Arcadia Councilman Roger Chandler ridicules Senator Anthony Portantino's support of State Assembly Bill AB 931. The California Police Officers Association (CPOA) also opposes AB 931. The bill concerns the use of force by police officers. The bill would require peace officers to attempt to control an incident by using time, distance, communications, and available resources to de-escalate a situation whenever it is safe and reasonable to do so. Chandler says it is very bad for Arcadia but a dream come true for lawyers.
Assembly Bill 2414 is a gambling bill that, as originally introduced, would have increased takeouts--the money race tracks make on given bets. The bill's original language would have permitted any California race track hosting the Breeders' Cup to spend the extra takeout money on promotion of the annual event. Supporters hope that portions of the bill would convince the Breeders' Cup to permanently settle in California. Late amendments inserted last week are stirring up controversy. These changes would make a form of gambling known as "exchange betting" legal in California, essentially allowing horse players to bet against one another by setting their own odds and potentially betting on horses to lose a race. MI Developments opposes the exchange betting portion of the bill.
Assembly bill AB858, also known as the Jerry Ballesteros Act, is now going to the Assembly Appropriations Committee. It is a bill introduced by Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg (D-Los Angeles), calling for a ban on the use of Native American tribal names, specifically Apaches and Comanches, as school mascots. The Arcadia Board of Education opposes the bill. Arcadia leaders say the use of the name Apaches is a gesture of respect. Arcadia High School has a close relationship with the White Mountain Apache tribe, which supports the use of the name. This year's bill is different, in that last year's bill left a small loophole if the name is used respectfully.
Assemblyman Dennis Mountjoy of Arcadia was among state lawmakers who did not support Assembly Bill 60 which would have allowed undocumented immigrants to get a drivers license. Governor Davis vetoed the bill.
Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg (D-Los Angeles) has reintroduced her bill to ban the use of Native American names for school mascots. The bill was defeated in the last session, with opposition from the city of Arcadia and the Arcadia Unified School District. The act lists only two tribal names as specifically banned - Apaches and Comanches -- along with terms such as Redskins, Chiefs, Braves and Papooses. Under AB858, the only schools exempted from the ban are those under the regulation of tribal councils.
Council opposes tribal mascot bill. Arcadia city council voted to oppose AB 2115 or any other legislation that would block Arcadia High School from using the Apache name and mascot.
A group of young people protested outside Assemblyman Dennis Mountjoy's office. They protested AB 1326, a bill Mountjoy introduced to ban the teaching of homosexuality in schools.