CTNS PRELIMINARY RUNDOWN
CAPITOL TELEVISION NEWS SERVICE
SACRAMENTO, CA
OFFICE: (916) 446-7890
FAX: (916) 446-7893
Wednesday, October 29th, 2008
• TO REQUEST 16 BY 9 FILES OF THE CTNS NEWSFEED ONLINE PLEASE CONTACT ROB GRIFFITH. THE CTNS PRELIM, MIDDAY AND SCRIPTS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE WEB AT WWW.CTNSNEWS.COM.•;
(EDITOR'S NOTE: FOR QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, AND/OR REQUESTS, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO CALL ROB GRIFFITH OR STEVE GEISSINGER@916-446-7890. ROB GRIFFITH CELL: (916) 600-8614.
STEVE GEISSINGER CELL: (916) 396-5140.
1. Gov Stumps for Prop. 11 VO/SOT
Governor Schwarzenegger has scheduled two campaign events today, stumping for Proposition 11 late this morning at the state capitol, then later this afternoon he'll do more of the same at the Concord Chamber of Commerce in the San Francisco Bay Area. Proposition 11 is the redistricting reform measure on the November ballot. The events are not being billed as press conferences or media availabilities, so it is unlikely the Governor will take questions. Efforting soundbites and video of the state capitol event.
2. Contested Districts VO/SOT
Democratic party representatives are expressing hope that voter turnout in support of Presidential candidate Barack Obama will carry over to down-ballot contests for the state legislature. Even though California's current legislative districts heavily favor candidates from the incumbent member's party, the district lines were drawn years ago, so voter turnout and population shifts since then could favor some Democratic candidates. If Democrats gain a net of two Senate and six Assembly seats, they would hold a 2/3rd majority in both houses, the majority needed to pass budgets and raise taxes on their own, leaving Republican lawmakers all but irrelevant. Efforting soundbites and video.
3. Ninth Circuit Video Games VO/SOT
State law passed in 2005 prohibits selling or renting violent video games to minors, with fines up to $1,000 for retailers who violate the law. The Video Software Dealers Association contested the law, and a federal judge agreed, barring its enforcement. The appeal of that decision will be heard this morning by a three judge panel of the federal 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which is convening at a Sacramento-area law school. Efforting soundbites and video.
4. CARB is Growing VO/SOT
Despite the state budget deficit, the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank will likely be moving out of the California EPA building to another state agency's headquarters, because the California Air Resources Board needs room to expand its operations. CARB is the state agency responsible for implementing regulations to enforce a 2006 law mandating the state reduce its total greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2020. Some of those regulations will include new fees to fund CARB's expansion. Efforting soundbites and video.
--ITEMS BELOW FYI ONLY - NO VIDEO--
Governor: More Taxes, More Cuts- In a discussion yesterday with representatives of the state's public school system, Governor Schwarzenegger reportedly told those assembled he will seek a combination of new taxes and spending cuts during the legislative special session in an effort to balance the state budget deficit. The Governor unsuccessfully proposed a one-percent sales tax increase during negotiations for the current budget, which the Governor yesterday indicated is now between $5 billion to $8 billion in deficit.
Special Session Travel Conflicts- Several state lawmakers have reportedly planned top travel overseas on separate non-publicly funded junkets to Hawaii, China and India during the month of November. Lawmakers would typically be on recess during November (which are scheduled to purportedly give lawmakers time to meet and work with constituents in their home districts), but may be called back to Sacramento to vote on budget changes negotiated between the Governor and legislative leaders.
Governor- Half million more for Prop. 11- Governor Schwarzenegger yesterday donated another $500,000 to the campaign supporting Proposition 11(see item #1 above). He has no donated nearly three million dollars for Prop. 11.
Feinstein Opposes Prop 8- The campaign to defeat Proposition 8, the November ballot measure that would effectively ban same-sex marriage in California, released a new television ad yesterday featuring U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein opposing the measure.
Eight Grade Algebra Blocked- Yesterday, a Sacramento Superior Court judge blocked the State Board of Education from attempting to implement its July decision to require all eighth-grade students to be tested for their proficiency in Algebra. The move was an effort to bring California into compliance with the federal No-Child-Left-Behind Act, but state Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell supported efforts of public school administration groups which filed suit, saying the Algebra mandate would be too expensive and difficult to implement.
Sac Airport's Giant Red Rabbit- Yesterday, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 to spend about 3/4 of a million dollars for the construction and placement of a 56-foot long red fiberglass rabbit sculpture in the yet-to-be built Sacramento International Airport's international flight terminal's replacement building. County ordinances require a percentage of public construction projects' funds to be used for art works, but there is no requirement they make any sense.
GOVERNOR'S SCHEDULE
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is in Sacramento this morning, and Concord this afternoon. (See item #1 above)
LEGISLATURE'S SCHEDULE
The legislature is in recess until December 1st, but yesterday Governor Schwarzenegger announced he will call for a special session November 5th. The legislature may not actually convene until days later. A new legislature will be sworn in on December 1st.
--END CTNS PRELIMINARY RUNDOWN--
