Assembly Floor Action:Rent Control: Passed and sent...

Assembly Floor Action:

Rent Control: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 54-5 vote a bill (AB 1020) by Assemblyman Jim Costa (D-Fresno) to prohibit local governments from imposing rent controls on commercial properties. Residential properties would not be affected.

Wheelchairs: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 52-12 vote a bill (AB 498) by Assemblywoman Jackie Speier (D-South San Francisco) to allow disabled or elderly people to use electric wheelchairs on sidewalks without obtaining local government approval. Bill Introductions:

Security Deposits: AB 2660 by Assemblyman Rusty Areias (D-Los Banos) would require landlords of residential properties to hold tenant security deposits in interest-bearing accounts. Senate Floor Action:

Telephone Wiring: Passed and sent to the Assembly on a 31-0 vote a bill (SB 153) by Sen. Herschel Rosenthal (D-Los Angeles) to return the responsibility for inside telephone wiring repairs to local telephone companies instead of customers.

Elections: Passed and sent to the Assembly on a 28-1 vote a bill (SB 244) by Sen. Robert Presley (D-Riverside) to extend libel and slander liability to political campaign statements made by proponents and opponents of ballot measures.

Holocaust: Passed and sent to the Assembly on a 34-0 vote a resolution (ACR 24) by Assemblyman Richard Katz (D-Sepulveda) declaring the week of April 26-May 3 to be Holocaust Memorial Week in California.