It’s a rainy week here in Sacramento. This is good news for the Sierra snowpack and the state’s water supply. I’m looking out my Capitol window at the umbrella-toting visitors, legislative staffers and lobbyists filing in for another day’s work.

I look, too, at a list of bills I’m introducing. They represent major policy initiatives and minor tweaks to existing codes. Before becoming law, all must pass through a gauntlet of committee hearings, floor votes and the Governor’s signature. Even those that don’t make it still initiate a dialogue over issues and make such future reforms likely.

There are limits on what one member of a minority party can accomplish. However, 28 years in municipal, county and state government provides a valuable perspective on what works and what doesn’t and a longer view of what can and must be achieved.

AB 639 – Asset Seizure: Provides needed protections against unjust and arbitrary seizure of cars, homes and businesses.

AB 1563 – School Volunteers: Gives elected school boards more flexibility in enlisting volunteers to help in campus improvements.

AB 1645 – Highway Naming: Curtails the renaming of highways for political and personal purposes. Facilitates highway naming uniformity to avoid driver confusion.

AB 1767 – ELL Opt-Out: Too many students designated “English Language Learners” (ELL) are perfectly fluent in English but are stuck in costly and time-consuming diversionary programs. Most are placed in ELL in kindergarten based on the Home Language Survey (if any non-English language is spoken in the home) and can’t get out. Schools have financial incentives to keep such kids ELL-designated. AB 1767 allows parents an immediate opt-out if their child has a “B” average and score “proficient” in the annual STAR test.

AB 1810 – Professional Licensing: Abolishes the state licensing for “Professional Upholsterers,” joining 32 other states without such a requirement. Such unneeded state professional licensing limits market entry and forces up consumer prices.

AB 2018 – Church Property: Clarifies laws relating to property ownership when a local congregation is in dispute with its denominational office, thus avoiding costly litigation.

AB 2061 – Restricted Drivers Licenses: Clarifies restrictions on first-year teen drivers, ages 16-18. Provides parents with greater flexibility to allow school carpooling while keeping strict supervision.

AB 2191 – Party Central Committees: Removes candidates for party central committees from Fair Political practices Commission (FPPC) regulation. Central committees pass no laws and have no control over public funds. State regulations over them are costly, time-consuming and serve no public purpose.

AB 2239 – Campaign Money Accountability: Makes candidates directly accountable for contributions made on their behalf and requires immediate reporting of all contributions on the internet. Limits influence of Super-PACs and independent expenditure committees by making candidates directly responsible for their own messaging.

AB 2503 – City Councils: Allows Mayors and Council Members to represent their cities on regional boards (transportations authorities, sanitation and fire districts, etc.) without creating a conflict of interest. This upholds longstanding practice which was lonely and recently challenged by an arcane FPPC interpretation.

AB 2600 – Driver’s License Suspensions: Limits license suspensions to infractions directly related to driving.

Far beyond my own docket of bills is my input in supporting or opposing those bills of other members. The partisan divide up here is deep, but intelligent comments and a perspective based on long experience are respected by both parties. I’m working hard to be that voice.