Posts Tagged ‘Law’

City expands background checks

Glendale News Press | 08-14-2010

Scanning program will now check record in all of the U.S., not just California.

“We don’t want someone coming from another state who has committed an egregious act,” said Glendale City Clerk Ardy Kassakhian. “In the past, if you were to apply for a tobacco vendor or taxi cab or massage therapy permit, anything where you’d be interfacing with the public, you would undergo a background check. But it only referenced arrests or incidents that took place in California. It seemed logical to expand that and look at other states, as well.”

Last month, the House of Representatives passed legislation sponsored by Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) to extend a pilot program allowing youth athletic leagues and other organizations to gain access to criminal background checks on workers and volunteers.

The bill would make it easier for private groups to tap federal criminal records and ensure the service is provided at a reasonable cost. That legislation is awaiting action in the Senate.

Tags: Community, Law, Law Enforcement, Legislation
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Bold new guidelines: Obama signs new financial reforms into law

Pasadena Star News | 07-21-2010

A sweeping set of financial regulations that are designed to protect consumers, rein in Wall Street and help ensure economic stability was signed into law Wednesday by President Barack Obama.

Fueled by the nation’s 2008 financial meltdown, the 2,300-page reform package gives the government new powers to break up companies that threaten the economy, creates a new agency to guard consumers and puts more light on the financial markets that escaped the oversight of regulators.

Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Pasadena, said he’s pleased that the The Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act is now law.

“This legislation will rein in the shoddy business practices that brought our economy to the brink of ruin in 2009, and continues to take a toll on millions of Americans who lost their jobs or watched their savings, pensions and property value tank,” Schiff said in a statement. “Finally, these reforms will restore much- needed transparency and accountability to our financial system.”

Tags: Accountability, Economy, Law, Law Enforcement, Legislation
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Rep. Schiff submits more Armenian Genocide Survival Stories into Congressional Record

PanArmenian Network | 06-11-2010

U.S. Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA) submitted additional stories from survivors of the Armenian Genocide to be included in the Congressional Record – the second set of many submissions into the national record as part of the new Armenian Genocide Congressional Record Project.

“I submitted three more survivors’ stories of the Armenian Genocide as part of a greater effort to make their experiences part of the national record,” Rep. Schiff said. “This is another in a series of submissions to help document the harrowing stories of the survivors, preserve their accounts, and to help educate the Members of Congress now and in the future on the necessity of recognizing the Armenian Genocide.”

Tags: Armenian Genocide, Community, Law, World Events
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NAACP SUPPORTS LEGISLATION TO HELP STATES REDUCE PRISON POPULATIONS

NAACP Web sitE | 06-11-2010

…The only true common factor in all 50 states right now is that they are all struggling under the weight of enormous burdens in terms of human as well as monetary resources as a result of a dysfunctional criminal justice system.

To help address the problem, Congressmen Adam Schiff (CA) and Dan Lungren (CA), along with Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (RI) and John Cornyn (TX) have introduced H.R. 4080 / S. 2772, the Criminal Justice Reinvestment Act.

This legislation devotes grant funding for intensive analysis of criminal justice data, policies, and the cost-effectiveness of current spending on corrections, in order to develop data – driven policy options that can address this. The bill then provides resources for the implementation of solutions and for reinvesting averted prison costs to bolster such initiatives. The NAACP strongly supports H.R. 4080 / S. 2772, and urges its immediate enactment.

Tags: Law, Law Enforcement
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Prospects Unclear for Aid Package Intended to Minimize Teacher Layoffs

Congressional Quarterly | 06-07-2010

A few other Blue Dog Democrats have supported the plan. Coalition members such as Californians Joe Baca and Adam B. Schiff signed letters in support of the funds. One reason may be that some economists and policy researchers believe that providing $23 billion for schools would boost economic demand in an economy that’s still in recovery.

Tags: Community, Education, Law, Legislation
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Preventing Waste, Fraud, and Abuse Act of 2010 Introduced in the House

American Chronicle| 06-06-2010

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) joined members of the Blue Dog Coalition in introducing the Preventing Waste, Fraud and Abuse Act of 2010. This legislation, co-sponsored by Rep. Schiff, will make strategic investments in federal programs, aimed at preventing wasteful government spending.

“The federal government too often focuses on imposing new taxes or cutting needed government programs, when vital services can be provided by implementing existing laws more effectively,” Rep. Schiff said. “This legislation will help us to identify and root out the waste, fraud and abuse in federal programs that will allow us to improve program efficiency, and ensure the long-term economic and national security of our country.”

Tags: Law, Legislation
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National Park Service begins study into conserving wilderness corridors around Los Angeles

Associated Press | 06-06-2010

Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Pasadena, and officials of the Park Service and Forest Service announced the start of the study at a press conference in a canyon below the San Gabriel Mountains northeast of Los Angeles.

Schiff, who introduced the study legislation included in the Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008, characterized it as an extension of 1970s congressional foresight that anticipated huge population growth and created the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area sprawling along the Malibu coast.

“The question then became decades later, would we feel the same foresight? Would we be able to anticipate the same kind of growth in population, the same need to proactively try to preserve this incredible wilderness area?” said Schiff, whose district includes foothill communities along the wilderness areas.

Tags: Community, Environment, Event, Law, Legislation, Wildfires
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Officials announce major study of local mountains for possible protection

Glendale News Press| 06-05-2010

PASADENA — Rep. Adam Schiff on Friday announced the start of the long awaited study of the region’s hillsides that could ultimately result in the federal protection of local area.

The announcement was a major milestone for Schiff (D-Burbank), who began lobbying for the so-called “Rim of the Valley” study in 2001. The study was authorized as part of federal legislation signed by President George W. Bush in 2008….

“It’s a long process…I’m glad we have finally reached the stage of this study getting underway,” Schiff said Friday to a group of stakeholders and community activists gathered at the Eaton Canyon Nature Center.

Tags: Community, Education, Environment, Event, Law, Legislation, Wildfires
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U.S., China relations improving: U.S. Congressman

Xinhua| 06-05-2010

Schiff sponsored the Nuclear Forensics and Attribution Act to strengthen the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s efforts in developing techniques for “fingerprinting” nuclear material and encouraged U.S. President Barack Obama to negotiate international agreements to govern international nuclear forensics activities.

Schiff is also leading the effort to combat intellectual property theft. He is a co-chair of the Congressional International Anti-Piracy Caucus, a bipartisan group of House and Senate lawmakers dedicated to working with America’s international trading partners to secure the enactment of strong copyright laws as well as their vigilant enforcement.

Schiff said Hollywood movies are popular in China and the movie industry is one of the few sectors enjoying a trade surplus.

He said it was important for the U.S. to strengthen its efforts to fight piracy, admitting that in this field, the United States and China had many concerns.

Tags: Community, Economy, Law, Law Enforcement, Legislation, Science, Technology
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Feds begin study of Los Angeles wilderness area

San Jose Mercury News | 06-05-2010