Senate Appropriations Committee to Hear Chemical Exposure Legislation
On Monday, Aug. 27, the Senate Appropriations Committee will take up AB 515, authored by Assemblywoman Sally Lieber (D-Mountain View), legislation that would require the state’s Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board to assign permissible exposure limits (PELs) to many chemicals used in the workplace. CHI opposes the legislation because it is duplicative and unnecessary. There are current standards in place at the federal and state levels for setting PELs, which incorporate input from labor organizations, industry, and nationally recognized experts in occupational health. In addition, PEL changes to chemicals used in the life sciences industry have the potential to alter research and manufacturing processes, resulting in significant cost increases. For more information contact burt@chi.org

Senate Approve State Budget
Almost two months after the legislative deadline, on Tuesday, Aug. 21, lawmakers in the State Senate approved a $145 billion budget. This allows the state to begin making payments for programs that have been on hold since July 1, the beginning of the new fiscal year. Republicans, whose votes were needed to reach the two-thirds majority necessary for passage, had been holding strong on their requests for program cuts that would balance the budget and reduce the state deficit. In the end, a commitment by the governor to use his line-item veto power to cut $700 million from the final package and a Democratic concession relating to greenhouse gas emissions led to Senate Minority Leader Dick Ackerman casting the final vote for approval. The governor is expected to sign the budget into law Aug. 24. With only four weeks left in the legislative session, attention will now shift to an ambitious policy agenda that includes proposals to make sweeping changes to the current health care system.

Governor's Attention Shifts Back to Healthcare
With the near-record state budget impasse ended, the governor has shifted his focus back to comprehensive healthcare reform. Only four weeks remain in the legislative session and an optimistic Schwarzenegger believes there is still an opportunity to overhaul the current system. The governor reaffirmed his principles of shared responsibility on Wednesday, threatening to veto the Democratic-backed health care proposal should it rely solely on employers to pay for coverage. He also hinted at the possibility of a special session, keeping lawmakers in Sacramento past the Sept. 14 adjournment, and, if necessary, a ballot initiative that would go directly to the public.

Public Opinion Shifts on Healthcare
In a Field Poll released on Wednesday, Aug. 22, 69 percent of voters express dissatisfaction with the state of the current healthcare system in California. The results of the poll show a substantial increase in voter discontent since a similar poll taken last December. Confidence in the governor and the legislature to initiate reform is waning, with almost 60 percent of respondents believing that no major policy reforms will happen this year. Public sentiment for the type of healthcare system the state should provide is also changing with the public showing increased support for a single-payer system.

Ballot Initiatives Place California at the Center of the 2008 Presidential Election
Candidates for the next presidential election will be keeping an eye on California over the next year as competing ballot initiatives look to change the way the state allocates its electoral votes. A Republican sponsored initiative would change the current winner-take-all system to a district-by-district basis, potentially giving Republicans at least 19 of the state’s 55 electoral votes, a move many think could decide the White House. A Field Poll released on Monday, Aug. 20, showed that voters’ initial reactions are in favor of the measure by a margin of 47 percent to 35 percent. In response, Democrats have filed a separate initiative that would alter the system to elect the president by national popular vote. The national drive towards a popular vote would not scrap the electoral college, but would require states to award their electoral votes to whichever candidate wins the most actual votes nationally. It would take effect only if states representing a majority of the electoral votes agree to the change. Should both measures end up with majorities after the June election, the one with the most votes would become law.

Stem Cell Institute Names New President
Former president of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, Richard Murphy, Ph.D., was named on Thursday, Aug. 9, as the new president of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). The institute, created by a voter initiative to devote $3 billion to stem cell research in California, has been without a president since the departure in April of neurobiologist Zach Hall. Although Murphy, who has agreed to a six-month contract, has ruled out taking the job permanently, he comes at an important time for the agency as it shifts its attention from legal battles and begins its mission of awarding research grants to California academic institutions. Murphy served on the CHI board of directors for four years until June 2007.

President to Resign from University of California
University of California President Robert C. Dynes announced his resignation on Monday, Aug. 13, ending a bumpy four-year tenure in which the university overcame significant budget problems but suffered a highly publicized pay scandal. Dynes won't officially vacate the position until June 2008 and will spend the remaining months visiting campuses to discuss the university's future and strengthening research ties with international corporations. Wyatt R. Hume, provost and executive vice president and member of CHI's board of directors, will oversee the day-to-day operations until a new president is named.