1854 - "Legend has it that in 1854, California Governor John Bigler rescued the portrait of George Washington from the Senate Chamber when the old Sacramento Courthouse (where the legislature was then housed) burned. This portrait, which still hangs in the Senate Chamber today, is reputed to be the oldest portrait in the Capitol. Born in Pennsylvania in 1805, John Bigler was a printer's apprentice, a newspaper editor, and a lawyer prior to driving an ox team to California during the gold rush. In Sacramento he became known for his bravery in aiding the sick and burying the dead during a cholera epidemic, even though he almost died from the disease himself. Excerpted fromThe Governors of California and their Portraits http://www.governor.ca.gov/govsite/govsgallery/h/biography/governor_3.html"    

December 1854 - "The California National Guard has had a proud history of serving the State of California as well as the Nation. The first volunteer militia companies organized rapidly. By December 1854, California had within her boundaries 24 Companies numbering 1,500 men, organized, armed, equipped and ready for immediate service. Companies were organized for various reasons: some to protect settlers, others to preserve law and order in mining communities and some were more social in nature. http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/army/arng-ca.htm"    

Studies in the News is a very current compilation of items significant to the Legislature and Governor's Office. It is created weekly by the State Library's Research Bureau to supplement the public policy debate in California’s Capitol. To help share the latest information with state policymakers, these reading lists are now being made accessible through the State Library’s website. This week's list of current articles in various public policy areas is presented below.

Service to State Employees:

• When available, the URL for the full text of each item is provided.

• California State Employees may contact the State Information & Reference Center (916-654-0206; cslsirc@library.ca.gov) with the SITN issue number and the item number [S#].

• All other interested individuals should contact their local library - the items may be available there, or may be borrowed by your local library on your behalf.

CALIFORNIA READER

The Central Valley at a Crossroads: Migration and Its Implications. By Hans P. Johnson and Joseph M. Hayes. Public Policy Institute of California. (The Institute, San Francisco, California) November 2004. 124 p.

Full Text at: www.ppic.org/content/pubs/R_1104HJR.pdf

[“The former Bay Area residents are the faces of the exodus from coastal regions of California to the Central Valley, now being called the driving force behind the Valley's growth, according to a new report…. The main attraction drawing Californians from the coast to the Valley remains affordable housing but because of a lack of high-paying jobs half the newcomers to the northern San Joaquin Valley still commute to jobs in the Bay Area.“ Stockton Record (November 16, 2004) 1.]

[Request #S4541]

Return to the Table of Contents

PPIC Statewide Survey: Special Survey of Orange County. By Mark Baldassare. Public Policy Institute of California. (PPIC, San Francisco, California) December 2004. 40 p.

Full Text at: www.ppic.org/content/pubs/S_1204MBS.pdf

["Ten years after Orange County's bankruptcy led to painful cuts in government spending and a billion-dollar debt that won't be repaid for decades, the vast majority of county residents are virtually unaware of the largest municipal default in U.S. history. In a survey, 81% of respondents said they knew little or nothing about the bankruptcy, which resulted from huge losses in the county's investment pool due to mismanagement. And it's not just newcomers: 64% of those surveyed who have lived at the same address 20 years or more were unaware of one of the biggest events in county history — one that continues to limit spending on healthcare, parks, roads and other government services." Los Angeles Times (December 1, 2004) 1.]

[Request #S4542]

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CRIMINAL JUSTICE & LAW ENFORCEMENT

COMMUNITY POLICING

Community Policing Beyond the Big Cities. By the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. (The Department, Washington, DC) November 2004. 10 p.

Full Text at: www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles1/nij/205946.pdf

["This study focused on innovative problem-solving initiatives and how those can progress to more advanced stages of community policing.... Community policing was most successful when front-line officers tried innovative approaches directed at specific local problems in tandem with residents and members of the community."]

[Request #S4543]

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California Student Survey: Drug, Alcohol and Tobacco Use, 2003-2004. By Gregory Austin and Rodney Skager, California Attorney General's Office. (The Office, Sacramento, California) 2004. 28 p.

Full Text at: www.safestate.org/documents/css03mainfindings.pdf

["There are declines in overall use of marijuana, LSD and ecstasy. Results for 11th graders also show the first reductions in years (since 1999) of indicators of heavy and frequent use, including the number of students reporting binge drinking. The results still indicate that: 1) almost half of 11th graders have been 'high' on alcohol or drugs at least once; 2) the majority who do drink are heavy drinkers; 3) and almost one-quarter are binge drinkers."]

[Request #S4544]

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Los Angeles County Sheriff Department Administrative Discipline: 2nd Quarter 2004. By the Office of Independent Review, County of Los Angeles. (The Office, Los Angeles, California) 2004. 56 p.

Full Text at: www.laoir.com/reports/BOSoversight_April-June04.pdf

["In a disturbing trend, shootings by Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies soared this year, and there has been an alarming rise in sexual misconduct and drunk driving by sheriff's personnel, reviewers wrote in a report.... The report estimates that a record number of the 15,000 sheriff's employees -- nearly 950 -- will be disciplined this year, including more than 80 supervisors. That's up from 837 employees disciplined in 2000 before the Office of Independent Review was created." Los Angeles Times (November 15, 2004) 1.]

[Request #S4545]

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State Officials Tell Counties to Exclude Prison Populations from County Level Redistricting. By Peter Wagner. (Prison Policy Initiative, Northampton, Massachusetts) November 2004. 3 p.

Full Text at: www.prisonersofthecensus.org/news/fact-1-11-2004.shtml

["Four state legislatures and attorneys general require rural counties to exclude prisoners during the county redistricting process. The author argues that the next step is fixing the census itself and counting prisoners at their legal residences: at home." Moving Ideas (November 9, 2004) 1.]

[Request #S4546]

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People v. William Harrow Seel. California Supreme Court. S106273. November 29, 2004. Various pagings.

Full Text at: www.courtinfo.ca.gov/opinions/documents/S106273.PDF

["California Supreme Court weighed in for the first time in the national debate over criminal sentencing procedures, ruling that some defendants whose convictions have been partially reversed are not subject to retrials because of the federal constitutional prohibition of double jeopardy.... Closely related appeals of California's sentencing procedures, pending in the State Supreme Court, could affect sentences by the hundreds." Sacramento Bee (November 30, 2004) 1.]

[Request #S4547]

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CULTURE AND SOCIETY

PRIVACY

Understanding Consumer Attitudes About Wireless Telephone Directories and Privacy. By Neal Walters and Christopher Baker, AARP Public Policy Institute. Fact Sheet. (The Institute, Washington, DC) 2004. 4 p.

Full Text at: research.aarp.org/consume/fs99_wireless.pdf

["Cell phone users' interest -- or lack thereof -- in making their wireless phone numbers publicly available through directories is assessed in this Fact Sheet.... Cell phone owners highly value the privacy of their wireless telephone numbers. In fact, they believe that no wireless phone number should be added to the directory unless the cell phone owner specifically requested it." Moving Ideas (November 3, 2004) 1.]

[Request #S4548]

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DEMOGRAPHY

IMMIGRANTS

A Description of the Immigrant Population. By Congressional Budget Office. (The Office, Washington, DC) November 2004. 37 p.

Full Text at: www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/60xx/doc6019/11-23-Immigrant.pdf

["This paper is ... intended to present the facts and research on immigration to help inform the agency's projections of the federal budget and economy. This paper focus on the characteristics of immigrants, including where they come from, where they reside, and how those patterns have changed over time, as well as immigrants' level of education, the industries and occupations in which they work, and their earnings."]

[Request #S4549]

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Economy Slowed, But Immigration Didn't: The Foreign-born Population, 2000-2004. By Steven A. Camarota, Center for Immigration Studies. (The Center, Washington, DC) November 2004. 16 p.

Full Text at: www.cis.org/articles/2004/back1204.pdf

["Despite a weak job market, immigrants continue to come to the United States by the millions, breaking historic patterns in which immigration levels rise and fall with the economy, according to a study.... From 2000 to early 2004, the country's population of legal and illegal immigrants grew by 4.3 million people.... Immigrants now account for 12 percent of the country's population. Contra Costa Times (November 24, 2004) 1.]

[Request #S4550]

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ECONOMY

CREDIT CARD INDUSTRY

Generation Broke: The Growth of Debt among Young Americans. By Tamara Draut and Javier Silva. (DEMOS, New York, New York) October 2004. 16 p.

Full Text at: www.demos-usa.org/pubs/Generation_Broke.pdf

["This report finds a dramatic rise in credit card debt among young adults aged 25 to 34. Between 1992 and 2001, this group experienced a 55% increase in credit card debt and now spends nearly 25 cents of every dollar of income on debt payments. The report examines possible factors fueling these trends, particularly employment and wage trends and rising student loan debt. The study also tracks the rise in credit card debt among 18 to 24 year olds." Moving Ideas (November 9, 2004) 1.]

[Request #S4551]

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International Film and Television Production in Canada. By Neil Craig Associates. (The Associates, Brule Crescent, Toronto, Canada) 2004. 46 p.

Full Text at: www.filmontario.ca/documents/InternationalFilmTelevisionProductioninCanada.pdf

["Since the late 1990's elements of the U.S. film production industry and some U.S. politicians have been making exaggerated claims about the volume and effect of U.S. production which comes to Canada.... This study dispels many of the myths perpetrated by the Monitor Report and shows that far more money is returned to the U.S. production industry than is spent by that industry on production in Canada."]

[Request #S4552]

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The Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights v. State Board of Equalization, et al. Los Angeles County Superior Court. Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief. November 22, 2004.

["The foundation has filed a lawsuit to force the state to collect what the foundation says is $500 million in unpaid taxes from Blue Cross of California, a subsidiary of WellPoint Health Networks Inc.... The suit alleges that Blue Cross has not paid the state's gross premium tax since it become a for-profit company." Sacramento Bee (November 24, 2004) 1.]

Complaint. 8 p.
http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/assets/scans/WellpointComplaint.pdf

Press Release. 1 p.
http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/healthcare/pr/pr004736.php3

[Request #S4553]

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The People of the State of California v. Universal Life Resources, et al. San Diego County Superior Court. Complaint for Injunctive Relief and Proposed Consent Decree. November 17, 2004.

["California authorities are accusing four prominent insurers of paying a broker tens of millions of dollars in hidden kickbacks in exchange for winning contracts with some of the largest U.S. companies..... (Insurance Commissioner John) Garamendi said he has agreed to drop the charges against Universal Life, a broker based in San Diego, in exchange for 'full and timely' cooperation in the investigation of the four insurance companies." San Francisco Chronicle (November 18, 2004) 1.]

Complaint. 25 p.
http://www.insurance.ca.gov/PRS/PRS2004/Garamendi_ULR_Complaint.pdf

Consent Decree. 8 p.
http://www.insurance.ca.gov/PRS/PRS2004/Consent_Decree_Signed.pdf

[Request #S4554]

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EDUCATION

ACADEMIC STANDARDS

No Child Left Behind Act: Additional Assistance and Research on Effective Strategies Would Help Small Rural Districts. By U.S. Government Accountability Office. (The Office, Washington, DC) 2004. 58 p.

Full Text at: www.gao.gov/new.items/d04909.pdf

["Rural districts faced some challenges in meeting No Child Left Behind Act (NCLBA) provisions to a greater extent than nonrural districts.... Rural districts identified small school size and geographic isolation as greatly affecting their ability to implement NCLBA."]

[Request #S4555]

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Council of Graduate Schools Finds Decline in New International Graduate Student Enrollment for the Third Consecutive Year. By Council of Graduate Schools. (The Council, Washington, DC) November 2004. 2 p.

Full Text at: www.cgsnet.org/pdf/CGSFall2004EnrollmentSurveyPR.pdf

["Educating international students is a $13 billion industry for the nation's 4,000 colleges and universities.... The declines represent a troubling turnaround after three decades in which American colleges and universities experienced a boom in the enrollment of foreign students." New York Times (November 10, 2004) A17.]

[Request #S4556]

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FCC Suspends E-Rate Program. By Federal Funds Information for States. FFIS Issue Brief, 04-50. (FFIS, Washington, DC) October 28, 2004. 3 p.

Full Text at: www.ncsl.org/ffis/subs/ib/2004/IB04-50.pdf

["The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) suspended the schools and libraries program in August and froze $3.28 billion in requests for aid under this program. Schools and libraries that rely on the E-Rate program will have to pick up the full cost of Internet and telephone services or let those services lapse until the money is freed up."]

[Request #S4557]

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Assessment of Diversity in America's Teaching Force. By the National Collaborative on Diversity in the Teaching Force. (The Collaborative, Washington, D.C.) October 2004. 16 p.

Full Text at: www.communityteachers.org/documents/DiversityReport.pdf

["A glaring lack of racial and cultural diversity among teachers is hurting the chances of success for minority students, a coalition of school groups contends. A small but growing body of research shows minorities tend to do better in class and face higher expectations when taught by teachers from their racial or ethnic group, says a partnership led by six groups." Cultural Policy Listserv (November 9, 2004) 1.]

[Request #S4558]

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Indicators of School Crime and Safety, 2004. By Katrina Baum and others. National Center for Education Statistics. (The Center, Washington, DC) November 2004. 191.

Full Text at: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/iscs04.pdf

["Violent crime against students in schools fell by 50 percent between 1992 and 2002, with young people more often targeted for violence away from school.... Schools have taken a number of steps, from installing metal detectors and hiring more security personnel to implementing programs aimed at curbing bullying, which can lead to more serious crimes." Los Angeles Times (November 29, 2004) 1.]

[Request #S4559]

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ENERGY

ELECTRICITY INDUSTRY

"Rethinking Electricity Restructuring." By Peter Van Dorn and Jerry Taylor. IN: Policy Analysis, no. 530 (November 2004) pp. 1-16.

Full Text at: www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa530.pdf

["Electric utility restructuring was initiated in the 1990s to remedy the problem of relatively high electricity costs in the Northeast and California. While politicians hoped that reform would allow low-cost electricity to flow to high cost states and that competition would reduce prices, economists wanted reform to eliminate regulatory incentives to overbuild generating capacity and spur the introduction of real-time prices for electricity.... Most interesting, however, is the fact that restructuring contributed to the severity of the 2000-2001 California electricity crisis and the August 2003 blackout in the Northeast, without delivering many efficiency gains."]

[Request #S4560]

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ENVIRONMENT & NATURAL RESOURCES

AIR POLLUTION

"Ozone and Short-term Mortality in 95 U.S. Urban Communities, 1987-2000." By Michelle L. Bell and others, IN: Journal of the American Medical Association, vol. 292, no. 19. (November 17, 2004) pp. 2372-2378.

["On smoggy days, deaths from heart and respiratory ailments and other diseases rise, causing several thousand more people throughout the United States to die each year, according to a study that links air pollution and mortality in 95 urban areas. The study found that when ozone levels increased by a fairly small amount, 10 parts per billion, the daily deaths from non-injury causes over the next few days increased on average 0.52 percent." Los Angeles Times (November 17, 2004) 1.]

[Request #S4561]

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Tending the Fields: State and Federal Roles in the Oversight of Genetically Modified Crops. By Michael R. Taylor, and others, Resources for the Future. Prepared for the Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology. (The Initiative, Washington, DC) December 2004.

["While some states are responding to the issues raised by agricultural biotechnology in an innovative manner, others are struggling to find approaches to managing conflicts.... Many states do not have the legal tools, technical expertise and financial resources needed to effectively partner with federal regulators and carry out the necessary level of oversight."]

Report. 269 p.
http://pewagbiotech.org/research/fields/report.pdf

Press Release. 1 p.
http://pewagbiotech.org/newsroom/releases/120204.php3

[Request #S4562]

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60-Day Notice of Violation Regarding Critical Habitat Designations for 48 California Species. By M. Reed Hopper, Pacific Legal Foundation. (The Foundation, Sacramento, California) November 12, 2004. 7 p.

Full Text at: www.pacificlegal.org/critical_habitat/60%20day.pdf

["A conservative legal group is threatening to sue the federal government over its plans to protect four dozen endangered species ranging from Peninsular bighorn sheep to the tiny robust spineflower.... Based on a favorable ruling in U.S. District Court in Fresno that overturned habitat protection for the Alameda whipsnake last year, Hopper said the agencies underestimated the economic impact of protection and didn't properly follow the rules to protect habitat." Monterey County Herald (November 16, 2004) 1.]

[Request #S4563]

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Exploratory Data on Perchlorate in Food. And Perchlorate Questions and Answers. By the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (The Center, College Park, Maryland) November 2004.

["Perchlorate was detected in about 90 percent of 128 lettuce samples and in all but three of the agency's 104 milk samples, but not at levels that prompted alarm at the Food and Drug Administration.... The FDA said it wasn't recommending diet changes based on its findings, which resulted from the most comprehensive search to date for perchlorate in food. Still, one consumer watchdog group said the data should spark cleanup efforts, and farm groups wondered what it all meant for their products." Sacramento Bee (November 30, 2004) 1.]

Exploratory Data on Perchlorate in Food. Various pagings.
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/clo4data.html

Perchlorate Questions and Answers. Various pagings.
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/clo4qa.html

[Request #S4564]

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GENERAL GOVERNMENT

CHURCH & STATE

Betty Doe v. Gale Norton. U.S. District Court, District of Columbia. Complaint. December 2, 2004. 12 p.

["Just two days after President Bush signed legislation authorizing as much as $10 million in federal money to help restore California's 21 historic Catholic missions, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State sued to block spending the money.... The group's lawsuit argues that spending federal taxpayers' money to repair the structures, and restore artwork and artifacts would equal unconstitutional state support for religion because 19 of the 21 missions, which were established between 1769 and 1823, are functioning Roman Catholic churches." San Francisco Chronicle (December 3, 2004) B3.]

[Request #S4566]

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FFIS Competitive Grant Update. By the Federal Funds Information for States. Update 04-39 and 04-40. (FFIS, Washington, DC) December 3, 2004. Various pagings.

Full Text at: www.ncsl.org/ffis/subs/cg/2004/CG04-40.htm

[Includes: "Biotechnology Risk Assessment Research Grants Program," "Community-based Interventions for Alcohol-impaired Driving," "Wetlands Program Development Grants," and others.]

[Request #S4567]

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Building a Strong Management Workforce in State Government: Testimony. By Stephen Rhoads, Strategic Education Services. Presented to the Little Hoover Commission. (The Commission, Sacramento, California) June 24, 2004. 4 p.

Full Text at: www.lhc.ca.gov/lhcdir/management/RhoadsJun04.pdf

["We all need to stop making our state workers the scapegoat for all the state's problems.... You should survey exiting managers, staff who are thinking about becoming managers, and union leadership. And the recent reports suggesting that large numbers of senior managers will be retiring need to be broken down by select departments/commissions, by geographical area, and by subject area. The demographics of our workforce will not be the same for all departments across the state."]

[Request #S4153]

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Maintaining a Quality State Workforce: Testimony. And Skills of Effective Public Sector Managers: PowerPoint Presentation. By Carol D. Chesbrough, Department of Financial Institutions. Presented to the Little Hoover Commission (The Commission, Sacramento, California) June 24, 2004.

["Skills of effective public sector managers. What skills are required of public sector managers and supervisors? Do managers and supervisors in state agencies have access to the training, tools and resources they need to successfully lead public sector organizations?"]

Testimony. 3 p.:
http://www.lhc.ca.gov/lhcdir/management/ChesbroughJun04.pdf

PowerPoint Presentation. 8 p.:
http://www.lhc.ca.gov/lhcdir/management/ChesbroughJun04PowerPoint.pdf

[Request #S4154]

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Hiring, Compensation and Promotions: Testimony. By Michael T. Navarro, Department of Personnel Administration. Presented to the Little Hoover Commission. (The Commission, Sacramento, California) June 24, 2004. 2 p.

Full Text at: www.lhc.ca.gov/lhcdir/management/NavarroJun04.pdf

["Supervisors and managers in general are recruited within State service and, more specifically, from within their own employing agency. There is little recruitment of supervisors or managers from outside State service. The two most identifiable reasons are: Appointments to State service must be made from lists established through competitive examination under the merit system.... Recruiting from outside State service has been difficult."]

[Request #S4156]

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Local budgets and Tax Policies in California and U.S. Cities: Surveys of City Officials. By Mark Baldassare and Christopher Hoene, Public Policy Institute of California. (The Institute, Berkeley, California) December 2004. 44 p.

Full Text at: www.ppic.org/content/pubs/OP_1204MBOP.pdf

["An analysis of city officials’ opinions in California and the rest of the United States should be very informative to policymakers as they consider the future directions of local public finance. The opinions expressed in these surveys should help identify local fiscal issues, perceived needs, and possible solutions."]

[Request #S4569]

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The Commission's Perspective: A Report from the California Performance Review Commission. By Bill Hauck. Presented to the Little Hoover Commission. (The Commission, Sacramento, California) November 2004. 12 p.

Full Text at: www.cpr.ca.gov/updates/archives/pdf/10_20_2004/Commission_Perspective/Commission_Perspective.pdf

[Among the findings: "Business improvement recommendations as well as those recommendations that improve service to the public should be evaluated by the Governor for feasibility and implemented through administrative actions as appropriate.... Additional technology should be used to streamline state government operations and improve customer service.... Develop a strategic plan to meet the state’s personnel needs: One-third of the state’s workforce is eligible to retire in the next 3–5 years.... We strongly endorse the recommendations related to the training of state workers, and the objective of fostering a culture of service.... A major objective to be accomplished in the formation of an Infrastructure Department is the consolidation, into one state agency, of the responsibility for planning and prioritizing the state’s capital infrastructure needs.... Strong cross-functional policy development and budgeting capabilities should be centralized in an Office of Management and Budget.... The Board of Governors and the Chancellor’s Office of the California Community Colleges should be retained and be given enhanced authority.... CPR recommendations do not address the fundamental governance issues related to the state’s public schools.... The Commission suggests that the Governor initiate a thorough review of the allocation of responsibilities among and between state and local governments."]

[Request #S4565]

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On Reorganization and Reality: Written Testimony. By Edward K. Hamilton, Hamilton, Rabinovitz & Alschuler, Inc. Presented to the Little Hoover Commission. (The Commission, Sacramento, California) November 17, 2004. 5 p.

Full Text at: www.lhc.ca.gov/lhcdir/reorg/HamiltonNov04.pdf

["The first requirement for effective organizational transformation is detailed understanding of how the organization actually works prior to surgery.... The name of the game is productivity improvement, but this is a particularly difficult standard to define with respect to a State government.... The most serious conundrum in American governance arises from the fact that the population is largely concentrated in metropolitan complexes each of which is splintered into hundreds or thousands of independent governmental units with no authoritative point of decision, resource redistribution or coordination short of the State." ]

[Request #S4570]

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Organizational Structure and Government Performance: Written Testimony. By Thomas H. Stanton, Fellow, Center for the Study of American Government, Johns Hopkins University. Presented to the Little Hoover Commission. (The Commission, Sacramento, California) November 17, 2004. 6 p.

Full Text at: lhc.ca.gov/lhcdir/reorg/StantonNov04.pdf

["Ways to improve performance include: redesign the organization’s structure; redesign the program; redesign administrative system; provide additional resources; improve the organization’s leadership; and improve coordination of activities of multiple organizations."]

[Request #S4571]

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Organizational Strategies for Improving Human Services: Moving from Re-structuring to Reform: Written Testimony. By Susan Robison, National Conference of State Legislatures. Presented to the Little Hoover Commission. (The Commission, Sacramento, California) November 17, 2004. 11 p.

Full Text at: www.lhc.ca.gov/lhcdir/reorg/RobisonNov04.pdf

["The goal is not restructuring or service integration. These are means to an end. The goal is better outcomes for state residents.... A number of states (including Georgia, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, Oregon, Vermont, and West Virginia) have identified desired results for children, families and/or other residents. They monitor progress toward those results by tracking population-level data, routinely publicizing the information, reviewing changes, and considering data-based policy, organizational and practice strategies to improve progress."]

[Request #S4572]

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Practical Lessons from Large-scale Organization Transformations: Written Testimony. By Lenny Mendonca, McKinsey and Company. Presented to the Little Hoover Commission. (The Commission, Sacramento, California) November 17, 2004. 4 p.

Full Text at: www.lhc.ca.gov/lhcdir/reorg/MendoncaNov04.pdf

["Productivity lies at the heart of the opportunity for transforming government performance.... If California’s government had improved its productivity at the same compounded rate as the private sector over the last 5 years, there would be no budget deficit today."]

[Request #S4573]

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Written Testimony. By Steven B. Frates, Rose Institute for State and Local Government, Claremont McKenna College. Presented to the Little Hoover Commission. (The Commission, Sacramento, California) December 8, 2004. 4 p.

Full Text at: www.lhc.ca.gov/lhcdir/reorg/FratesDec04.pdf

["Boards and commissions can very effectively tap the expertise of our talented and capable citizenry. Second, boards can perform a valuable advisory role. This is especially important with regard to such things as professional standards and hearing processes involving a high degree of technical or professional expertise. Third, boards can be an important avenue for public participation.... Membership on boards and commissions can be a reward for the political allies and supporters of those making the appointment."]

[Request #S4590]

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Public Participation in Boards, Commissions and Advisory Bodies: Written Testimony. By Jacqueline Jacobberger, League of Women Voters of California. Presented to the Little Hoover Commission. (The Commission, Sacramento, California) December 8, 2004. 4 p.

Full Text at: www.lhc.ca.gov/lhcdir/reorg/JacobbergerDec04.pdf

["The cost of an independent board may be greater than that of a department performing the same functions. While the difference in cost is a very small component of state spending, attention to this cost is a worthwhile principle. Various observers have noted that some boards serve as a refuge for politically-connected appointees who may lack appropriate qualifications and who fail to make the time commitment needed to direct state policies."]

[Request #S4591]

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Hearing on Boards and Commissions: Outline of Remarks. By Tim Hodson, Center for California Studies, CSU Sacramento. Presented to the Little Hoover Commission. (The Commission, Sacramento, California) December 8, 2004.

Full Text at: www.lhc.ca.gov/lhcdir/reorg/HodsonDec04.pdf

["Boards and commissions, regardless of their origin, should be independent of the regular mechanics and structures of state government only when truly justified and not simply because of a vague and fundamentally anti-democratic notion that elected officials cannot be trusted. It should be recognized that, in a republic, public accountability demands that all government entities be subject to appropriate checks and balances, whether from the regular mechanics and structures of state government, the elected representatives of the people or from the people directly."]

[Request #S4592]

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The Role of Boards and Commissions and Special Comments Related to the State's Real Estate Functions: Written Testimony. By Judith N. Frank, California Health Facilities Financing Authority; former Chair, California State Parks and Recreation Commission. Presented to the Little Hoover Commmission. (The Commission, Sacramento, California) December 8, 2004. 9 p.

Full Text at: www.lhc.ca.gov/lhcdir/reorg/FrankDec04.pdf

["Professional bureaucrats, no matter how well intentioned or technically proficient, cannot bring the perspective, balance, and entrepreneurial mindset that private sector citizens add.... Expert citizen commissioners on the other hand, can be drawn from the private sector and other institutional (non-governmental) sources to help supplement these inherent gaps."]

[Request #S4593]

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Letter to Chairman Alpert. By John C. Gamboa, Greenlining Institute. Presented to the Little Hoover Commission. (The Commission, Sacramento, California) October 5, 2004. 2 p.

Full Text at: www.lhc.ca.gov/lhcdir/reorg/GamboaDec04.pdf

["If the boards are to play an important role in enhancing the business climate and community respect, members must be appointed on the basis of merit, with an additional emphasis on gender and racial ethnic diversity.... Our observation is that these boards and commissions generally lack diversity and this lack of diversity adversely affects the ability of the board to gain the confidence of the community and to deliver well-informed judgments."]

[Request #S4594]

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Hearing on Boards, Commissions and Public Accountability: Outline of Testimony. By Robert C. Fellmeth, Center for Public Interest Law, University of San Diego. Presented to the Little Hoover Commission. (The Commission, Sacramento, California) December 8, 2004.

Full Text at: www.lhc.ca.gov/lhcdir/reorg/FellmethDec04.pdf

["The fundamental dilemma of state regulation: Reconciling expertise and independence.... Factors to consider: 1) Resources of agency; 2) Need for expeditious decisions; 3) Executive versus quasi-legislative character/importance to agency function;" 4) Value of group decisionmaking structure; 5) Public importance of agency decisions and value to exposure/transparency."]

[Request #S4595]

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Statement. By Robert M. Stern, Center for Governmental Studies; former General Counsel, Fair Political Practices Commission. Presented to the Little Hoover Commission. (The Commission, Sacramento, California) December 8, 2004. 4 p.

Full Text at: www.lhc.ca.gov/lhcdir/reorg/SternDec04.pdf

["Full-time commissioners create different dynamics than part-time commissioners. If the commissioners’ offices are located in the agency’s office building, then the staff constantly interacts with them and they with each other. Brown Act problems could occur. Staff could feel an 'over the shoulder' presence at all times. Staff innovation may be diminished.... Part-time commissioners typically meet once or twice a month. In this situation, questions whether the commissioners are 'earning their salaries' or having contact with the staff. Sometimes, however, concerns may be raised about conflicts of interest or lack of knowledge about what is happening at the commission."]

[Request #S4596]

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Written Testimony. By Anne Sheehan, Executive Director, California Performance Review Commission. Presented to the Little Hoover Commission. (The Commission, Sacramento, California) December 8, 2004. 8 p.

Full Text at: www.lhc.ca.gov/lhcdir/reorg/SheehanDec04.pdf

["Public comment on California Performance Review proposals to restructure state government often touched on one of two themes: 1) the need for additional detail in the reorganization proposals; and 2) the importance of strategically, and cautiously, consolidating state functions.... The majority of public comment advocated for the continued existence of a specific board or commission."]

[Request #S4597]

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California's Fiscal Outlook: LAO Projections, 2004-05 Through 2009-10. By Elizabeth G. Hill, Legislative Analyst's Office. (The Office, Sacramento, California) November 2004. 50 p.

Full Text at: www.lao.ca.gov/2004/fiscal_outlook/fiscal_outlook_04.pdf

["This report provides our projections of General Fund revenues and expeditures for 2004-05 through 2009-10. It includes our independent assessment of the outlook for California's economy, demographies, revenues and expenditures."]

[Request #S4574]

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Robert Graham, et al. v. DaimlerChrysler Corporation. California Supreme Court. S112862. December 2, 2004. 70 p.

Full Text at: www.courtinfo.ca.gov/opinions/documents/S112862.PDF

["In a victory for civil rights and consumer groups, the court ruled that private citizens can recover attorneys' fees from businesses and government agencies that change their policies in response to a lawsuit, even if the suit is dismissed.... the court said abuses could be prevented by allowing fees only when a judge determines there was some basis for the suit and the plaintiff made a reasonable attempt at settlement. Dissenting justices said the ruling invites legal shakedowns." San Francisco Chronicle (December 3, 2004) B3.]

[Request #S4575]

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State Business Tax Climate Index. By Scott A. Hodge and others. Tax Foundation. (The Foundation, Washington, DC) October 2004. 52 p.

Full Text at: www.taxfoundation.org/bp45.pdf

[“California's business tax climate ranks 38th among U.S. states, unchanged from 2003, according to a new study…. The states with the most favorable tax climates for business are South Dakota, Florida, Alaska, Texas and New Hampshire. The states receiving the lowest score from the foundation are Hawaii, New York, Minnesota, West Virginia and Rhode Island. (The District of Columbia scored lowest of all.) Tax climates matter, the foundation says, because 99 percent of the shift in jobs is between states, not to other countries.” The Orange County Register (November 15, 2004) 1.]

[Request #S4576]

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HEALTH

CAREGIVERS

The State of the States in Family Caregiver Support: A 50-State Study. By Lynn Friss Feinberg, National Center on Caregiving at the Family Caregiver Alliance, and others. (The Alliance, San Francisco, California) November 2004. 333 p.

Full Text at: www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content/pdfs/50_state_report_complete.pdf

["This report is the first to examine publicly funded caregiver support programs in all 50 states and the District of Columbia since the passage of the National Family Caregiver Support Program in 2000. It highlights key findings, offers state-by-state profiles, pinpoints challenges, and identifies issues for the future.... Most state programs report multiple sources of funding, with the majority of funding coming from four main sources: state general funds, National Family Caregiver Support Program, Aged/Disabled Medicaid, Home and Community Based Services waivers, and client contributions. Aged/Disabled Medicaid HCBS waiver programs are a significant source of funds for services helping family caregivers of beneficiaries, typically for respite care."]

[Request #S4577]

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Children with Special Health Care Needs: Building a Quality-of-Care Initiative. By Rebecca Nyman and Henry Ireys, Mathematica Policy Research. Issue Brief no. 1. (Mathematica, Princeton, New Jersey) November 2004. 4 p.

Full Text at: www.mathematica-mpr.com/publications/PDFs/cshcn.pdf

["This issue brief summarizes recent studies investigating utilization and cost patterns for a large sample of children with special health care needs enrolled in two commercial managed care plans." News from Mathematica (December 6, 2004) 1.]

[Request #S4578]

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America's Health: State Health Rankings: 2004 Edition. By the United Health Foundation. (The Foundation, Minnetonka, Minnesota) 2004. 122 p.

["California is 22nd this year, unchanged from 2003. Since 1990, California has steadily improved its ranking, rising from 33rd. Its strengths continue to include a low prevalence of smoking at 16.8 percent of the population, a low infant mortality rate at 5.0 deaths per 1,000 live births and a low rate of cancer deaths at 193.2 deaths per 100,000 population."]

California Snapshot. 1p.:
http://www.unitedhealthfoundation.org/shr2004/states/California.html

Full Report. 122 p.:
http://www.unitedhealthfoundation.org/shr/State%20Health%202004.pdf

[Request #S4579]

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Covering New Americans: A Review of Federal and State Policies Related to Immigrants' Eligibility and Access to Publicly Funded Health Insurance. By the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured. (The Commission, Washington, D.C.) November 15, 2004. 42 p.

Full Text at: www.kff.org/medicaid/loader.cfm?url=/commonspot/security/getfile.cfm&PageID=48750

["Recent immigrants are much less likely to have health insurance than citizens. In 2003, 52 percent of recent immigrants -— noncitizens lacked insurance compared to 15 percent of native citizens. Although most children living in low-income immigrant families are citizens, these children have higher uninsured rates than citizen children with native-born parents. The disparity in health coverage between immigrants and citizens has widened since enactment of the 1996 welfare law, and the number of low-income legal immigrants with health coverage has significantly declined."]

[Request #S4580]

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Nursing Homes: A System Crisis. By California HealthCare Foundation. (The Foundation, Oakland, California) December 2004. 18 p.

Full Text at: www.chcf.org/documents/hospitals/NursingHomeSnapshot04.pdf

["California's 1,400 nursing homes have made some improvements in patient care, yet one in three still fails to meet the state's minimum nursing staff requirements, according to a new statewide study.... Only one in 10 of the state's skilled nursing facilities fully comply with all federal care standards." Sacramento Bee (December 1, 2004) 1.]

[Request #S4581]

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The Benefits to State Governments from the Free Market Drug Act. By Dean Baker. (Center for Economic and Policy Research, Washington, D.C.) October 2004. 5 p.

Full Text at: www.cepr.net/publications/state_govs_free_mkt_drugs.htm

["The recently introduced Free Market Drug Act would provide billions in savings to state governments, according to this new study." Moving Ideas (November 17, 2004) 1.]

[Request #S4582]

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HOUSING

AFFORDABLE HOUSING

PPIC Statewide Survey: Special Survey on Californians and Their Housing, November 2004. By Mark Baldassare. (Public Policy Institute of California, San Francisco, Ca.) November 2004. 40 p.

Full Text at: www.ppic.org/main/publication.asp?i=567

["High rents and rising home prices are pushing one in every four Californians to consider moving elsewhere in the state or leaving California entirely, says a new statewide survey on places people call home. While Californians value their quality of life near ocean shores and mountain views, the survey shows nearly one-third of those younger than 35 are considering moves toward cheaper prices and that 52 percent of adults are very concerned their children won't be able to buy homes in their part of the state. The survey reveals the moving-out sentiment is highest in coastal areas and that many are acting on it." Contra Costa Times (November 18, 2004) 1.]

[Request #S4583]

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Integrating Affordable Housing with State Development Policy. By National Governor's Association for Best Practices. (The Association, Washington, DC) November 2004. 10 p.

Full Text at: www.nga.org/cda/files/0411AFFORDABLEHOUSING.pdf

["While each state's housing situation is unique and there are no 'one-size-fits-all' solutions, governors share common strategies for making housing more affordable and available.... In addition to making housing a priority issue, governors from across the United States have taken the lead in implementing a range of available housing-related strategies to improve communities."]

[Request #S4584]

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HUMAN SERVICES

HOMELESS

Illegal to be Homeless: The Criminalization of Homelessness in the United States. The National Coalition for the Homeless. (The Coalition, Washington, DC) November 2004. 111 p.

Full Text at: /www.nationalhomeless.org/crimreport/index.html

["This study is the most up-to-date survey of current laws that criminalize homeless people and ranks the top 'meanest' cities and states in the country. This report examines legislated ordinances and statutes, as well as law enforcement and community practices since August of 2003."]

[Request #S4585]

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County by County Nutritional Profile. By George Manolo-LeClair of California Food Policy Advocates. (The Advocates, San Francisco, California) 2004. 118 p.

Full Text at: www.cfpa.net/2004CountyProfile/2004CountyProfile/County%20Profile%20PDF%20Files/2004CountyProfile.pdf

["In general, the Bay Area fared better than much of the rest of the state on hunger and obesity.... Alameda County got poor marks on free and reduced-price school breakfast participation, ranking 11th in the state. Nearly 60,000 of the 75,000 students eligible for the program are not taking advantage of it, the study found..... The study ranked Del Norte County worst on hunger, with more than a quarter of its adult residents, or 15,000 people, lacking food. Placer County did the best, with 2.4 percent of its adult residents hungry. Marin County had the lowest percentage of obese adults, at 9.3 percent, and Merced County had the highest, at 19.9 percent." Oakland Tribune (November 26, 2004) A1.]

[Request #S4586]

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HHS Releases Child Welfare Allotment Percentages. By Federal Funds Information for States. FFIS Issue Brief, 04-53. (FFIS, Washington, DC) November 12, 2004. 4 p.

Full Text at: www.ncsl.org/ffis/subs/ib/2004/IB04-53.pdf

["The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the allotment percentages for the Child Welfare Services program for fiscal years (FYs)2006 and 2007. The allotment percentages are one of the factors used to determine the distribution of Child Welfare Services program grants. This Issue Brief provides the allotment percentages and calculates their potential impact on child welfare allocations."]

[Request #S4587]

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[The following studies, reports, and documents have been ordered or requested, but have not yet arrived. Requests may be placed, and copies will be provided when the material arrives.]

EDUCATION

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

Creating the Capacity for Change: How and Why Governors and Legislators Are Opening a New-schools Sector in Public Education. By Ted Kolderie. (Education Evolving, St. Paul, Minnesota) 2004. 192 p.

Full Text at: www.educationevolving.org/pdf/Kolderie_book.pdf

["Ted Kolderie's new book calls for a new theory of action in the improvement of K-12 public education.... The effort to change existing schools will have to be matched by a comparable effort to create different and better schools in an 'open sector' of public education that can be created only by the states. Public education exists in state law, and it will be up to governors and legislators to develop this second line of policy." NOTE: Creating Capacity for Change ... will be available for 3-day loan.]

[Request #S4588]

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HEALTH

AIDS

"Sterile Syringe Access Conditions and Variations in HIV Risk Among Drug Injectors in Three Cities." By Ricky N. Bluthenthal, RAND. IN: Addiction, vol 99. no. 9 (October 2004) pp. 1136-1147.

["Drug addicts who participate in programs that allow them to exchange an unlimited number of clean syringes are less likely to reuse needles, reducing chances they will spread infectious diseases, according to a new RAND Corporation study. As a result, syringe exchange programs that limit the number of clean needles that intravenous drug addicts can receive may not be as effective at preventing the spread of HIV and other infectious diseases as programs that do not impose limits, according to the study."]

[Request #S4589]

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ELDERLY

Health Status and Medical Treatment of the Future Elderly. By Dana P. Goldman and others. RAND. (RAND, Washington, DC) 2004. p. 213.

["The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) must generate accurate predictions of future spending for planning purposes. To investigate a better method for understanding how medical breakthroughs and demographic trends will affect future Medicare costs, CMS contracted with RAND to develop models to project how changes in health status, disease, and disability among the next generation of elderly will affect future spending."]

[Request #S4598]

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