As the summer heats up and the thermometer rises, I thought it would be the perfect time to talk about how Democratic state legislators have stepped up to tackle a problem that – only a few years back – would not have been considered a state legislative issue.

States started to seriously address climate change in 2006 in California. In that year, the Democratic legislature passed the “California Global Warming Solutions Act,” sponsored by Democratic Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez (a DLCC board member). Assembly Bill 32 passed the Assembly on August 31, 2006 on a 47-32 vote. It then passed the Senate on August 30, 2006 on a 23-14 vote and was approved by the governor on September 27, 2006. The bill requires that, by 2020, California’s greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced to 1990s levels.

California’s landmark legislation in 2006 led to a number of successes nationwide in 2007.

Just a year after California’s success, the Democratically controlled Washington legislature passed Senate Bill 6001. This bill, sponsored by Democratic Sen. Craig Pridemore, establishes the following goals: by 2020, reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions in the state to 1990 levels; by 2035, reduce overall GHG emissions in the state to 25 percent below 1990 levels; and by 2050, the state will do its part to reach global climate stabilization levels by reducing overall emissions to 50 percent below 1990 levels, or 70 percent below the state's expected emissions that year. The governor signed the bill on May 3, 2007.

That same year, the Democratically-controlled Oregon legislature passed HB 3543. The goals of Oregon’s bill are to achieve the following reductions in greenhouse gas emissions: by 2010, arrest the growth of Oregon’s greenhouse gas emissions and begin to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; by 2020, achieve greenhouse gas levels that are 10 percent below 1990 levels; and, by 2050, achieve greenhouse gas levels that are at least 75 percent below 1990 levels. The governor signed the bill on August 7, 2007.

The Iowa Democratic legislature passed Senate File 485 in 2007. SF 485 addresses power-plant greenhouse gas emissions by creating a greenhouse gas inventory to collect data on greenhouse gas production; by creating a greenhouse gas registry for tracking, and by creating the Iowa Climate Change Advisory Council to analyze the possibility of reducing emissions by 50 percent by 2050. On April 23, 2007, SF 485 passed the Senate 30-19, and, on April 18, 2007, the bill passed the House 66-32. On April 27, 2007, SF 485 was signed by the governor.

In 2007, the Democratically-controlled legislature in Minnesota passed Senate File 145, the “Next Generation Energy Act of 2007 and Omnibus Energy Policy Bill.” This bill -- sponsored by Democratic Rep. Bill Hilty and Democratic Sen. Yvonne Prettner Solon -- contains the Global Warming Mitigation Act of 2007. The goal of this bill is to reduce statewide greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors producing those emissions to a level at least 15 percent below 2005 levels by 2015, to a level at least 30 percent below 2005 levels by 2025, and to a level at least 80 percent below 2005 levels by 2050. The governor approved the bill on May 25, 2007.

Also in 2007, the Democratically controlled New Jersey legislature passed Assembly Bill 3301. The bills sponsors include Democratic Assemblypersons Linda Stender, Valerie Vainieri Huttle, Reed Gusciora, Linda R. Greenstein, and John F. McKeon and Democratic Sens. Barbara Buono, and Bob Smith. Assembly Bill 3301 establishes a greenhouse gas emissions reduction program to limit the level of statewide greenhouse gas emissions, and greenhouse gas emissions from electricity generated outside the state but consumed in the state, to the 1990 level or below, of those emissions by the year 2020, and to reduce those emissions to 80% below the 2006 level by the year 2050. The real strength of this bill is that it mandates drastic reductions by 2050. According to the Washington Post (July 6, 2007), “U.S. states have taken action on their own and in regional groups because the federal government has not yet passed mandatory regulations on emissions.” This story notes that the New Jersey law is tougher than California’s 2006 law because the NJ law contains “hard,” “enforceable” mandates – whereas the CA law only contains targets. The bill was signed by the governor on July 6, 2007.

Democratic legislators are continuing to fight for the environment through legislation on “green jobs,” “green buildings,” and renewable energy standards. For a good overview of state legislative action on environmental issues, be sure to check out the Pew Center on Global Climate Change.

On Monday, I wrote about Democrats taking the lead on state legislation to promote children’s health through nutrition and physical-education legislation. Today, I would like to touch upon three more crucial issues in children’s health care: insurance coverage for autism, getting rid of toxic toys, and second-hand smoke in cars.

COVERAGE FOR AUTISM

On July 14, the Chicago Sun Times ran a story about another key children’s health care issue for which Democrats are fighting. Illinois Democratic Gov. Blagojevich added language to House Bill 4225 to create landmark legislation, making his state provide the most comprehensive autism coverage in the nation.

According to the organization Autism Speaks, one in 150 children is diagnosed with autism; a new case is diagnosed almost every 20 minutes; and it is the fastest-growing serious developmental disability in the country.

A recent story in Stateline provides a great overview of state laws on insurance coverage for autism. According to the piece, 12 states already require insurance coverage for autism, one state has passed legislation this year, and 12 states have legislation pending.

In Wisconsin, Democrats were blocked in their efforts to pass an autism bill. Democratic Rep. Amy Sue Vruwink wrote a newspaper column about how – after passing the Senate – SB 178 by Democratic Sen. Judy Robson (and co-sponsored by Democratic Sen. Russ Decker, among others), died in the Assembly. According to a story in the Daily Cardinal, the Autism Society of Wisconsin supported Democratic SB 178 over Republican AB 901.

In Oklahoma, Democrats were also blocked in their efforts to pass an autism bill. There have been at least 3 attempts this session to pass an autism insurance bill. SB 1537, written by Democratic Sen. Jay Paul Gumm and dubbed “Nick’s Law, did not even make it out of committee. HB 2531, which would require insurance coverage for autism, passed the Senate on a 30-18 vote, but -- despite the pleas of parents of autistic children -- House Republican leadership refused to hear the bill. SB 2118, another attempt to pass insurance coverage for autism, sailed through the Senate, but died in a House committee.

TOXIC TOYS

In Washington, Democratic Rep. Mary Lou Dickerson authored HB 2647, the “Children’s Safe Products Act of 2008,” which bans 3 toxins from children’s toys: lead, cadmium, and phthalates. This bill was signed by the governor on March 13.

In California, AB 1108 (2007) -- the “California Toxic Toys Bill” – was sponsored by Democratic Assemblywoman Fiona Ma and signed by the governor on October 14, 2007.

In New Jersey, Democratic Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein and Democratic Sen. Loretta Weinberg have joined the fight for safe children’s toys this year with their introduction of bills for the “Toxic-free Children's Products Act” – AB 2332 and SB 1428.

In Maine, Rep. Hannah Pingree authored LD 2048, “An Act to Protect Children's Health and the Environment from Toxic Chemicals in Toys and Children's Products,” which was signed by the governor on April 17, 2008.

In MARYLAND, Democratic Delegate James Hubbard sponsored HB 62, which prohibits children’s products containing lead. It was signed by the governor on May 13.

BANNING SMOKING IN AUTOMOBILES WHERE CHILDREN ARE PRESENT

Democrats are also going after adults who smoke in vehicles when children are passengers in those cars. For an excellent overview of state legislation through 2007, take a look at another story in Stateline. In 2008, we see the Democratically controlled legislatures in Maine and Washington State defending children’s health and safety in this area.

In Maine, LD 2012 -- which is a primary-offense prohibition smoking in a motor vehicle when a person under 16 years of age is present in that vehicle -- was signed by the governor on April 10, 2008. Democratic Rep. Patricia Blanchette sponsored a state-wide ban bill modeled on an ordinance in her town of Bangor, which protects children up to age 18. In the end, Blanchette’s version lost out to a Republican version which lowered the age from 18 to 16.

In Washington, HB 2519 (sponsored by Democratic Rep. Shay Schual-Berke) and SB 6287 (sponsored by Democratic Sen. Chris Marr) both ban smoking in cars with children inside. The House bill would cover children under 18, and the Senate version would include children under 14. Both bills make the violation a secondary offense. While neither bill made it into law this session, future success is very likely since the bills were supported by the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, the American Lung Association, and state law-enforcement agencies, troopers, and firefighters.

I admire Stateline a lot. I read it every day and link to it often.

But I'm particularly impressed by this project.

The Stateline staff has put together a very good, state-by-state breakdown of the action resulting from the year's legislative sessions across the country. So far, this collection only covers the statehouses where the lawmakers have adjourned, but writers are continuing to add new states as more sessions end.

If you're at all interested in what's happening in Alaska:

In a special session in June, lawmakers traveled from Juneau to Fairbanks and a half dozen small communities to learn more about the proposed pipeline – the biggest construction project in North America – and the environmental and economic effects it would have on the state.

Or Maryland:

[T]he Democratic-led legislature grabbed national headlines with some of the toughest new mortgage banking laws in the country. The state also expanded its DNA sampling program, created a tax surcharge for millionaires and ordered the state’s largest electric utility to retroactively lower its rates and issue refunds.

Or Washington:

Education was a priority. Teachers received pay raises, and all-day kindergarten was expanded. Colleges and universities also received help, with lawmakers increasing funding for a program meant to hire top-quality researchers to the state.

Or anywhere in between, I recommend it.

Just before the Oklahoma legislature adjourned, lawmakers passed a major bond initiative, which will invest $300 million into the state’s roads and bridges. The legislation was signed into law this week, and the first bond will be issued in August of 2009.