CTNS PRELIMINARY RUNDOWN
CAPITOL TELEVISION NEWS SERVICE
SACRAMENTO, CA
OFFICE: (916) 446-7890
FAX: (916) 446-7893
Tuesday, November 25th, 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. Budget Deadline VO/SOT
The Senate and Assembly have scheduled session this afternoon (too late for CTNS feed) to vote on what will likely be no more than a so-called "drill'' vote to determine individual lawmakers' support and opposition to proposed budget revisions. Governor Schwarzenegger called the legislature into emergency special session, and proposed tax hikes and spending cuts to close the state's $11.2 budget deficit for the current fiscal year. Democrats, who oppose cuts, and Republicans, who oppose tax increases, are expected to vote along party lines. Efforting soundbites and video.
2. Foreclosure Protest VO/SOT
Mortgage borrowers faced with foreclosure are staging a rally to demand state government action. Democrats have proposed a package of bills intended to slow foreclosures but it's unclear whether that legislation will be heard today or sometime after the newly election Legislature is sworn in December 1st. Efforting soundbites and video.
3. Unsafe Toys VO/SOT
The California Public Interest Research Group and the California Coalition for Children's Health and Safety are releasing their 23rd annual toy safety report. Efforting soundbites and video.
--ITEMS BELOW FYI ONLY NO VIDEO
Death Penalty- California's 1st District Court of Appeal has ruled the state did not follow required procedures to obtain public comment when it revised its rules to modify lethal injection procedures, effectively extending a moratorium on the death penalty in California. The modifications to the only legally allowed capital punishment in California were ordered by a federal judge in April 2006 after he determined the existing lethal injection protocols could cause condemned inmates to suffer pain before their death, a violation of constitutional protections against cruel and unusual punishment. It will take several months for the state to either schedule the required public comment hearings, or have an appeal on the 1st Appellate Court's decision heard by the State Supreme Court.
Physical Fitness Results- State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today will release results of the 2008 California Physical Fitness Test at a press conference this morning in La Crescenta.
KJ Inauguration- Former NBA ALL-Star and Sacramento Mayor-elect Kevin Johnson will hold his Inaugural ball this evening. Johnson will be Sacramento's first Black Mayor.
FPPC to Investigate Mormon Church- The state's Fair Political Practices Commission says it will investigate complaints that the Mormon Church made non-monetary contributions (such as organizing phone-trees and distributing campaign materials) to the campaign to pass Proposition 8, the ballot measure that bans same-sex marriage. The FPPC receives hundreds of such complaints each year.
GOVERNOR'S SCHEDULE
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is in Sacramento today. This morning he has scheduled a visit with Sacramento Mayor-elect Kevin Johnson. He has no other public events scheduled, though he may meet with lawmakers to continue to negotiate a budget fix.
LEGISLATURE'S SCHEDULE
Floor session is scheduled for this afternoon in the Assembly at 3 p.m. The Senate will convene upon call of the President Pro Tempore. The Legislature has been called to special session to close the state's $11.2 billion budget deficit this fiscal year. Today is the last day the existing Legislature can logistically act before the Thanksgiving holiday and the swearing in of the newly elected Legislature on Dec. 1st.
