May 19, 2008

CalChamber targets 'job killer' bills

The California Chamber of Commerce released its annual list of "job killer" bills on Monday, targeting 33 bills - all carried by Democrats - for defeat. Under Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's governorship, few interest groups have been as effective as the CalChamber at defeating legislation.

Since he was sworn into office, Schwarzenegger has signed only three bills on the Chamber's list of most egregious legislation.

In 2007, the Chamber blocked 16 of its original 25 "job killers" (three more were later added to the list). Schwarzenegger vetoed every such bill that reached his desk.

In 2006, he vetoed nine of the 11 bills. In 2005, he vetoed seven of eight. In 2004, he vetoed all ten.

Those that he has signed have been notable, including a hike in the minimum wage and the landmark global warming law he has touted across the state and on national magazine covers.

The 2008 CalChamber list includes seven holdovers from 2007, which the Chamber successfully helped stall last year, including Sen. Sheila Kuehl's single-payer health care proposal (SB 840).

"Economic recovery is the linchpin for a long-term budget solution," said CalChamber President Allan Zaremberg in a statement accompanying the list. "In the face of this year's budget deficit, the Legislature must focus on helping to strengthen California's economy. Should these 'job killer' bills become law, they would impose a variety of mandates, barriers, and unnecessary regulatory hurdles on California's already overburdened employers."

At least one bill on the 2008 hit list might be signed by Schwarzenegger: Sen. Alan Lowenthal's SB 974, which would impose fees on containers moving through the ports to pay for environmental mitigation.

Last September, Schwarzenegger issued a statement saying, "I support the concept of SB 974."

Of the bills on the 2008 list, five are authored by Sacramento Assemblyman Dave Jones, making him the most prolific "job killer" legislator. Assemblyman Paul Krekorian of Burbank has authored three bills. Four others have at least two bills on the list.

Here's the full list of "job killer" bills:

AB 1065 (Lieber; D-Mountain View)
AB 2046 (Jones; D-Sacramento)
AB 2112 (Saldaña; D-San Diego)
AB 2153 (Krekorian; D-Burbank)
AB 2705 (Jones; D-Sacramento
AB 2716 (Ma; D-San Francisco)
AB 2279 (Leno; D-San Francisco)
SB 840 (Kuehl; D-Santa Monica)
SB 1115 (Migden; D-San Francisco)
SB 1717 (Perata; D-Oakland)
AB 1840 (C. Calderon; D-Montebello)/ABX3 2 (C. Calderon; D-Montebello)
AB 2030 (Lieu; D-Torrance)
AB 2359 (Jones; D-Sacramento)
AB 2372 (Coto; D-San Jose)
AB 2447 (Jones; D-Sacramento)
AB 2514 (Eng; D-Monterey Park)
AB 2678 (Nunez; D-Los Angeles
AB 2897 (Hancock; D-Berkeley)
SB 375 (Steinberg; D-Sacramento
SB 974 (Lowenthal; D-Long Beach)
SB 1165 (Kuehl; D-Santa Monica)
AB 2546 (De La Torre; D-South Gate
SB 899 (Simitian; D-Palo Alto)
AB 2558 (Feuer; D-Los Angeles)
ABX3 9 (Nunez; D-Los Angeles)
SB 140 (Kehoe; D-San Diego)
SB 445 (Torlakson; D-Antioch)
SB 1240 (Kehoe; D-San Diego)
AB 437 (Jones; D-Sacramento)
AB 1456 (Laird; D-Santa Cruz
AB 2690 (Krekorian; D-Burbank)
AB 2847 (Krekorian; D-Burbank)
SB 1113 (Migden; D-San Francisco)

For the chamber's spin on the bills check here.

Posted by Shane Goldmacher on May 19, 2008 3:37 PM