445 by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) to provide 21st century privacy protections for California library patrons, has been signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown. California’s library privacy laws were created before the use of the Internet. As a result, an individual’s interaction with the library outside of the typical library book circulation is not protected under current law.
read more ...
Friday, July 08, 2011
hide summary...
Governor Jerry Brown today signed legislation, Senate Bill 221, by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), 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.
read more ...
Wednesday, July 06, 2011
hide summary...
The California Legislature has approved Senate Bill 445 by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) to provide 21st century privacy protections for California library patrons. California’s library privacy laws were created before the use of the Internet. As a result, an individual’s interaction with the library outside of the typical library book circulation is not protected under current law.
read more ...
Tuesday, July 05, 2011
hide summary...
Mammograms should be recommended to women based on several individual risk factors, such as age, family history and breast density, doctors said in a study published Monday in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
But how many women know their breast density?
Under legislation proposed in California, every woman who has a mammogram would also receive information on her breast density. Studies have confirmed that having more high-density tissue, which has less fat, raises breast cancer risk while having more low-density tissue lowers it.
The proposed legislation, Senate Bill 173, is opposed by several medical groups, however. In a recent statement, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of District IX, the California Radiological Society, the California Medical Assn. and other groups say they oppose the bill.
read more ...
June 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
hide summary...
There’s one thing worse than a medical report that says you have cancer. That’s a report that says everything’s peachy keen—even though the procedure couldn’t really tell.
Soquel resident Amy Colton got caught in this trap. Despite annual all-clear mammograms, she suddenly found she had advanced breast cancer. Only then did she learn that she is among millions of women whose tissue is too dense for a mammogram to detect a small tumor.
And she’s a registered nurse.
Colton won state Sen. Joe Simitian’s “There Oughta Be a Law” contest, and he introduced SB 173 to require that patients be told if they have dense tissue. Then, they and their doctors—who already get this information routinely—can decide whether to have further screening.
read more ...
Monday, June 27, 2011
hide summary...
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.
read more ...
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
hide summary...
The Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies (CEERT) named State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) a “Clean Power Champion” for 2011 at their annual awards benefit in Sacramento Tuesday night.
read more ...
Thursday, June 16, 2011
hide summary...
State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) will be joined by breast cancer survivor and “ARE YOU DENSE?” founder, Nancy Cappello, PhD and radiologist Dr. Judy Dean at a press conference to discuss Senate Bill 173 and the importance of a patient’s right to knowledge about breast density.
read more ...
Thursday, June 09, 2011
hide summary...
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.
read more ...
Sunday, June 05, 2011
hide summary...
Cancer. No matter how sensitively the diagnosis is delivered, it is baffling, angering and frightening. Especially when you think you’ve done everything right to help ward off such a devastating diagnosis.
As a nurse, I’m diligent about my health. I get annual mammograms, perform self-exams, eat a healthy diet, exercise daily and have no family history of cancer. I thought I was armed with the information I needed to take care of my own well-being. I was wrong.
The missing piece of the puzzle turns out to be a piece of information that shouldn’t have been missing at all. My doctor had the information. I didn’t. It took my being a super sleuth, a cancer-diagnosed, fighting-for-my-life patient to discover that I had something that prevented radiologists from even seeing my cancer on a mammogram—dense breast tissue DBT…
...My outrage spurred me to enter state Sen. Joe Simitian’s annual “There Oughta Be A Law” contest. My winning entry resulted in the introduction of Senate Bill 173, which simply asks that the information that doctors and radiologists already have about a woman’s breast density be relayed to them in the annual letter they receive. It’s a small piece of information, but a vital piece that could spur many women to get the additional screenings they need before it’s too late.
read more ...
Friday, June 03, 2011
hide summary...
County governments will be better able to cover the growing number of California children who lack health insurance under legislation that passed the Senate this week. Senate Bill 36, introduced by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), enables counties that provide children’s health insurance to tap additional federal funds at no cost to the state. The bill now moves to the Assembly.
read more ...
Thursday, June 02, 2011
hide summary...
Legislation to curb “pension spiking” in the state’s two largest pension systems has been passed by the State Senate. Senate Bill 27, by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), addresses pension spiking, the practice of boosting an employee’s final salary shortly before retirement. Simitian’s legislation applies to the California Public Employees’ Retirement System and the California State Teachers’ Retirement System.
read more ...
Thursday, June 02, 2011
hide summary...
State Senator Joe Simitian’s (D-Palo Alto) bill aimed to increase breast cancer detection passed the State Senate yesterday on a vote of 34 to 5. Senate Bill 173 requires that following a mammogram individuals with dense breast tissue be informed that dense breast tissue may make cancer more difficult to discern and that they may wish to discuss additional screenings.
read more ...
May 2011
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
hide summary...
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.
read more ...
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
hide summary...
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.
read more ...
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
hide summary...
The story of a Sonoma State University freshman who allegedly ran over a toddler while texting on a cell phone is tragic. The toddler, 2-year-old Calli Murray, had just begun what her bereaved parents described as a bright and happy life.
Meanwhile, the life of Kaitlyn Dunaway - the 18-year-old who has been charged with vehicular manslaughter - will never be the same.
The case underscores the fact that texting is one of the worst forms of distracted driving. The California Office of Traffic Safety places it alongside drunken driving as one of the leading causes of crashes that result in fatalities or serious injuries. It’s time for it to be punished accordingly.
“The question is, are people going to understand the seriousness of this behavior?” said state Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto. Simitian has authored a bill, SB28, that’s passed the Senate and is awaiting votes in the Assembly. It would raise the base ticket fine for texting while driving from $20 to $50. Repeat offenders would have to pay $100 as a base fine and suffer a point on their licenses.
read more ...
Monday, May 16, 2011
hide summary...
Legislation that protects the rights of drivers by regulating “red-light cameras” passed today on a bi-partisan unanimous vote of 36-0 in the State Senate. Senate Bill 29, by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), would establish statewide standards for the installation and operation of traffic enforcement cameras, and make it easier to challenge unjustified tickets.
read more ...
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
hide summary...
State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) was recognized as an Environmental Champion by Green California Tuesday night during its Advocacy Day reception in the capital. Green California is a network of more than 70 environmental, health and justice organizations who, with their more than 1 million memberships, support the state’s most pressing environmental issues.
read more ...
April 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
hide summary...
A bill that would increase the cost of using a handheld cellphone or texting while driving to about $309 passed the state Senate on Monday and is headed to the Assembly.
“Good, good,” motorist Anna Fields of Sunnyvale said. “Anything to make these drivers on their phones understand the risks they are taking and the danger they pose to me and everyone else is badly needed.”
SB 28 by state Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, passed by a 24-12 vote. It would make a second offense a moving violation and raise the base fine from $20 to $50 per violation. With various fees, a first offense would cost $309, up from the current $208. A repeat offender could be fined $100, or $528 with fees.
read more ...
Monday, April 25, 2011
hide summary...
Today, the State Senate 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 passed by a vote of 24-12 and now moves to the State Assembly for consideration.
read more ...
Thursday, April 14, 2011
hide summary...
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.
read more ...
Thursday, April 14, 2011
hide summary...
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.
read more ...
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
hide summary...
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.
read more ...
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
hide summary...
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.’”
read more ...
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
hide summary...
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.
read more ...
--> More information on 2011-2012 Legislation