Senator George Runner
Serving the 17th District which incorporates portions of the Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Ventura and Kern counties.

SACRAMENTO – Sen. George Runner (R-Antelope Valley) today announced that five of his bills were signed by Governor Schwarzenegger over the weekend, including legislation that strengthens restraining order laws as they pertain to educational institutions; and measures that protect local money and improve public safety for boaters.

Runner’s 2009 legislation signed by the governor:

Senate Bill 188 modifies the definition of “employer” to allow educational facilities such as schools, colleges, universities, or technical institutes to file for one restraining order on behalf of students, volunteers and employees.

While current law gives courts the discretion to issue a restraining order to protect an individual student at an educational facility, there is no mechanism to extend a restraining order to encompass an entire campus, including students, volunteer, and staff. In other words, if an individual poses a threat to a campus with 400 students and staff, the court must issue 400 separate restraining orders instead of one. SB 188 is needed to protect students, volunteers, and staff at educational facilities from violence.

Senate Bill 671 addresses the issue of county assessor’s offices not being reimbursed for their costs when a landowner challenges the appraisal value of land protected under the Williamson Act. SB 671 is necessary given the scarcity of funds available to local agencies. With the current economic down-turn, county assessors require assurance that their costs will be covered when cancellation evaluations are requested and challenged in order to continue offering the high level quality service that landowners have come to expect.

Senate Bill 717 streamlines and clarifies business processes as related to the California Department of Boating & Waterways’ (DBW) existing boating facilities loan programs for public and private entities. These loans are made from the Harbors and Watercraft Revolving Fund, which is a special fund. The bill also improves public safety provisions such as life vest requirements and carbon monoxide safety, removes obsolete provisions, and establishes consistent penalties for misdemeanor and felony Harbors & Navigation Code violations.

Senate Bill 361 seeks to do two things: Clarify that members of the armed forces who were dishonorably discharged are not eligible for priority registration (at California public institutions of higher education) benefit and expand the definition of “armed forces” to include the California National Guard for purposes of priority registration.

Senate Bill 241 makes technical and clarifying changes to the California Retail Food Safety Code, also known as “CalCode,” particularly to address the negative impact past legislation would have on California’s mobile food facility and food cart owners. Given the critical need for changes to ensure that these small business owners don’t lose their businesses, especially during this economic downturn, SB 241 was a consensus measure with no opposition.

Runner bills vetoed or killed:

Senate Joint Resolution 11 urged the president and Congress to ensure that no terrorist or suspected terrorist detained at Guantanamo Bay is permitted to enter California. SJR 11 is necessary because the imminent closure of the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, raises the inescapable conclusion that the terrorists who remain in the facility will be transferred to alternative prisons or released here in California.

SJR 11 was opposed by the American Civil Liberties Union, and was voted down by the Senate Public Safety Committee on a 5-2 party-line vote earlier this year.

Senate Bill 166 was vetoed over the weekend. It would have allowed owners of truck campers to occupy the camper when it is removed from the truck while staying at special occupancy parks, which include recreational vehicle parks, temporary recreational vehicle parks, incidental camping areas, or tent camps.

Currently, in California’s special occupancy parks it is illegal to occupy a truck camper when it is removed from the truck; however, no such prohibition exists for state parks or private property. For most visitors to California’s RV parks, this onerous and out-dated law makes traveling by truck camper to the Golden State less desirable. In fact, this requirement can only be found in California’s special occupancy parks and no where else in the country.