Governor Schwarzenegger Tackles California's Challenges, Asks Legislature to Work Together Toward Bipartisan Solutions

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, delivering his annual State of the State address before a joint session of the California State Legislature tonight, asked legislators to join him in continuing in the spirit of bipartisanship to tackle some of California's most pressing challenges.

"I want to thank the legislature, as I did in my Inaugural, for putting the people above politics last year--an election year. What this said to the people is: we are not waiting for politics. We are not waiting for our problems to get worse. We are not waiting for the federal government. We are not waiting - period. Because the future does not wait," said Governor Schwarzenegger. "I believe that together not only can we lead California into the future...we can show the nation and the world how to get there."

During the speech, the Governor discussed his bold proposals to continue to invest the state's prisons, schools, roads, courts and water supply; reform the health care system; reduce California's greenhouse gas emissions and dependence on foreign energy sources; improve and create more transparency in the education system; and accomplish redistricting reform.

"We accomplished historic things last year. Let us make this year historic as well. Yes, it's an ambitious agenda, but we must be ambitious to get California to the future," said Governor Schwarzenegger. "We are addressing needs that have been ignored for decades. This is important work. It is hard, heavy work. What we are doing relates directly to the kind of state this will be in ten or twenty years."

Specifically, the Governor's proposals include:

Low Carbon Fuel Standard & Implementing the Global Warming Solutions Act

Low Carbon Fuel Standard

Governor Schwarzenegger again asserted California's leadership in clean energy and environmental policy by establishing a Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) by Executive Order. This first-of-its kind standard will reduce our overwhelming reliance on fossil fuels and support AB 32 emissions targets. By 2020 the standard will reduce the carbon intensity of California's passenger vehicle fuels by at least 10 percent. The Governor's proposal:

Creates the world's first global warming standard for transportation fuels
Uses the market reduces emissions at the lowest cost and most consumer friendly way
Reduces greenhouse gas emissions
Drives research, innovation and jobs
Calls for direct collaboration and action now

Click here for additional information on the Governor's proposal

Implementing the Global Warming Solutions Act

In September Governor Schwarzenegger signed the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB 32), establishing his historic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions targets as state law and creating the world's most comprehensive GHG reductions program. In the State of the State, he asked the Legislature to appropriate funds to implement the provisions of AB 32, which requires a cap on greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, mandatory emissions reporting, and the development of a market-based compliance program.

Click here for additional information on the Governor's proposal

Strategic Growth Plan

In November 2006, California voters approved the historic $37.3 billion Strategic Growth Plan bonds and a $5.4 billion initiative for national resource protection, water and parks.

Fiscal accountability is a cornerstone of this proposal. In coming months, the Governor will establish policies and procedures to ensure that spending meet the voter's goals.

These funds make significant progress towards rebuilding California, but the job isn't done. In his State of the State Address, the Governor proposed $43.3 billion in additional infrastructure bonds.

The Governor's proposal includes investments in the following areas:

Corrections: $10.9 billion for state and local facilities ($9.5 lease revenue bonds, $0.3 billion existing funding sources, $1.1 billion new funding sources)
Education: $11.6 billion for K-12 educational facilities; $11.6 billion for Higher Education facilities
Resources: $6 billion for flood control, water supply and conveyance
Judiciary: $2 billion for the state's courthouses
Other: $2.6 billion for other public service infrastructure
Transportation: New legislation to use public/private partnerships and design-build for transportation projects.

Click here for additional information on the Governor's proposal

Health Care Reform

With 6.5 million Californians uninsured for all or part of the year - more than any other state in the nation - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger proposed a comprehensive plan to reform California's broken health care system. The Governor's health care reform proposal will reduce the hidden tax insured Californians pay to subsidize the uninsured, lower costs, support better care and create a healthier California through three essential elements of reform:

Prevention, health promotion, and wellness
Coverage for all Californians
Affordability and cost containment

Individuals, government, doctors and hospitals, insurers and employers all benefit from the coverage of all Californians, so they have equal responsibility for realizing these reforms. By promoting health and wellness, covering the uninsured and increasing affordability, California can create a model that the rest of the nation can follow.

Click here for additional information on the Governor's proposal

Education Reform & Strategic Research and Innovation Initiative

Providing Online, User-Friendly School Information

The Governor discussed the need to provide an integrated, transparent system that allows parents, the public, educators and policymakers to access useful information about our schools. He has directed his administration to work with the Legislature, Superintendent of Public Instruction and others to make the School Accountability Report Card parent-friendly and include relevant district and site information so that schools can easily be compared to one another. The Administration is also pursuing a public/private partnership to launch an easy-to-use website that will provide parents with online consumer information about schools.

Career Technical Education Initiative

The Governor's proposed 2007-08 budget includes $52 million to build and improve Career Technical Education (CTE) programs by enhancing curriculum, streamlining teacher recruitment and training and maximizing bond funds for new facilities. CTE integrates core academics with technical and occupational courses to give students a pathway to postsecondary education and careers.

Click here for additional information on the Governor's proposals

Strategic Research and Innovation Initiative

Governor Schwarzenegger noted in his speech that by nearly any measure, California is the national leader in innovation. To maintain California's leadership in the fastest growing fields, Governor Schwarzenegger proposed $253.4 million in the 2007-08 budget to support research at the University of California, and his Strategic Research and Innovation Initiative, will provide $95 million to major projects in three key sectors: "clean" technology, biotechnology and nanotechnology.

Click here for additional information on the Governor's proposals

Disaster Preparedness

In his speech, Governor Schwarzenegger reiterated the need to invest in disaster preparedness, including threats to public health. Coordination between the state agencies with specific emergency preparedness and response roles is critical to improving California's ability to respond to an emergency. In addition, the newly created Department of Public Health will play a key role in emergency preparedness, communicable disease control, chronic disease and injury prevention, laboratory sciences, food and water safety, environmental and occupational health and health facility licensure and certification.

Political Reform

In December the Governor unveiled his broad, bipartisan proposal to change the way that legislative districts' geographic boundaries are drawn. During his State of the State Address, the Governor reiterated this call to promote greater competitiveness in legislative races and restore public confidence in state government. The Governor's plan calls for:

The creation of an 11-member independent, politically balanced and diverse Citizens Redistricting Commission.
A fair selection process. Under his proposal, a panel of ten county clerks establishes a candidate pool. Legislative leaders can each strike two candidates from the pool before the Fair Political Practices Commission conducts a random drawing of 11 names.
Districts that respect existing law, state geography and California's communities.
Transparency and public accountability when redrawing map lines.
Forthright enactment, court review and funding requirements.

Click here for additional information on the Governor's proposal

Prison Reform & State Employee Retirement Benefits Commission

In addition, Governor Schwarzenegger has made prison reform and the establishment of a public employee retirement benefits commission a top priority for 2007.

Click here for additional information on the Governor's proposal

Click here for additional information on the State Employee Retirement Benefits Commission