LIGHT BULBS, ELEPHANTS, LAUSD LEGISLATORS PROPOSE LAWS AT LAST MINUTE.

Byline: HARRISON SHEPPARD

Sacramento Bureau

SACRAMENTO -- With the deadline now passed for introducing new bills, San Fernando Valley area lawmakers this year have spelled out a broad legislative agenda that ranges from breaking up Los Angeles Unified to banning incandescent light bulbs.

As the Friday 5 p.m. deadline for introducing bills approached, the Capitol was frantic with activity as lobbyists and interest groups prowled the hallways in search of authors for their proposals.

In all, legislators in both houses have introduced about 1,800 measures since the session began in December.

The bills include measures that show California leading the nation in innovations and legislating in areas where the federal government has not.

But Barbara O'Connor, a political analyst at California State University, Sacramento, noted that many measures have a narrow scope.

"The ridiculous part is 48 new members trying to get bills under their belt so they can demonstrate to constituents that they're doing things," O'Connor said.

Among lawmakers' top priorities this year are reforming the health care system, furthering the fight against global warming, reforming the prison system and passing an on-time balanced budget.

Other measures likely to foster debate include legalizing gay marriage, permitting illegal immigrants to obtain driver's licenses and allowing physician-assisted suicide.

Bills introduced by the greater San Fernando Valley delegation include breaking up the Los Angeles Unified School District; banning lamps that use incandescent light bulbs; expanding the use of alternative fuels; and raising the age for kindergarten admission.

Sen. George Runner, R-Lancaster, and Assemblyman Cameron Smyth, R-Santa Clarita, have introduced bills to break up the LAUSD into districts of no more than 50,000 students.

Runner said the effort is on hold, awaiting a resolution in court to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's blocked effort to take partial control of the district.

"Right now the school district, with the size that it is, cannot be accountable to the voters," Runner said. "I believe school districts should be operated and overseen by elected officials from communities and neighborhoods."

Runner has also introduced a bill to authorize the design-build method of construction on public highway projects. The method involves using the same firm to oversee a project from blueprint to construction and is controversial because it could potentially take work away from state engineers.

Assemblyman Mike Feuer, D-West Hollywood, has authored a measure to require that half of all cars sold in California after 2012 run on alternative fuels.

The bill is one of several introduced this year aimed at advancing the fight against global warming, building on the work of a major environmental bill, AB 32, approved last year.

"(Reducing vehicle emissions) I think is a very important element in California's attack on global warming," Feuer said. "It leads to reductions of air pollution in our communities, and obviously promotes other goals as well."

Assemblyman Lloyd Levine, D-Van Nuys, has proposed a law to ban the sale of lamps that use incandescent bulbs by 2012. Levine has also proposed a bill aimed at preventing cruelty to elephants, similar to a measure he introduced last session.

Several local legislators have measures dealing with illegal immigration. Smyth has proposed a bill requiring bidders seeking state contracts to demonstrate that all of their employees are properly documented.

While the past week has been hectic, Smyth said, it has been exciting for him as a freshman legislator.

"You feel like, this is the first real taste of what it is we're here to do," Smyth said.

MediaNews Staff Writer Kate Folmar contributed to this report.

harrison.sheppard(at)dailynews.com

[phone]

AT A GLANCE

Among the more notable bills this session from Los Angeles lawmakers:

LAUSD: SB 69, by Sen. George Runner, R-Lancaster, and AB 146, by Assemblyman Cameron Smyth, R-Santa Clarita, would break up Los Angeles Unified School District into smaller districts of no more than 50,000 students each.

Light bulbs: AB 722, by Assemblyman Lloyd Levine, D-Van Nuys, would ban the sale of lamps using incandescent light bulbs in California by 2012 in an effort to favor more energy-efficient fluorescent lighting.

Driver's licenses: SB 60, by Sen. Gil Cedillo, D-Los Angeles, would allow illegal immigrants to obtain driver's licenses in California.

Illegal immigrants' tuition: SB 268, by Sen. Tom McClintock, R-Thousand Oaks, would prohibit illegal immigrants from being eligible for resident tuition rates at state colleges and universities.

Kindergarten admission age: AB 683, by Assemblywoman Sharon Runner, R-Lancaster, would raise the age at which children are eligible to enter kindergarten by three months.

CAPTION(S):

box

Box:

AT A GLANCE (see text)