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Publication Date: Friday, March 15, 2002
Mountain View woman and Palo Alto group win State Assemblyman's "There Oughta
Be a Law" contest
Mountain View woman and Palo Alto group win State Assemblyman's "There
Oughta Be a Law" contest (March 15, 2002)</TITLE></h1>
text:State Assemblyman Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, announced last week the
three winners of his "There Oughta Be A Law'' contest, including a Mountain
View woman.
Simitian sponsored the contest last fall to solicit ideas from the public for new legislation.
Nearly 100 people entered the contest, and the assemblyman said the entries were all so good, he couldn't narrow it down to one.
"In the end, I chose three winners whose legislative ideas will help to protect consumers, the environment and the public's health and safety," Simitian said. "These are all significant bills and I look forward to working with the winners to get them to the governor for his signature.''
"There Oughta Be A Law'' contestants were asked to explain what their bill would do, the need for the bill, any financial impacts, and probable support and opposition.
Entrants were also encouraged to supply background information such as studies, articles or personal experience. Each entry was then researched to determine feasibility and whether it might duplicate or conflict with existing laws.
David Coale, Cindy Russell and David Smernoff, of Palo Alto's
Acterra: Action for a Sustainable Earth, penned Assembly Bill 2472, regarding the least toxic alternatives to pesticides and herbicides. The bill, Simitian explains, is intended to reduce the amount of toxic chemicals used by the state and promote public health and safety.
AB 2472 establishes a state policy to use the least toxic alternatives to pesticides and herbicides, when feasible, for state-owned and state-controlled facilities, such as office buildings, parks and roadways. The idea, say the bill's authors, was based on their previous work on the issue locally.
Assembly Bill 2473, written by Andrea Leiderman of Mountain View, has to do with consumer protection. The bill requires a store or restaurant that declares bankruptcy to honor gift certificates.
Current law doesn't address this issue, Simitian says, so it's up to the individual company whether to continue to honor gift certificates after declaring bankruptcy. Leiderman said her bill came to her from personal experience.
Cupertino resident Lauren Ward suggested Assembly Bill 2474
regarding antifreeze. Ward's bill requires manufacturers of antifreeze sold in California to add a bitter agent to help prevent accidental poisonings of children, pets and wildlife.
Antifreeze generally has a sweet taste that can lead to unintended poisonings, as Ward found out through personal experience. At a cost of just a few cents per container, she says the likelihood that parents and pet owners will have to continue to face the gruesome results of accidental poisonings caused by ingested antifreeze will be greatly reduced.
"Some of the best ideas for new legislation I hear come directly from folks who live and work in the 21st Assembly District,'' Simitian said.
The assemblyman says that while the contest may be over, he still wants to hear from his constituents.
"While the title of the contest was admittedly light-hearted, the notion of individual citizens having access to the legislative process is one I take quite seriously,'' he said.
"Keeping the door open so thoughtful individuals can share constructive ideas is a way to keep our democracy strong. My goal in sponsoring the contest was not just to generate a few worthy ideas, but to remind the public that this process belongs to them.''
The winners will be invited to Sacramento to testify on the need for the law they've proposed and have lunch with Simitian. They will also receive a California State flag that has been flown over the State Capitol.
_ Bay City News
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