California lawmakers again consider legalizing sports betting

Days after the Super Bowl provided one of the biggest wagering opportunities of the year, California officials are once again discussing legislation to legalize sports betting in this state.

State Sen. Roderick Wright (D-Los Angeles) has had bill language drafted similar to SB 1390, the legislation he introduced last year that was approved by the Senate but stalled in the Assembly, according to Stan DiOrio, his legislative director.

On Wednesday, the Senate Republican Caucus put out a report on the issue, noting that new legislation is likely and that there are potential benefits to allowing Californians to legally place bets in their home state on the Lakers, Dodgers or Ducks games.

"Authorizing sports wagering at California's horse racing tracks and satellite wagering facilities on fair grounds, card clubs, and tribal casinos, for instance, could … bring more people into these facilities on slow business days," the report said. "Such a plan might provide the vital financial help to the racing and fair industries which they have been seeking desperately."

It also could provide tax revenue to the state, the report said. But, the Republican analysis warned that it would not be enough for the state to pass a law legalizing sports betting. That is because there is a federal prohibition on sports betting in all but a few states, according to the report, titled  "You Wanna Bet? Legalized Wagering on Sporting Events Gets a Second Look."

A lawsuit is challenging the federal law, and Congress is considering a bill to allow sports betting in some states, but the Republican analysis says the challenges are "great" to remove all the obstacles, including opposition from professional sports leagues that fear it will lead athletes and others to cheat.

"Many would argue that the opposite is true – that a legalized, regulated, and policed wagering environment will reduce cheating as sports-fixing schemes are, by their nature, done through illegal means,'' the report said.

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Photo: Jacoby Jones, center, of the Baltimore Ravens runs for a touchdown in the third quarter against the San Francisco 49ers during the Super Bowl. Credit: Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Image.

 

 

Senator gets free trip to Super Bowl for campaign fundraiser

State Sen. Kevin De Leon of Los Angeles is getting free travel expenses and a ticket to Sunday's Super Bowl game in New Orleans, and all he has to do is glad-hand some donors who are helping replenish the campaign account used to elect Democrats in California.

The Senate Democratic Caucus political staff "planned and organized a small but successful fundraising event at the Super Bowl this weekend to benefit the California Democratic Party," said Jason Kinney, a member of the staff. The party is paying the expenses for the event, including De Leon's attendance.

De Leon said the arrangements had been vetted by an attorney to make sure he does not violate the state’s $440 limit on gifts to legislators, which has an exemption for political party fundraisers. "It’s all reportable" to the public, De Leon said.

Tickets to the NFL championship game have face values starting at $850, and those for the fundraiser were purchased from the NFL.

Kinney said De Leon stepped in to attend the fundraiser when Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg of Sacramento had to bow out at the last minute. "Personally, I think it demonstrates impressive generosity of spirit that Los Angeles' own Kevin de Leon is willing to show up and pretend to root for a San Francisco team for three whole hours,'" Kinney said.

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Photo: San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) stretches with teammates including center Jonathan Goodwin (59) during practice Friday as they prepare for Sunday's Super Bowl. Credit: Mark Humphrey / Associated Press

 

Former Sen. Dutton issued warning over political fund violation

Former State Sen. Bob Dutton (R-Rancho Cucamonga) violated the Political Reform Act when he used funds from his political officeholder account to buy his old state car, according to the state ethics agency, but he is only getting a warning letter, not fines.

Dutton violated a provision of the law aimed at preventing politicians from benefiting personally from their campaign funds, according to a letter by Gary Winuk, chief of enforcement for the state Fair Political Practices Commission.

Winuk said the Act "prohibits the use of campaign funds to purchase a vehicle if title to the vehicle is held by the elected officer controlling the committee."

Dutton used $12,681 in political officerholder funds, raised from campaign contributors, to buy a 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe that was registered in his name.

The vehicle had been owned by the state before the perk of free cars was taken away and the state auctioned the cars off to dealers. Dutton purchased it from Maita Toyota, his campaign statements show.

"However, because, as you stated, the title was jointly held by you and the committee in order to obtain insurance for the vehicle, and because you have since sold the vehicle and returned the funds from the sale to the ... Senator Bob Dutton Officeholder Account, we are closing your case with this warning letter," Winuk wrote.

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Photo: Former state Sen. Bob Dutton (R-Rancho Cucamonga) shown at work last year. Credit: Rich Pedroncelli/Associated Press

 

Earthquake early-warning system proposed by California lawmaker

A state lawmaker is proposing to have California create an earthquake early warning system based on recent scientific breakthroughs.

State Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima) plans to unveil his legislation on Monday at the California Institute of Technology Seismological Laboratory in Pasadena, where he will be joined by scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey, Caltech and UC Berkeley.

Padilla's proposal follows the release three weeks ago of a study by Caltech and the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology that concluded for the first time that a quake involving both the Los Angeles and San Francisco areas might be possible.

Enhancing the California Integrated Seismic Network, seismologists propose a system that would process data from sensors throughout the state. It would detect the strength and the progression of earthquakes and provide up to 60 seconds of warning before potentially damaging ground shaking is felt, Padilla said.

“A fully developed earthquake early warning system would provide Californians critical seconds to take cover, assist loved ones, pull to the side of the road, or exit a building,'' said Padilla, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology graduate. "It could allow time to stop a train or power down other critical infrastructure.''

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Photo: State Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima). Credit: Richard Hartog / Los Angeles Times

 

 

Cal lawmakers propose 72-hour posting of bills before final votes

A bipartisan group of California lawmakers concerned by the past rushing of legislation has proposed asking voters to require all bills to be in print and online for 72 hours before final passage.

Sen. Lois Wolk (D- Davis) and Assemblywoman Kristin Olsen (R-Modesto) have introduced identical bills with the aim of improving transparency in the Legislature.

Wolk noted that in the last two-year session, the Legislature considered nearly 5,000 bills. "While most of those proposals were publicly shared and well-vetted, some were not,” Wolk said. "Last-minute changes to bills can leave legislators unsure of what they are voting on, and prevent the public from weighing in on proposals."

Her Senate Constitutional Amendment 10 is jointly authored by Senate Republican leader Bob Huff (R-Diamond Bar) and Sen. Lou Correa (D-Santa Ana), and coauthored by Olsen and Sen. Mark DeSaulnier (D-Concord).

Assemblyman Mike Morrell (R-Rancho Cucamonga) previously introduced a bill requiring all budget bills to be posted on the Internet for three days before action. The constitutional amendments introduced by Wolk and Olsen would apply to all legislation, including budget bills.

“Californians are largely cynical about their state government and these bills will help increase better decision making and accountability,” said Olsen, who introduced Assembly Constitutional Amendment 4.

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Photo: The state Capitol. Credit: Los Angeles TImes

 

 

Senate leader targets Microsoft over Kings deal

Senate leader Darrell Steinberg is none too happy that Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is part of an effort to move the Sacramento Kings to Seattle. 

The Sacramento Democrat is sending a letter to Fred Klass, director of the state Department of General Services, asking for details on all the taxpayer money California state government spends on Microsoft products and services. 

"I am troubled that a company and a CEO that has for so long enjoyed a prosperous and beneficial working relationship with the State of California and its taxpayers would blatantly engage in activities which are clearly and measurably detrimental to our State's job and revenue base," Steinberg wrote.

Although Steinberg doesn't have direct authority over the state's technology contracts, he clearly intends to turn up the heat. 

"I cannot stand idly by while a prominent out-of-state company that has significantly profited from business with the State of California actively attempts to acquire and remove one of my State and my region’s leading private assets," he wrote.

The family that owns the Kings has agreed to sell the basketball team to a Seattle group. However, it could still be rejected by the NBA's Board of Governors, and Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson is racing to put together a counteroffer to keep the team in California's capital. 

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Photo: Sacramento Kings fans show support for their team in February 2011. Credit: Steve Yeater / Associated Press

Former Sen. Jim Brulte to compete for state GOP chairmanship

Former state Sen. Jim Brulte  announced at a meeting of Republican activists in San Diego on Monday night that he was officially a candidate to become state GOP chairman.

Brulte becomes the frontrunner for the California Republican Party leadership position at a time when voter registration by the party has dropped below 30% and Democrats have won supermajorities in both houses of the Legislature.

He said his goals include rebuilding Republican grassroots organizations, recruiting more diverse candidates from more neighborhoods and boosting the party's fundraising ability to pay off a debt that at one point approached $500,000.

"Candidates come and go, but political parties should be eternal,'' Brulte told The Times. "The Republican Party needs to rely more on itself rather than elected officials to raise money.''

Brulte represented part of San Bernardino County when he was the Senate Republican leader from  2000 to 2004 and Assembly Republican leader from 1992 to 1996.

He is now a partner in the public affairs firm California Strategies, heading up the company’s Inland Empire office.

The chairmanship will be filled at the state Republican Party’s spring convention in March.

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Photo: Former State Sen. Jim Brulte (R-Rancho Cucamonga). Credit: Robert Durell.

 

 

Replace Columbus Day with Native American Day, lawmaker proposes

A California lawmaker has proposed replacing  Columbus Day with Native American Day and making it a state holiday.

Assemblyman Roger Hernandez (D–West Covina) introduced a bill that would make the switch for the second Monday of October.The state stopped providing state workers with the day as a paid holiday a few years ago.

The day currently honors Christopher Columbus as an explorer who was instrumental in Europe's discovery of America. But others say that led to terrible times.

"Columbus Day is still recognized in California, despite the egregious actions taken against Native American people," Hernandez said in a statement.

A release issued by Hernandez's office said the legislation is "inspired by the recognition that the so-called discovery of the Americas by Columbus eventually led to the genocide of Native Americans. This bill hence provides the proper respect and recognition to our Native American nations."

AB 55 has already run into opposition in the Legislature from a lawmaker who believes Columbus should still be honored.

"As a proud fifth-generation Italian American, I support Columbus Day and the contributions of Italians to California," said Sen. Cathleen Galgiani (D-Stockton).

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Photo: Assemblyman Roger Hernandez (D-West Covina). Credit: Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press

 

 

 

 

Tough gun control laws linked to lower death rates

A San Francisco-based policy center on gun control laws has produced a report that says states with strict gun laws have the lowest gun-related death rates. In contrast, it reports, states with the highest per capita gun death rates have "weak" gun laws.

The study by the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence is touted by Sen. Leland Yee (D-San Francisco) as support for his own legislation tightening California's current assault weapon ban. The bill, SB47, would prohibit semiautomatic weapons from having devices that allow them to carry high-capacity magazines or easily be reloaded with multiple rounds of ammunition. A similar version of the bill failed to pass in 2012.

"It is a fact that strong gun laws work and weak laws result in the loss of innocent lives," Yee said.

Yee notes that the law center cited low per-capita gun death rates in Hawaii, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut -- states that the law center identified as having some of the toughest gun laws in the country.

He failed to mention the law center also included California on its list of states with the strongest gun control laws and lowest gun-releated deaths. The center declares California has the toughest gun control laws in the nation and gives the state an "A minus" on its report card, a designation shared only with New Jersey and Massachussetts. 

The highest per-capita gun death rates were in Alaska, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Wyoming, Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi -- states that the law center said have weak gun control laws.

The center was formed by Bay area lawyers in 1993 following an assault weapon rampage at a San Francisco law office that ended with 10 people dead and six wounded.

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Photo: An AR-15-style rifle is displayed at a gun shop. Legislation proposed by Sen. Leland Yee would tighten California's assault weapon ban. Credit: Alex Brandon / Associated Press

California Senate leader reshuffles committee chairmanships

With last month’s election replacing a quarter of the state Senate, President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) on Friday reshuffled committee chairmanships and plugged holes in the leadership ahead of the new two-year session.

Steinberg gave committee chairmanships to four of the 10 rookie senators, including former Assemblyman Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo), who was appointed chairman of the Banking and Financial Institutions Committee and the Democratic Caucus.

Another new senator, former Assemblywoman Cathleen Galgiani (D-Tracy), was appointed chairwoman of the Agriculture Committee, while former Assemblyman James Beall (D-San Jose) was named to head the Public Employment and Retirement Committee.

The assignments, set for confirmation by the Rules Committee next month, also put new Sen. Richard Roth (D-Riverside) in charge of the Legislative Ethics Committee and a subcommittee on the budget regarding state administration.

 Steinberg’s removal of Republican Sen. Mimi Walters of Laguna Niguel as head of ethics comes after she became the subject of an investigation by the state Fair Political Practices Commission. That agency is looking into phone calls made by her office to prison officials regarding a billing dispute involving her husband’s medical contracting firm, which until recently did business with the prisons department.

Asked whether the investigation affected Steinberg's decision, spokesman Mark Hedlund said "The pro tem made his decision based on who he thought was the best person for the job.''

Reelected Sen. Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) kept the chairmanship of the Budget and Fiscal Review Committee, and Sen. Kevin De Leon (D-Los Angeles) takes over the powerful Appropriations Committee from Christine Kehoe (D-San Diego) who left office because of term limits.

Steinberg kept Sen. Roderick Wright (D-Los Angeles) as chairman of the Senate Governmental Organization Committee that oversees gambling issues even though Wright is currently battling criminal charges of  voter fraud and perjury. "That's yet to be adjudicated,'' Hedlund said.

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Photo: Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D–Sacramento), left, shakes hands with Sen. Mark Leno (D-San Francisco), after a budget vote in June. Steinberg retained Leno as chairman of the powerful Budget and Fiscal Review Committee on Friday. Credit: Rich Pedroncelli/Associated Press.