Bill Banning Fax Transmission of Ads Introduced in Assembly

Legislation to make it illegal to transmit unsolicited advertising over a fax machine and impose a $500 fine for every illegal transmission has been introduced in the Assembly.

“We’ve been forced to tolerate junk mail for years,” said Assemblyman Richard Katz (D-Sylmar), the sponsor of the bill (AB 2438), adding that unsolicited fax advertising has become the newest nuisance.

“However, unlike junk mail, junk fax costs the recipient both time and money,” Katz said. “It raises electricity bills, wastes paper, and perhaps most importantly, delays other important incoming and outgoing messages.”

The measure would cover all unsolicited advertising material for the lease, sale, rental, gift offer or other disposition of real estate, goods, services or the extension of credit.

Governor

* Signed into law a bill (SB 18) by Sen. Bill Lockyer (D-Hayward) to keep confidential the home addresses and telephone numbers of law enforcement officials for their protection.

* Will deliver the keynote address to the California Police Chiefs Convention in Concord on Thursday.

ASSEMBLY

Bill Introductions

* Home Loans: AB 2485 by Assemblywoman Gwen Moore (D-Los Angeles) would require lenders to disclose to homeowners the maximum payment they would have to pay under a variable interest rate loan.

* Telephone Eavesdropping: AB 2465 by Assemblyman Lloyd Connelly (D-Sacramento) would outlaw the intentional eavesdropping and recording of cellular and cordless telephone conversations.

* English Only: AB 2440 by Assemblyman Xavier Becerra (D-Los Angeles) would make it an unlawful employment practice for an employer to require that only English be spoken in the workplace.

* Automobile Registration: AB 2467 by Assemblyman Ted Lempert (D-San Mateo) would require the Department of Motor Vehicles to notify the legal owner of an automobile at least 30 days before the due date for registration.

* Endangered Species: AB 2450 by Assemblyman William Baker (R-Danville) would require the preparation of a state management and recovery plan for all animal and plant species proposed for inclusion on the endangered species list.

SENATE

Bill Introductions

* State Budget: SCA 35 by Sen. Bill Lockyer (D-Hayward) would require that the total of all expenditures authorized to be made by the state for any fiscal year shall not exceed the total of all revenues to be received by the state for that fiscal year.

* Gang Violence: SB 1354 by Sen. Mike Thompson (D-St. Helena) would create a rural gang task force subcommittee to develop a model curriculum for use in rural schools and seek state grants to help prevent the gang violence problem from spreading.

* Newspaper Carriers: SB 1362 by Sen. William Leonard (R-Big Bear) would exclude newspaper carriers from the legal definition of employees who must be covered by the workers’ compensation and unemployment insurance systems.