Measures cut red tape to promote rural health care, sound forestry SACRAMENTO -- With the end of the California Legislature’s 2015 session in sight, nine bills introduced by Assemblyman Brian Dahle, R-Bieber, have passed both houses of the legislature. Reflecting his priority of building up the rural North State’s economy, Dahle’s legislation promotes sensible forestry and tourism, the preservation of the rural health care safety net, and the streamlining of burdensome anti-business regulations. With record setting State Revenue, Dahle did not vote to increase taxes. “It’s been a challenging year in Sacramento,” Dahle said, “but I am happy to have won bipartisan support for practical bills that cut red tape and make life better for Northstate families. There is still much that needs to be done to help the tens of thousands of people living in poverty in California.” The following 2015 bills have already been signed into law by the Governor: Assembly Bill 1290 allows Mayers Memorial Hospital in Fall River Mills to save time and money by constructing its new hospital building using design-build contracting. This will speed the development of a modern, earthquake-safe hospital to serve eastern Shasta County and the surrounding region while reducing costs. Assembly Bill 417 provides additional flexibility to the Board of Forestry to write tree replanting standards that reflect on-the-ground conditions instead of one-size-fits-all rules. AB 417 ensures the state government does not force landowners to plant too many trees that suck up ground water and then burn down. Assembly Bill 223 gives businesses in the town of Truckee the opportunity to once again participate in the Business Logo Signing Program along Interstate 80. The removal of freeway signs and the construction of the Truckee Bypass has caused a steep drop in sales at affected businesses and harmed the economy of the Town of Truckee, which sponsored the bill. Assembly Bill 985 reforms the Sierra Nevada Conservancy to add members of the Legislature as liaisons to the Conservancy’s board. This will help make the board more accountable to the people. Assembly Bill 1004 updates the mission of the California Tahoe Conservancy to ensure its goals align with those of the 2014 Water Bond and other state priorities, and clarifies that the Conservancy may not sell property obtained via government eminent domain. Assembly Concurrent Resolution 53 honors Richard M. “Dick” Dickerson by designating a memorial highway in his honor on Highway 44 in Redding. Dickerson was a member of the Assembly, Shasta County supervisor, Redding City Council member, and long-time law enforcement officer who dedicated a lifetime to public service. In addition, three bills have passed the Legislature and await the Governor’s signature: Assembly Bill 264 streamlines the regulation of California seed dealers by eliminating a redundant layer of bureaucracy by the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Market Enforcement Branch. Assembly Bill 429 provides a preference, in state purchasing, for California-grown lumber, so the state government supports forest workers who have to meet the state’s strict environmental standards that other states and countries do not. This bill has been opposed by the Canadian government but received no “no” votes in either house. Assembly Concurrent Resolution 22 designates the week of Sept. 13 through Sept. 19 as Sierra Nevada Watershed Protection Week. The resolution promotes the Great Sierra River Cleanup and encourages greater cooperation among federal, state and local agencies to restore the Sierra’s fire-prone forests to a healthier and safer state. Most of California’s water supply originates in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Federal Government continues to mismanage public lands in a way that is detrimental to the environment and economy of Northern California. Assemblyman Brian Dahle, R-Bieber, represents California’s 1st Assembly District, including all or parts of Butte, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra and Siskiyou counties. __________________