Posted on 09/22/2006 9:22:29 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
Given that many moderate and conservative Californians see Arnold Schwarzenegger's veto pen as all that protects them from the most far-left Legislature north of Caracas, it may be a surprise to learn that so far the governor's sign-to-veto ratio on bills sent his way is a stunning 19 to 1. As of yesterday afternoon, Schwarzenegger had given his official blessings to 379 measures while only rejecting 20. The governor seems to think California doesn't have enough laws already.
We disagree. Here is our second list of bills now on Schwarzenegger's desk whose next stop should be the trash can, not the California Government Code.
AB 2444. It's amazing how much time Democratic legislators spend trying to get around state laws requiring most new or higher taxes to be approved by voters or by two-thirds of the Legislature. This bill, which would allow San Francisco Bay Area counties to impose additional “fees” for vehicle registration to pay for congestion relief and environmental projects, is the latest example. If Bay Area politicians are sure their voters want what this “fee” hike would pay for, why not ask them to provide funds through local ballot measures?
AB 680. The California Department of Education is already overwhelmed with bureaucratic requirements. This bill would force it to undertake another massive project: tracking millions of documents sent home by thousands of schools to make sure that a proper number are written in the primary language of students' parents. No one seriously argues schools are keeping minority parents in the dark about their children's work. This is a green-eyeshade version of pointless political correctness.
AB 2108. This bill would require all but unusually tall children ages 8 and under to use a child-safety booster seat, a change from the current 6 and under. We are certain there is some statistical rationale for this measure showing it would reduce injuries. But it is also true that if all children were required to wear bicycle helmets around the clock, injuries would go down even more. At some point, safety choices must be left to parents. And if this law passes, so much for using minivans to cart the neighborhood kids back and forth from soccer practice – unless drivers choose to stockpile booster seats.
SB 1578. This bill would make the tethering of dogs to a stationary object a crime punishable by up to six months in jail. (No, we are not making this up.) In an ideal world, all dogs would have tenders devoted to their every need, and fields the size of Qualcomm Stadium on which to romp. This is not such a world. Existing laws on animal cruelty are more than adequate.
AB 695. This would allow attorneys to sue retailers who didn't have proper signs detailing their return policies. Really, can't Democratic lawmakers be a little more subtle in their payoffs to the trial-lawyer lobby?
We'll probably offer another please-veto-these list in coming days. As Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf would say, the governor's desk is a target-rich environment.
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