By a vote of 24-13, the California Senate passed Attorney General Kamala Harris' legislation protecting the rights of homeowners and tenants before and during foreclosure and eviction proceedings.
Earlier today, the measure passed out of the Assembly with 57 53 votes, far more than the 41 needed for a majority, with even a couple of Republican votes one Republican vote.
Now it's on the way to Governor Brown!
While Democrats may control the California legislature and every statewide executive position, good news coming out of Sacramento for progressives has been sorely lacking.
AB 52, a bill that would have allowed the California Insurance Commissioner to Regulate health insurance rates, went down in flames almost a year ago.
SB 810, putting California on a path to single-payer health care also didn't make it back in January, 2012.
And let's not talk about California's budget. Unable to raise taxes because of Proposition 13 and facing the Great Recession, the California legislature has cut and hacked monies from education, from health care for the poor, from parks, and from just about everything else not to the benefit of the one-percent.
BUT WE FINALLY HAVE A WIN! And not just a win for California. This legislation could well be a model for other states that do not yet have similar protections.
So let's, for once, break out a little champagne for those of us in California.
Diary from this morning regarding the HBoR and the foreclosure crisis.
3:08 PM PT:
California lawmakers approved today legislation aimed at strengthening the rights of homeowners facing foreclosure, leaving the fate of the heavily debated proposal in the hands of Gov. Jerry Brown.
The proposal, approved over opposition from banking and business interests, would make California the first state to put into state law several significant provisions contained in a national settlement with five large banks. It is part of a package of bills backed by state Attorney General Kamala Harris.
The legislation, contained in Assembly Bill 278 and Senate Bill 900, cleared both houses this afternoon. The Assembly easily approved the majority-vote measure, 53-25, with one Republican and one independent joining Democrats in voting yes, and cleared the Senate on a party-line vote of 25-13.
Sacramento Bee
3:11 PM PT: Sacramento Bee says 25 ayes, but the Senate person definitely said 24-13 when the vote was completed. Possible a Senator who wasn't present for the vote added to the tally.
3:12 PM PT: No surprise, but the voting was almost entirely partisan. Looks like the Senate was strictly a party line vote, and the Assembly nearly so.
3:14 PM PT:
Torey Van Oot @CapitolAlert
Steinberg on mortgage conf cmte report passage: "I just want to say Right on," then, prompted by Noreen Evans, "You go girl"
3:27 PM PT:
Torey Van Oot @CapitolAlert
Sen. Noreen Evans, co-chair of mortgage conf cmte, says she's worked closely with @JerryBrownGov, has "every hope" he will sign
3:31 PM PT:
CourageCampaign @CourageCampaign
Thanks to these courageous officials, the CA Legislature just passed the Homeowner Bill of Rights! @KamalaHarris http://pic.twitter.com/...
4:58 PM PT: BROWN HINTS THAT HE WILL SIGN.
Torey Van Oot @CapitolAlert
Brown praises mortgage bill approved today, says it "establishes important consumer protections that are long overdue"