LA WEEKLY: Mike Gatto Wants You to Weigh in on World's First Wiki-Made Law

MikeGatto.wikispaces.com

By Dennis Romero - LA Weekly

In what is being trumpeted as "the first purely crowdsourced piece of legislation in the United States," L.A. state Assemblyman Mike Gatto is inviting you, the average citizen, to help draft a new law.

He has turned to Wikispaces to let anyone -- anyone! -- weigh in on this proposal, and the lawmaker has vowed to introduce the final product in the legislature no matter what he ends up with.

But before you start jumping around and saying, Legalize it!, an idea that would surely dominate this exercise, there is a caveat:

Gatto has limited this experiment to probate law, the regulation that covers the wills and estates of the dead and how this wealth gets transferred.

This is why, his office states:

To narrow down the submissions in this first trial of the process, Gatto is asking bill drafters to focus their proposals on changes to the California probate code. This subject matter was selected because it is one where large numbers of specialists exist with an interest in participating (lawyers, CPAs, etc.), but also, since almost everyone has had some experience in handling the death of a loved one, large numbers of the public are also likely to have an opinion on how California's relevant laws could be improved.

So there you have it. Not as fun. But just as experimental. For example, you could try to change the law regarding who gets a decedent's property when there's no will.

But Gatto has warned folks who might get excited by the process that coming up with a proposal, no matter how just or far out, would only be the first step.

The bill would have to be green-lighted by numerous committees, both houses of the legislature, and Gov. Jerry Brown. That's an uphill battle even for no-brainer proposals like extending California's last-call-for-alcohol time beyond 2 a.m.

Gatto is excited nonetheless, saying this is a better way than sometimes-extreme citizen initiatives or even President Obama's own online petitions.

The lawmaker says:

This is a great way for people to have a voice in their government. Too often, special-interest groups draft legislation. In contrast, 'crowdsourcing' a bill on the Wiki platform will allow for a fully transparent brainstorming, drafting, and editing process that will incorporate ideas from a large group of people. The collective wisdom of the public will choose the final product.

The collective wisdom of the public? Be careful what you wish for.

You can read this article and more at the LA Weekly HERE

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Mike Gatto is the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee in the California State Assembly.  He represents Burbank, Glendale, La Cañada Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, and the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Atwater Village, East Hollywood, Franklin Hills, Hollywood Hills, Los Feliz, and Silver Lake. www.asm.ca.gov/gatto 

PRESS RELEASE: Small Business Advisory Commission Generates Legislation to Help Small Businesses Avoid Shakedown Lawsuits

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                      Contact: Justin Hager: (818) 558-3043

February 5, 2013                                                                                 Cell: (415) 889-9762

Assemblyman Gatto’s Business Advisory Commission

Generates Legislation to Help Small Businesses Avoid Shakedown Lawsuits

SACRAMENTO – On Saturday, February 2, members of Assemblyman Mike Gatto's (D-Los Angeles) Small Business Advisory Commission voted to ask him to introduce legislation to address a new breed of shakedown lawsuits plaguing small businesses in Southern California.  On Monday, February 4, Assemblyman Gatto did what the Commission asked, introducing legislation that allows a business owner who receives notice of a Proposition 65 violation to remedy a violation, and achieve compliance within 14 days, without facing exorbitant retrospective fines.  

Prop. 65, the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act, was passed by voters in 1986 and provides that a business in California may not expose individuals to chemicals known to cause cancer and/or reproductive toxicity without first giving clear and reasonable warning.  The State of California publishes a list of more than 800 chemicals known to cause cancer, reproductive harm, or birth defects.  Originally intended for serious exposures or failures to warn, Prop. 65 lawsuits have recently been abused by unethical attorneys.  A coffee shop owner in Gatto's district was sued for hundreds of thousands of dollars for failing to notify his customers that beer could cause cancer.

Such suits exist because the law allows for fines of $2,500 per day, enforced by any plaintiff.  Most people suing businesses expect that a small business, wary of litigation costs, will opt for a quick settlement to make the lawsuit go away. 

As introduced, AB 227 would further the original intent of Prop. 65, which was obtaining compliance with warnings for chemicals present on a site.  It would therefore allow a business that receives a notice of a private action to correct the violation, i.e., post the Prop. 65 warning, within fourteen days without being subject to the retroactive $2,500 per day fine. 

“The voters passed Prop. 65 to be protected from chemicals that would hurt them.  They did not intend to create a situation where shakedowns of California’s small-business owners would cause them to want to close their doors,” said Gatto.   

Assemblyman Gatto formed the Small Business Advisory Commission this year to advise him on challenges facing local small-business owners.  The eight member commission discussed a variety of concerns impacting small businesses and voted unanimously for Gatto to introduce the bill to reform Prop. 65 so that the law’s intent is not undermined.

 

“I had the opportunity to listen to concerns of local business owners on the Small Business Advisory Commission.  The severe negative impact of shakedown lawsuits under Prop. 65 was immediately apparent,” said Gatto.  “Most business owners work hard to protect customers so that the customers return.  This is especially true with small-business owners whose customers are neighbors, friends, and relatives.  This common-sense bill will help small businesses avoid costly litigation while ensuring that the public has the proper warnings about potentially dangerous chemicals.”

Mike Gatto is the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly.  He represents the cities of Burbank, Glendale, La Canada-Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Atwater Village, and portions of the Hollywood Hills and East Hollywood.  www.asm.ca.gov/gatto

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Assemblyman Gatto Forms Small-Business Advisory Commission

Seeks public input on regulatory and statutory reforms to improve the state’s business climate.

November 29, 2012


Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Los Angeles) is seeking applications from local business owners to serve on his District 43 Business Advisory Commission.  The commission will meet several times in the months ahead, with the goal of formulating one or more legislative proposals that would be introduced by Assemblyman Gatto in the 2013 state legislative session.

Assemblyman Gatto said he welcomes input from the people working hard to keep businesses thriving.

“We hear often that our business climate could be improved. I’m interested in hearing any proposal that would make the regulatory and statutory environment more sensible and less burdensome for local business owners. ”

Last year, the assemblyman authored or co-authored several bills to support small businesses including AB 1616 (The California Homemade Food Act), AB 2026 (The Film Industry Tax Credit), and AB 1900, which created an entirely new in-state biofuel industry. He hopes the commission will help him to identify even more common sense solutions to the challenges facing local businesses.

“As lawmakers, we have a sacred duty to listen to the needs and concerns of those who help our communities thrive, and to do what we can to support them,” said Gatto.

Anyone interested in participating on the commission should email Assemblyman Gatto at Assemblymember.Gatto@assembly.ca.gov with the subject line ‘Business Commission.’

You can read this story and more at the Crescenta Valley Weekly by clicking HERE

Mike Gatto is the chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly.  He represents the cities of Burbank, Glendale, La Cañada-Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Atwater Village, and portions of the Hollywood Hills and East Hollywood.