Legislative Committee Hearing of AB 1878: ADA Frivolous Lawsuit Reform

The Assembly Judiciary Committee will be holding a hearing on my frivolous lawsuit abuse reform legislation (Assembly Bill 1878) May 8 and I need your support.

AB 1878 will give our community's most vulnerable small businesses an opportunity to correct an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) violation before a lawsuit can be filed. Once a qualifying business has received a written notice of violation, they would be given 120 days to begin to correct the violation.

Thousands of lawsuits have been filed in my district against small businesses under the ADA for compliance issues. Though the law was originally intended to ensure greater access for those with disabilities, it is now being abused.

Many of these businesses have been forced to shut their doors because they simply cannot afford to continue to operate after settling these lawsuits.

As a small business owner, I support ADA standards that allow access to people with disabilities, however, it is wrong when an individual can single-handedly force a business to close due to minor infractions.

This legislation is critical for the small businesses in our community and together we can put a stop to these frivolous lawsuits.

Please join me at the Capitol and show your support at the hearing for AB 1878.

WHAT: Assembly Judiciary Legislative Committee Hearing of AB 1878-ADA Frivolous Lawsuit Reform

WHEN: Tuesday, May 8, 2012 at 9 a.m.

WHERE: State Capitol Room 4202

For more information please contact my office at (916) 774-4430.

Woman of the Year Nominees Recognized at Special Reception

I was very excited to honor several of the nominees and those who submitted nominations for the 4th Assembly District Woman of the Year during a reception held at my District Office this month.

With so many deserving nominees, it is so great to be able to recognize such outstanding women who do so much to serve our community.

Congratulations to all those who were nominated and thank you again for all you do!

Assemblywoman Gaines presents a certificate of recognition to Dawn Therese Hume, one of the several nominees for 4th District Woman of the Year

2012 Spending, Pension and General Education Reform Survey Results

I recently conducted a Spending, Pension and General Education Reform Survey and share with you the results based on all of your valuable feedback.

I was proud to see such great participation as we received more than 1,000 responses from across our district. You can review the results by clicking here.

You may also find a recent report informative conducted by the non-partisan California Taxpayers Association on how state and local government can operate more effectively and efficiently.

The report identifies more than $7.3 billion that state and local government could save or obtain from revenue enhancements if proactive steps are taken to address inefficiencies and reform existing programs. You can view the whole report here.

It's an honor to serve as your representative in the State Assembly and I strive daily to make sure that your voice is heard on the Assembly floor and that the values important to you are represented at the State Capitol.

My office offers a great range of services and we are always available to answer any questions you may have regarding either local or state-related issues.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact my District Office at (916) 774-4430. My staff and I look forward to continuing to serve you.

Gaines Co-Authors Chelsea's Law Improvements

I was honored to present Assembly Bill 1835 as a co-author with Assemblyman Fletcher in the Assembly Public Safety Committee this past Tuesday.

Assembly Bill 1835 will ensure that high-risk offenders misidentified as low-risk will be returned to state supervision as directed by Chelsea's Law.

Chelsea's Law, signed in 2010, improved the state's management of violent sex offenders.

The law was named for 17-year-old high school student Chelsea King, who was murdered by a registered sex offender.

This legislative improvement is crucial to ensuring that violent sex offenders are kept under state supervision and off of our streets.

I am proud to support this important legislation.

Gaines and Veterans Groups Announce Groundbreaking Legislation Helping Thousands of Veterans

This past week, I joined Assemblyman Chris Norby and veteran advocacy groups to unveil our bipartisan legislation at a press conference held at the state Capitol that will help veterans and their spouses afford the high cost of a college education.

Assembly Bill 2250 will allow veterans who have received an honorable discharge from the military and their spouses the ability to take advantage of in-state tuition costs at California's public universities. The bill cleared the Assembly Veterans Committee and is now headed to Appropriations.

Our servicemen and women have served and sacrificed so much to protect American's freedoms, and California should welcome these veterans and their families to start the next chapter of their life in California's great public university system.

Assembly Bill 2250 will let a current or honorably discharged veteran that served a minimum of minimum of 36 months in the Armed Forces or State Military Reserve, and their spouses, to qualify for resident tuition at any California Community College, California State University or University of California.

The post 9-11 G.I. Bill that veterans currently receive does not cover out-of-state tuition, no matter the length of time they have served.

These limitations drive veterans back to their original home states resulting in a loss of future California residents and revenue. California has the largest population of veterans than any other state, and our bill will ensure that we are working to make California's public universities more veteran-friendly.

Assemblywoman Gaines speaks to the media about her veterans tuition assistance legislation.

Gaines Bill to Clear Government Backlog Clears Assembly Committee

My measure to help reduce backlog with Humane Officers background checks cleared the Assembly Public Safety Committee with a unanimous vote recently.

Assembly Bill 2194 amends state law so that already-required background checks can be performed on humane society officers.

Humane officers play a key role in the health and safety of animals. These well-trained individuals can't even do their job because of a minor technicality. My bill will ensure that the many pets that need help are treated with care and are not at risk of abuse.

Legislation by Senator Dave Cox in 2010 made various changes to the appointments process for humane officers, including criminal background checks, which involves verifying FBI criminal histories that are obtained by the California Department of Justice.

Specific language required by the FBI was not included in the final version of the bill, creating a temporary backlog of criminal background checks for humane officers. Gaines' bill includes the necessary information to fix current law.

Assembly Bill 2194 now heads to the Appropriations Committee for a vote.