Assemblymen get behind legislation

Alicia Robinson

Local legislators are thinking big, pushing legislation to reform

lawsuits, strengthen marriages and do other seemingly impossible

tasks.

This week Assemblyman Van Tran, a Republican representing Costa

Mesa, is writing two bills -- one that would limit the state’s

liability in lawsuits and one to encourage the federal government to

permanently eliminate estate taxes.

California’s government is not immune to being sued, and the state

often ends up paying judgments when it is one of several defendants

but the others can’t or won’t pay, Tran said. His bill would limit

the state’s liability to $250,000 per individual and $500,000 for a

given claim, regardless of how many people sue on that claim.

Tran also will work on a resolution urging Congress to get rid of

the “death tax,” which in 2001 was suspended for 10 years.

Newport Beach’s assemblyman, Chuck DeVore, is backing a

constitutional amendment that would save the state money by merging

the Franchise Tax Board and the Board of Equalization. DeVore also

will introduce a bill offering a stronger marriage contract to

couples who go through premarriage counseling or have been married

five years or more. If the bill is approved, couples could be married

under a new section of state code that would set more conditions for

the granting of a divorce than the state’s no-fault divorce law.

Under existing law, DeVore said, “anyone for any reason can just

say ‘irreconcilable differences’ and that’s [the end of the

marriage].... It’s a pretty big public policy initiative, and I’m

hoping it gets the full measure of debate it’s due.”

Campbell chief of staff moves to private sector

State Sen. John Campbell has railed against the influence of

special interests in Sacramento, but it may get harder for him to say

no to one lobbyist in particular. Matt Back, Campbell’s chief of

staff since he was elected to the Assembly in 2000, will leave in

early February to work for a contract lobbying firm representing

biotech and pharmaceutical firms.

A 10-year veteran of Sacramento, Back, 32, has worked for three

Republican Assembly members including Campbell. While he has enjoyed

working for Campbell, Back hopes to broaden his career opportunities

with a private sector job, he said.

“It was very hard to leave John, but he helped mentor me through

the process,” Back said. “I will certainly miss the excitement of the

[legislators’] building.... You walk into work not knowing exactly

what you’re going to do, because it’s always changing.”

Taking over for Back in Campbell’s office will be Flo Kahn, who

served as chief of staff for former Assembly- woman Marilyn Brewer

and most recently has worked for Assembly Republican Leader Kevin

McCarthy.

“Matt has been an excellent, smart, capable and trusted chief of

staff,” Campbell said. “I’m sure I’ll be hearing from Matt across the

table instead of on my side of the table as time goes by.”

Report calls for eye toward nuclear terror

The U.S. needs to step up efforts to prevent terrorists from

obtaining nuclear weapons, according to a report issued Wednesday by

Newport Beach Rep. Chris Cox and Rep. Heather Wilson (R-New Mexico)

on behalf of the House Policy Committee. Cox is the outgoing chairman

of that committee.

The report calls for a comprehensive approach to keeping nuclear

weapons from terrorists and encourages more cooperation with other

nations on the issue. Cox said the House Homeland Security Committee,

which he also chairs, “will rely heavily on this report. Preventing a

nuclear or radiological attack on America requires the interception

and diversion of nuclear material and technology long before one of

these deadly weapons can be used on our shores.”

Bids for El Toro land starting to come in

Bids have finally started to come in on the closed El Toro Marine

Corps Air Station in Irvine, though bids have been placed on only two

of the four parcels up for auction, a federal official in charge of

the sale said.

Minimum bids were placed Friday on two parcels of the former base

property. The auction opened Jan. 5 and is expected to close in the

next two weeks, though no closing date has been announced, said David

Haase, realty officer for the federal General Services

Administration, which is handling the auction.

The sole bidder’s name was not disclosed, but a bid of $125

million was made on a 902-acre parcel, and a $220 million bid came in

for a 1,752-acre parcel. Haase said it’s normal for some bidders to

wait until the closing date is announced before bidding.