Arizona-style immigration measure, gift limit among new legislative session’s bills

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The bill mill in Sacramento is back in high gear, with state legislators introducing more than 100 proposed new laws on the first day of the new two-year session.

Measures include an Arizona-style immigration law, a lifting of the ban on fruit-infused alcoholic beverages, new limits on political ‘robocalls’ and tougher restrictions on gifts received by elected officials.

New Assemblyman and Minuteman activist Tim Donnelly (R-Twin Peaks) introduced a bill similar to Arizona’s controversial immigration enforcement law. His AB 26 would make it a misdemeanor under state law to be in California illegally and would require enforcement of immigration laws against employers who knowingly hire illegal aliens.

‘Many polls indicate the vast majority of Californians favor the Arizona illegal immigration enforcement law and are against spending money and giving entitlements to people in the country illegally,’ Donnelly said.

Sen. Sam Blakeslee (R-San Luis Obispo) introduced a measure, SB 19, that would allow Californians to opt to join a do-not-call registry that would spare them from receiving pesky political robocalls, in which a recorded message is automatically sent to their phones.

Blakeslee is also attempting for the third time to limit the ability of special interest groups to provide expensive gifts to elected officials. His SB 18 proposes restrictions, but does not yet have details on what value of gift would be prohibited.

“Legislators do not require Pebble Beach tee-times, box tickets to the Lakers or international getaways to do their jobs,” Blakeslee said. “This type of extravagant gifting in a time when California families are struggling to pay their bills fosters the wrong culture in Sacramento and sends the wrong message to the public.”

-- Patrick McGreevy in Sacramento