New laws to ring in year

Alicia Robinson

Area residents won’t see a huge effect from what state legislators

did in 2004, but they may be thankful for one new law that goes on

the books today.

The law, co-written by state Sen. John Campbell when he was the

70th District assemblyman, bars cellular phone companies from putting

a customer’s number in a directory or selling phone lists without

customer consent.

The cellular phone industry opposed the bill as unnecessary, but

Campbell said some companies were already tucking consent to be in a

directory into those arm’s-length contracts customers have to sign.

To Campbell, it’s a privacy issue. A real estate agent, for

example, might want to be included in a directory to generate

business, but people who have resorted to cellphones to avoid

unwanted calls would probably say no, Campbell said.

“We’ve gotten feedback that people are happy about it,” he said.

“Most people didn’t know [that companies could share their phone

numbers]. When they found out about the bill was the first time they

even knew.”

His bill said the consent has to be written, but he may modify it

in 2005 to allow electronic consent. But one thing he won’t budge on

is making companies ask customers about the directory separately

instead of sticking a clause in their contracts, he said.

Another law taking effect Saturday will keep young people in

Newport-Mesa from feeling the heat of tanning lamps. The bill first

would have barred anyone younger than 18 from using a tanning salon

without a doctor’s prescription, but it was later amended to cover

only children younger than 14.

For area businesses, 2005 will be significant for legislation that

won’t begin, said Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce President Richard

Luehrs.

Businesses applauded when Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed a

minimum wage increase, and voters statewide quashed a proposal that

would have required more businesses to provide employee healthcare

beginning in 2006.

But unemployment insurance costs are expected to rise in 2005

because of a law former Gov. Gray Davis signed right before he left

office, Luehrs said.

“Over the last six months, employers and employees have seen their

rates increase so that the [unemployment insurance] fund doesn’t go

bankrupt, and what we’re going to see is a further increase,” he

said.

Some other legislation that will begin in January includes:

* A bill extending the number of years a new car is exempt from

smog checks and increases funding for clean air programs and

smog-check help for people with low incomes.

* A budget trailer bill increasing student fees at community

colleges as well as the state university system.

* A law requiring uniform training standards for poll workers to

ensure all eligible voters who show up on election day are able to

vote.

* A bill prohibiting cruise ships from discharging wastewater into

the state’s waters.