LEGISLATION AND LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITIES PRIORITY FOCUS BULLETIN Issue # 36 dated September 9 2005 September 9 2005 Issue #36 2005 1 LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: BIG IDEAS FEW RESULTS AND ON TO THE SPECIAL ELECTION It was billed as the year of reform. But as the Senate and Assembly worked through the last bills on their files this week it was clear that no major reforms would emerge from the Legislature this year. For more see Page 2. TWO HOUSING ATTORNEY FEE BILLS HEAD TO GOVERNOR The League is requesting that the governor veto two housing bills (AB 712 Canciamilla and AB 1227 Torrico) that were amended to include attorney fee provisions that may inspire additional litigation or threats of litigation against local governments. Both measures would award attorneys fees to plaintiffs in housing suits when they would not otherwise qualify to receive them. For more see Page 5. Hurricane Katrina: California Cities Respond Like their counterparts throughout the nation California cities are responding with a heartfelt outpouring of sympathy to residents from the cities and communities that have been devastated by Hurricane Katrina and subsequent flooding. Cities are also considering and acting on ways that they can offer practical assistance to respond to the immediate and long term expected needs of the people of the Gulf Coast region. For more see Page 6. IN THIS ISSUE: Page 3: Key Policy Issues for Cities: What Happened? Page 7: Hurricane Katrina: National League of Cities Update Page 8: City and County Officials Appointed to the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley Page 8: Congress is Back! Your Voice Needed on Franchising Eminent Domain Page 10: Removing Barriers to Affordable Housing Page 11: Bill Summaries Legislative Update Continued from Page 1 With the Legislature now in recess until January 4 it is clear that the reform agenda first proposed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger last January has shifted entirely to the November special election where several of t...
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