When California legislators reconvene today after spending Memorial Day with their constituents, they continue the consideration of hundreds of bills. Most will be unnecessary or counterproductive. But here are three laudatory ones.
Assembly Bill 1189 is by Assemblymember Tom Lackey, R-Palmdale. Court reporters are certified by the Court Reporters Board. The bill would “provide for the certification of digital reporters by the board.” Instead of the more common stenographic reporters, digital reporters are legal transcriptionists who use audio recordings. This reform would lessen the current severe shortage of court reporters.
The Sixth Amendment guarantees “the right to a speedy and public trial.” But according to a January Fact Sheet by the Judicial Council of California, “a declining number of court reporters threatens access to justice for court users, especially Californians who can’t afford to pay for their own court reporter.” Worse, for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2024, an estimated 71.6% of 1.8 million family, probate, and unlimited civil hearings “had no verbatim record.”
AB 1189 currently is in the Assembly Committee on the Judiciary. We recommend passage.
Senate Bill 456 is by state Sen. Angelique Ashby, D-Sacramento. It would exempt from regulation under the Contractors State License Law an artist “who draws, paints, applies, executes, restores, or conserves a mural.” The mural must be from “an agreement with a person who could legally authorize the work” – no graffiti.
According to the list at the Department of Consumer Affairs, there are 38 state boards and bureaus, including the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology and, regulating the murals, the Contractors State License Board within the Department of Consumer Affairs. Reducing that heavy load of bureaucracy is always worthwhile.
Building contractors are licensed to make sure they put up structures that are physically sound and don’t use toxic paints or other materials. By contrast, murals are artistic expressions. The bill passed unanimously in the Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Committee and now is in the Appropriations Committee. The Legislature should pass SB 456.
Assembly Bill 306 is by Assemblymember Nick Schultz, D-Burbank. According to the Assembly analysis it would impose “a moratorium on the adoption or modification of new state and local building standards affecting residential units,” until 2031, with limited exceptions, such as for emergency changes for health and safety.
Previous bills, such as Assembly Bill 68 in 2019, legalizing Accessory Dwelling Units, have helped alleviate the housing crisis. So would AB 306. “This moratorium will bring more certainty to the home construction industry and help stem further construction cost increases,” Schutz said. And it would help ease the “demand surge from the volume of homes and apartments that will need to be rebuilt in Los Angeles” after the wildfires.
The bill passed the Assembly 71 to 0 and soon will be heard in the Senate Housing Committee. We recommend swift passage. Existing building codes are sufficient and we can do without more tinkering for six years.
