CTNS PRELIMINARY RUNDOWN
CAPITOL TELEVISION NEWS SERVICE
SACRAMENTO, CA
OFFICE: (916) 446-7890
FAX: (916) 446-7893
Thursday, November 20, 2008
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1. Scoping Plan Workshop VO/SOT
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) will hold the first of two public comment workshops today to gather input for its draft scoping plan. The plan will provide the framework for implementing CARB's yet-to-be-written rules and regulations intended to reduce California's greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2020, as required by the so-called Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB32). Efforting soundbites and video.
2. Pension Fund Angst VO/SOT
The CalPERS Board of Administration will report today that its housing investment portfolio has taken big losses due to the housing foreclosure crisis. CalPERS invests the state's contributions to public employees' retirement and health care benefits. A pension reform advocate says the drop in value should be taken as a warning sign for the need for sweeping public employee pension reforms. Efforting soundbites and video.
3. Regeneration Medicine VO/SOT
The Little Hoover Commission holds a public hearing to assess the governance of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine and its Independent Citizens Oversight Committee. The assessment was requested by state both a Democratic and a Republican state Senator. Efforting soundbites and video.
4. Internet User Protection VO/SOT
The group American for Technology Leadership is hosting what it calls the "Take Back the Net" conference, with the goal of informing consumers, businesses and IT professionals how to limit their vulnerability to privacy violations while on line. Efforting soundbites and video.
--ITEMS BELOW FYI ONLY - NO VIDEO--
Classroom Cuts- Yesterday in Long Beach, the California State University Board of Trustees voted to approve Chancellor Charles Reed's plan to cut incoming freshman enrollment system wide by 10,000 students in an effort to cope with anticipated spending cuts from the state's general fund. It's the first time the system is officially capping enrollment opportunities for eligible students.
The University of California Board of Regents finance committee yesterday approved a core operating budget for the upcoming 2009-2010 school year that's 15 percent larger than the current year, despite pending cuts. The committee is also notifying the state it will have to cut freshman enrollments next year if the state doesn't provide its requested funds.
Feds to the Rescue?- Yesterday Assembly Speaker Karen Bass said she hopes to balance the state's $11.2 billion dollar budget shortfall with a mix of tax increases and a federal bailout, but no spending increases. Senate President-elect Darrel Steinberg also says he hopes for a federal bailout, saying he hopes a bailout would minimize state spending cuts. Yesterday, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid blocked a Senate vote to bailout the Big Three automakers, and there's been no indication Congress or President-elect Obama are planning any state or local government bailouts.
Election Counts- The most recent numbers available from the Secretary of State's office indicate former Assemblyman Tony Strickland (R) continues his slim but widening lead over challenger Hannah-Beth Jackson(D) by 1,576 votes. Democrats are hoping to win the seat to come within one vote of the coveted two-thirds supermajority in the Senate, allowing them to vote to pass budgets and raise taxes in that house regardless of Republican opposition.
In the Assembly, Jack Sieglock® continues to lead Alyson Huber, with the latest lead at 1,007 votes, in the race for the 10th Assembly District. Regardless of the outcome of that race, Democrats will not assume a two-thirds majority in that house for the upcoming session, which starts December 1st. Termed-out state Senator Tom McClintock continues to lead in his bid for California's fourth Congressional District against Democratic opponent Charley Brown by 592 votes.
GOVERNOR'S SCHEDULE
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is Sacramento today. He has no public events scheduled.
LEGISLATURE'S SCHEDULE
The Legislature has been called to special session to close the state's $11.2 billion budget deficit, but has no sessions scheduled for today. A meeting of the Assembly Judiciary Committee scheduled for today has been cancelled. Both the Assembly and Senate have scheduled sessions for Sunday afternoon, but despite reports of on-going meetings between legislative leaders and representatives for the Governor, there have been no reports of any new budget deals upon which lawmakers would vote.
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