This month the Legislature celebrated Ag Week. Agriculture is an integral part of not only California's economy, but also the global economy. California farms and ranches produced nearly $38 billion in agricultural products in 2010 alone.  The 82,000 farms and ranches in California provide the nation with 16% of its agricultural products, the highest of any state.

North State Assemblyman and Chief Republican Whip Dan Logue voted today against implementing the Governor's Fire Tax passed last June as part of the budget.

"This is just another attack by Sacramento on rural taxpayers," said Logue. "Out-of-control government spending has forced liberals to make illegal attempts like this to raise taxes."

The Assembly Budget Subcommittee Number Four took action today to implement the State Responsibility Area fire prevention fee (aka, the Fire Tax) that was passed last year as part of the majority party budget. Assemblyman Logue made a motion to reject a request by the Board of Equalization for $6.4 million and 57 permanent positions in order to collect the fee from property owners. However, the majority party members of the committee defeated the motion and approved the request on a party-line vote. In January the state Board of Forestry and Fire Protection enacted regulations for the collection of $150 for each "habitable structure" on a property owner's land. The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association announced that it would sue to stop the implementation of this fee because they believe it violates the California Constitution as an illegally-enacted tax. The bill enacting the Fire Tax was passed without the required two-thirds vote for new taxes and fees.

"These homeowners already pay income taxes, property taxes, and many also pay local fire protection service fees, so the Fire Tax is completely unfair and unnecessary," Logue opined. "This is a money grab, plain and simple. It does nothing to improve or enhance the safety of those who live in state responsibility areas."

Final approval of the funding for implementation of the Fire Tax will be taken up in the full Budget Bill that will be voted on in June.

AB 1976 - This bill will assist veterans who received medical training in the military and help bring more health care providers to the rural parts of the state. Currently, licensing boards in the state set high standards for persons to be licensed as health care professionals. Veterans often have to apply to college programs so they can complete the necessary coursework to qualify for licensure. This bill will require the boards and colleges to recognize the medical education, training and practical experience that a veteran received in the military so that the veteran is not forced to repeat classes or go to the back of the line. This will honor their service and expedite more health care providers into the civilian workforce.

AB 1443 - This bill will protect property owner rights consistent with the Constitution. Current law allows the Bureau of Home Furnishings to confiscate any furniture or other household items that is thought to be out of compliance with state flammability standards. Many times, properly tagged items have been taken and property owners  were not given compensation. This was costing business owners large financial losses. Upon prompting, the Bureau has since changed its procedures so that proper enforcement of the law is conducted without depriving private property owners of their right to compensation.  This bill will set the new procedures in law, so that the law protects a private property owner's right to compensation.

AB 1578 - Currently, watermaster services for the residents of Indian Valley in Plumas County are provided by the Department of Water Resources. This bill would create a new special district to provide watermaster services for Indian Valley. Under existing law, a watermaster is a person or agent who ensures fair and equitable water usage between water rights holders in a given area. The purpose of this bill is to transfer responsibility for watermaster services from the DWR to the residents of Indian Valley, allowing them to more efficiently control their services at the local level.

AB 1733 - AB 1733 is a follow up to my bill from last year, AB 415: The Telehealth Advancement Act of 2011.  AB 415 removed barriers in current law and updated to current practice the use of telehealth in the delivery of health care, and it has been estimated that it will save $1.3 billion taxpayer dollars. This follow up bill will further the intent of AB 415 by extending its application to all managed health care plan contracts with the Department of Health Care Services, including the PACE program and the SCAN Health Plan.