[Moderator's note: This was forwarded by Sheba -- she also sent me their
permission to repost it.  They also suggested including the following:
 
>  To subscribe to calif-alerts, send a message to
>  <[log in to unmask]> with the following text (subject doesn't
>  matter):  subscribe calif-alerts yourfirstname yourlastname.       BIG]
 
[From: Megan Mullin <[log in to unmask]>]
[Subject:      LegAlert #98-1]
[To: [log in to unmask]]
 
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATIVE ALERT #98-1
January 12, 1998
 
************************************************************
                 LEGISLATURE RECONVENES:
    Politics Displaces Lawmaking After Court Decisions
        ALSO:  Email Information for Legislators!
************************************************************
 
The Capitol was buzzing with rumors and speculation as California
legislators returned to Sacramento last Monday after their interim recess.
The stage was already set for political wrangling by recent court decisions
upholding term limits and the open primary.  When U.S. District Judge
Lawrence Karlton ruled on Tuesday that Prop 208's campaign contribution
limits were unconstitutional, chaos ensued.
 
The first few months of this year's session promise to be eventful
as legislators respond to the court rulings by engaging in political
maneuvers to place themselves in the best possible position for this year's
elections.  The leadership of both houses will seek higher office now that
they will be forced out by term limits this year, and ambitious legislators
are touting their fund-raising abilities as they vie to succeed the current
leaders.
 
In the meantime, all bills held over from last year must pass through their
houses of origin by January 31st.  New bills will be introduced until late
February, and then the rush of committee hearings will begin.
 
     *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *
 
During the interim break, a Sierra Club intern conducted research on the
use of email among California legislators so that we could find out whether
email is a useful means for sending messages to the Capitol.  The good
news is that email use is more widespread in the building than we thought,
and that legislative addresses are getting standardized.  ***HOWEVER,
email is still is not as effective as postal mail or a phone call in sending
a message to a legislator.***
 
The one message we heard over and over again is that in order to be
considered at all, email must include a name and mailing address.  Without
that information, legislators have no way of knowing whether the author is
a constituent.  Also keep in mind that email messages should be written as
formally as a postal letter in order to receive proper consideration.
 
The standard email address for State Senators is now
<[log in to unmask]>.  For Assemblymembers, it is
<[log in to unmask]>.  Not all legislators may be on this new
standardized system.  For more specific email information, see the
following web sites:  <http://www.assembly.ca.gov/acs/acsframeset7.htm>
and <http://www.sen.ca.gov/htbin/seninfo/sen.senator>.
 
The following legislators will consider constituent email, provided that it
includes your name and street address.  If your legislator is not listed
below, then he or she does not have an email account, doesn't check it
regularly, or prefers not to receive constituent mail electronically.
 
ASSEMBLYMEMBERS:    Strom-Martin, Woods, Oller, Alby, Mazzoni,
Thomson, Ortiz, Bowler, Torlakson, Shelley, Migden, Leach, Perata,
Machado, Sweeney, Figueroa, Lempert, Alquist, Honda, Cunneen, House,
Keeley, Frusetta, Prenter, Bustamente, Ashburn, Bordonaro, Olberg,
Firestone, Runner, McClintock, Cardenas, Hertzberg, Wildman, Scott,
Villaraigosa, Murray, Wright, Martinez, Bowen, Kuykendall, Havis,
Gallegos, Napolitano, Margett, Miller, Aguiar, Baca, Leonard, Pacheco,
Baugh, Pringle, Morrissey, Brewer, Campbell, Goldsmith, Baldwin,
Ducheny, Battin
 
SENATORS: Leslie, Thompson, Johnston, Greene, Rainey, Kopp, Lee,
Lockyer, Sher, Monteith, Vasconcellos, Maddy, McPherson, O'Connell,
Wright, Schiff, Watson, Karnette, Mountjoy, Brulte, Ayala, Hurtt, Haynes,
Kelley, Alpert
 
     *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *
 
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
 
Sierra Club California is hosting its second annual Lobby Day on Monday,
May 11, 1998.  We hope to gather Club volunteers from throughout the
state in Sacramento for a full day of legislative advocacy, in order to send
a strong and clear message to legislators that they should vote to protect
California's environment.  Participants last year enjoyed the opportunity
to meet their legislators, to share ideas with other Club activists and
staff, and to learn more about the legislative process.  Mark your
calendars now and plan to participate in this year's event!
[Posted in FML issue 2186]