04/18/2009-Pasadena: Law or No Law? Does the California Legislature have too much time on its hands?

Apparently our state legislators don’t have enough to fill their days. At least that seems evident when Assembly Member Mike Eng holds a “There Oughta Be a Law” contest and proposes the winner’s idea as state law. I expect constituents propose legislation all the time, but to make it a contest, and guarantee to introcude the “best” entry seems only slightly more altruistic than making the winner of America’s Next Top Model a Glamour cover girl. Sure, you may get a good idea or two, but you also could be stuck with a real stinker… depending on the entries.

The winner? A guy who thinks it should be against the law to hit an animal in the street and drive away.

Now, we’ve got two dogs and a chinchilla in our family, and we’d all be devastated if something tragic happened to one or them. But, should we really draw police resources away from maintaining our public safety to answer calls about kittens, puppies or other pets that get hit by cars? I think not.

Here’s the press release from the assemblymember’s office:

Assemblymember Eng To Announce 2009 Bill Package And Winner Of The “There Ought To Be A Law” Contest

Assemblymember Mike Eng (D-Monterey Park) invites constituents of the 49th Assembly District and the media for an overview and introduction of his 2009 legislative package. In addition, Assemblymember Eng will announce the winner of the second annual 49th Assembly District “There Ought To Be A Law” contest.

Assemblymember Eng’s legislative package covers a wide array of policy areas including: meeting California transportation infrastructure needs, creating green jobs, advocating for stronger consumer protections, strengthening the state’s open government meeting laws, ensuring transparency in state contracts involving personnel, increasing penalties for unlicensed contractors, protecting our senior citizens, and going after tax cheats to help close our budget deficit.

At the event, Assemblymember Eng will introduce the winner of this year’s “There Ought To Be A Law” contest, Kevin Sawkins. A resident of San Gabriel, Mr. Sawkins proposed legislation that would make it a crime for a motorist to not report to the proper authorities when they hit an animal while driving. Mr. Sawkins’ became aware of gap in state law after the family dog, “Max,” was hit by a car and no one stopped to notify them or report it. Mr. Sawkins and Max will be present.

Maybe, nobody stopped because nobody realized they’d hit poor Max. Now, does this proposed law apply to squirrels, opossums and skunks, too?

HIghlighting the “There Oughta be a Law” winner also seems to trivialize the remainder of Mr. Eng’s legislative agenda, at least to me. The entire package could be very beneficial, but I can’t get past the doggy law, so who really knows?

Of course, the other problem with the entire program is that we have entirely too many laws, regulations, requirements and agencies in California already. How about getting the Legislature to look at reducing that number and removing laws that don’t actually promote the public benefit?

Maybe we can hope the California legislature has more sense than to pass this contest winner.

Oh, probably too much to ask, huh?

Paul