BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  SB 149
                                                                  Page  1


          SENATE THIRD READING
          SB 149 (Kehoe)
          As Amended  August 18, 2009
          2/3 vote.  Urgency 

           SENATE VOTE  :39-0  
           
           APPROPRIATIONS      17-0                                        
           
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          |Ayes:|De Leon, Conway, Ammiano,   |  |                          |
          |     |Charles Calderon, Coto,     |  |                          |
          |     |Davis,                      |  |                          |
          |     |Duvall, Fuentes, Hall,      |  |                          |
          |     |Harkey, Miller, John A.     |  |                          |
          |     |Perez, Skinner, Solorio,    |  |                          |
          |     |Audra Strickland,           |  |                          |
          |     |Torlakson, Hill             |  |                          |
          |     |                            |  |                          |
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           SUMMARY  :  Appropriates $270,268 [General Fund (GF)] to the  
          Department of Justice (DOJ) to pay for two court settlements.  
          Any funds appropriated in excess of the amount required for  
          payment of these claims shall revert to the GF. 
           
           FISCAL EFFECT  :  Appropriates $270,268 (GF).  
           
           COMMENTS
           
           1)Case Background  .

             a)   Maternal and Child Health Access v. MRMIB, San Francisco  
               Superior Court, Case No. CPF-08-508296, $110,464 stipulated  
               settlement. 

                  This case challenged the constitutionality of the Access  
               for Infants and Mothers (AIM) program's six-month residency  
               requirement.  Under Insurance Code Section 12698, access to  
               the AIM program is restricted to pregnant women who have  
               been residents of California for at least six months.  A  
               coalition of civil rights groups sued MRMIB alleging that  
               its implementation of the residency requirement violated  
               the U.S. Constitution, based upon a line of Supreme Court  
               precedent invalidating similar requirements in the health  








                                                                  SB 149
                                                                  Page  2


               and welfare context.  The court ruled for the plaintiffs  
               and awarded attorneys' fees.  


             b)   McAllister v. California Coastal Commission, Monterey  
               Superior Court, Case No. M73043, $159,084 judgment. 


                  This case challenged the California Coastal Commission's  
               (Commission) approval of a permit for a single family  
               residence along the coast in Monterey County.  The trial  
               court upheld the Commission's approval.  The court of  
               appeal reversed the approval, however, ruling it did not  
               comply with Monterey County's local coastal program.  The  
               Commission opted not to seek review before the California  
               Supreme Court. 


                  McAllister sought $769,296.42 in attorneys fees and  
               court costs.  The court awarded McAllister $282,870 in  
               attorney's fees, and $6,480.44 in court costs.  The court  
               apportioned liability for these sums to the Commission and  
               the real party on a 50/50 basis, plus interest.


           2)Support  . This bill is supported by DOJ and the Department of  
            Finance and has no opposition.

           3)Related legislation  .  AB 93 (De Leon) of 2009 is the first of  
            two annual judgments and deficiencies bills for 2009 sponsored  
            by the administration and DOJ, and carried by the  
            Appropriations Committee Chairs.  AB 93, which passed the  
            Assembly and Senate Appropriations without a dissenting vote,  
            is pending in the Senate. 


           Analysis Prepared by  :    Geoff Long / APPR. / (916) 319-2081 


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