Which Bills Will Survive California Legislature Committees?

California’s Legislature is getting crazy busy as key bill deadlines get closer — and we’re keeping track.

Tuesday, some bills didn’t survive crucial committee hearings, while others were watered down to stay alive.

CalMatters homelessness reporter Marisa Kendall watched the Senate Public Safety Committee kill a bill for a statewide ban on homeless encampments near parks and schools, for the second year in a row. The Democratic legislators against the bill said they didn’t want to penalize down-and-out residents who sleep on public property.

• Sen. Aisha Wahab, a Democrat from Fremont and chairperson of the committee: “Just because individuals that are unhoused make people uncomfortable does not mean that it should be criminalized. And this bill does that.”

The lone Republican on the committee, Sen. Kelly Seyarto of Murrieta, was also the only “yes” on the bill.

• Seyarto: “We had a slew of people that came forward to tell us about what we shouldn’t be doing. But what the hell should we be doing? Because right now we’re not doing anything.”

Read more about the bill in Marisa’s story.

Meanwhile, CalMatters health reporter Kristen Hwang is monitoring bills aimed at stopping maternity wards from closing. One, which passed out of committee Tuesday, would require hospitals to notify the state if their labor and delivery services are at risk, potentially giving counties and the state more time to intervene. Another proposal to raise community awareness of impending closures bumps up the public notification requirement from 90 days to 120 days and was approved in committee last week.

The California Hospital Association isn’t a fan of either bill, arguing that they do little to address the underlying reasons hospitals are closing maternity wards, such as labor shortages and increasing costs.

Learn more about these bills in Kristen’s story.

In other bill drama Tuesday:

Child sex trafficking: The Senate public safety committee did pass a bipartisan bill to increase penalties for those who purchase sex from minors — but with amendments the author didn’t want. One change lowered the age of those protected from 17 to 15. And instead of potentially going to prison, offenders would be able to serve in county jails or pay a fine. Republican Sen. Shannon Grove of Bakersfield, the author of the bill, said the changes “only lessen the impact” of the measure.

• Grove: “It takes two criminals to do this to children. A trafficker and a buyer.”

Reminder: This bill is a bookend to another huge controversy last session: A law that made it a serious felony and possible third strike for child sex traffickers. It was initially shelved in the Assembly public safety committee before public outcry and Democratic leaders forced it through.

Restraining orders: The Assembly public safety committee killed a bill, known as “Kayleigh’s Law,” that would have allowed survivors of sexual abuse to seek permanent restraining orders against their attackers (rather than having them to repeatedly face their abusers in court to renew a protective order). The Assemblymember behind the bill, Newport Beach Republican Diane Dixon, said in a statement that she was “ incredibly disappointed” and that the committee “failed to protect vulnerable Californians.”

Online ticket sales: Assemblymember Buffy Wicks grudgingly agreed to Arts, Entertainment, Sports and Tourism Committee amendments for her bill to increase ticket sale competition and combat Ticketmaster’s dominance in the industry. In one major change, the bill exempts professional sports events. But representatives for the Golden State Warriors, the Los Angeles Rams and the Los Angeles Clippers still all spoke in opposition.

And don’t forget the state budget deficit: Late Monday, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the early action budget bill passed by the Legislature last week and designed to reduce the budget shortfall by $17 billion.

CalMatters.org is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.