There ought not be a law

These days it seems there are so many laws, it’s impossible not to

break one at some time or other. But when it comes to that, Newport

Beach Assemblyman Chuck DeVore has got your back.

A bill DeVore wrote, passed by the Assembly last week, would mean

drivers no longer have to notify police when they hit a parked car,

provided they leave their insurance and contact information. The law

now says the police must be notified immediately, but many drivers

don’t call them -- which means they’re guilty of a misdemeanor.

“Logic says that when you hit a car and leave your insurance

information you have complied with the law,” DeVore said in a

statement. “That is currently not the law, and that doesn’t make

sense.”

The bill must still pass the state Senate to become law.

Reservists gain on Rohrabacher bill

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher this month came to the aid of more of the

country’s military personnel by proposing an amendment to the

Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005.

That legislation was signed into law by President Bush to protect the

credit of military personnel for two years after their active duty

service.

“Our men and women in uniform, many of whom were taken away from

full-time jobs with higher pay, fighting overseas should not be

burdened with worry about bills and debt,” Rohrabacher said in a

statement. “This legislation rectifies the recently passed bankruptcy

legislation to allow reservists on active duty to adhere to the old

bankruptcy laws.”

The legislation would exempt any reservist on active duty for no

less than 60 days and called after Sept. 11, 2001, from the stricter

bankruptcy rules passed under the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and

Consumer Protection Act of 2005.

“Some members of the Republican Party were horrified that the

bankruptcy reform bill did not include sufficient protections for our

reservists and would actually create severe hardship upon their

homecoming,” Rohrabacher said. “Thus, there is momentum on the issue

that will hopefully see this legislation through to the Senate for a

vote. I encourage all veterans organizations to mobilize their

members to contact their federal representatives and leadership to

bring this legislation to a vote.”