Free Republic

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A California lawmaker wants to make his state the first to ban incandescent lightbulbs as part of California's groundbreaking initiatives to reduce energy use and greenhouse gases blamed for global warming. The "How Many Legislators Does it Take to Change a Lightbulb Act" would ban incandescent lightbulbs by 2012 in favor of energy-saving compact fluorescent lightbulbs. "Incandescent lightbulbs were first developed almost 125 years ago, and since that time they have undergone no major modifications," California Assemblyman Lloyd Levine said on Tuesday. "Meanwhile, they remain incredibly inefficient, converting only about 5 percent of the energy they...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — It may soon be lights out for the traditional light bulb in California. Assemblyman Lloyd Levine, D-Van Nuys, is proposing that the Golden State become the first to ban sales of incandescent light bulbs, by 2012. In their place, Californians could purchase more energy-efficient compact fluorescent lamps. Those are the spiral-shaped bulbs that cost more upfront but save money and energy over the long haul. Switching light bulbs is an idea that environmentalists have long supported. But getting consumers to embrace change has been slow going. Banning energy-intensive incandescents "saves consumers money, saves the state money and...

Ignorance is Strength in Shift to Green Power "Ignorance is strength" - slogan in novel 1984 by George Orwell Van Nuys State Assemblyman Lloyd Levine (D) is reported to want to raise the bar on the percentage of green power that California cities and public utilities must purchase from 20% to 33% http://californiachronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=18751 However, it is well-documented that cities are not prepared to make even the lower requirement by 2010 (see here: http://calenergy.blogspot.com/2006/09/california-is-all-talk-on-green-energy_25.html). Levine wants 33% "renewable" energy by 2020. His Assembly Bill 94 would additionally apply to power supplies for PG&E, Southern California Edison, and San Diego Gas and...

SACRAMENTO - Debate over a bill that would let registered domestic partners file joint state tax returns devolved into a shouting match Wednesday as Assembly members accused each other of intolerance and one Republican said his gay colleagues live a deviant lifestyle. Discussion of the bill began to heat up when Assemblyman Jay La Suer, R-La Mesa, called the measure "part of the homosexual agenda." He said it would negatively affect California's children by teaching them "that this is an acceptable lifestyle." Assemblyman Lloyd Levine, D-Sherman Oaks, countered that "the real homosexual agenda is simple equality and freedom from discrimination."...

SACRAMENTO-– A California legislative committee passed a bill yesterday that would force all public schools to promote transsexuality, bisexuality, and homosexuality on campus. The California Senate Education Committee approved AB 606 on a 7-to-2 party-line vote, Democrats for, Republicans against. The author is Assemblyman Lloyd Levine, a Los Angeles Democrat. AB 606 would authorize the California Superintendent of Public Instruction to arbitrarily withhold state funds (around 2/3rds of a school district’s budget) from any district that does not adequately promote transsexuality, bisexuality, or homosexuality in its school policies. AB 606 repeals the current state law prohibiting transsexual, bisexual, and homosexual...

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A U.S. Supreme Court ruling backing Oregon's physician-assisted suicide law gives a major boost to a similar measure languishing in the California legislature since last year, lawmakers said on Tuesday. "I believe we will get this bill passed this year and signed by the governor," said Assemblyman Lloyd Levine, co-author of a law to allow state residents to obtain lethal medication if they had less than six months to live. Levine, a Democrat, spoke after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected legal arguments by the Bush Administration seeking to strike down Oregon's pioneering Death with Dignity Act....