Public Interest Organizations
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PUBLIC INTEREST ORGANIZATION ACTION Each regulatory agency of California focus of the organization's research and sultant has been hired to direct the government hears from those trades or educational activities. AJF is funded by signature drive. industries it respectively affects. Usually grants and individual memberships. organized through various trade associa- MAJOR PROJECTS: tions, professional lobbyists regularly AMERICAN LUNG formulate positions, draft legislation On November 19, AJF launched its ASSOCIATION OF and proposed rules, and provide infor- ballot initiative campaign to cut insur- mation as part of an ongoing agency ance costs and reform the industry. CALIFORNIA relationship. These groups usually focus Under AJF's "Insurance Rate Reduction P.O. Box 7000-866 on the particular agency overseeing a and Reform Act," auto and business Redondo Beach, CA 90277 major aspect of their business. The cur- liability insurance rates would be rolled (213) 378-3950 back and cut by 15% the day after the rent activities of these groups are re- The American Lung Association of November 1988 election. Any additional viewed as a part of the summary discus- California (ALAC) emphasizes the pre- increases must be approved by an elect- sion of each agency, infra. vention and control of lung disease and ed state Insurance Commissioner. Auto There are, in addition, a number of the associated effects of air pollution. rates would be based on an insured's organizations which do not represent a Any respiratory care legislative bill is of driving record, rather than the arbitrary profit-stake interest in regulatory poli- major concern. Similarly, the Associa- zip code method currently used by in- cies. These organizations advocate more tion is concerned with the actions of the surers. A 20% discount for good drivers diffuse interests-the taxpayer, small Air Resources Board and therefore mon- would be required. business owner, consumer, environment, itors and testifies before that Board. AJF claims Californians will save future. The growth of regulatory govern- The Association has extended the scope ment has led some of these latter groups hundreds of dollars per year under the proposed initiative, and that it will mean of its concerns to encompass a wider to become advocates before the regula- range of issues pertaining to public lower insurance costs and a stronger tory agencies of California, often before health and environmental toxics generally. more than one agency and usually on a state economy. The initiative would sporadic basis. strike down the insurance industry's MAJOR PROJECTS: Public interest organizations vary in exemption from antitrust laws, which On December 16, the Coalition for a ideology from the Pacific Legal Founda- prevent other industries from sharing Healthy California began gathering sig- tion to Campaign California. What fol- price-setting information and from mak- natures for a 25-cents-per-pack cigarette lows are brief descriptions of the current ing business decisions collectively. The tax increase initiative. (See CRLR Vol. projects of these separate and diverse initiative would create an intervenor 7, No. 4 (Fall 1987) p. 13 for back- groups. The staff of the Center for funding mechanism to encourage indi- ground information.) ALAC is a leading Public Interest Law has surveyed ap- viduals and nonprofit organizations to group in the coalition backing the meas- proximately 200 such groups in Cali- participate in insurance rate-setting pro- ure, which will appear on the November fornia, directly contacting most of them. ceedings. Administrative costs would be 1988 ballot if 595,485 valid signatures of The following brief descriptions are only paid through a schedule of surcharges California voters are obtained within intended to summarize their activities paid by insurers which conduct business 150 days. The Coalition held eight news and plans with respect to the various in the state. conferences around the state to kick off regulatory agencies in California. In mid-December, AJF attacked a its campaign and announced that it ballot initiative unveiled by the insur- hopes to raise about $2 million. The 35 ance industry, contending that any pro- statewide health and environmental posal which does not reform the current groups sponsoring the initiative include ACCESS TO JUSTICE system of high rates, anticompetitive the American Cancer Society, American FOUNDATION practices, and inadequate state regula- Heart Association, California Medical P.O. Box 1736 tion does nothing to protect consumers. Association, and Campaign California. Santa Monica, CA 90406 AJF charged that the industry's proposal If approved by voters, the initiative was written to undercut true reform would raise about $650 million per year, (213) 395-7622 efforts currently being attempted by con- which would be used for tobacco-related Access to Justice Foundation (AJF) sumer groups, because if the industry's health education, anti-smoking cam- is a nonprofit, nonpartisan citizen advo- initiative is passed with more votes, it paigns, and research programs. Spokes- cacy organization established to inform would cancel any other reform measure. people for the campaign called it their the public about the operation of the Citing the fact that several insurance- "Tobacco Rebellion," and said they legal system; provide independent, ob- related initiatives have been filed, AJF expect the tobacco industry to spend up jective research on the protection accord- recently published an "initiative score- to $16 million to defeat the initiative. ed citizens by laws; and guarantee citi- card" which it hopes will help the public ALAC representatives predicted that zens of California access to a fair and keep track of the players. about 100,000 young people in Califor- efficient system of justice. The Insurance Rate Reduction and nia would be discouraged from smoking AJF pu blishes a bimonthly report, Reform Act campaign has opened offices as a result of the proposed user tax Citizens Alliance, on citizens' rights in Los Angeles, San Diego, and San increase, because smoking levels are tied issues and actions at the local, state, and Francisco, with over twenty full-time to price increases. federal levels. Legislative, judicial, and staff and volunteers on its team. The ALAC and other environmental administrative activities which impact campaign will gather signatures through groups have endorsed Los Angeles City on the public justice system and the direct mail, door-to-door canvassing, Councilor Marvin Braude for appoint- exercise of citizens' rights are a major and volunteers. A veteran campaign con- ment to the reorganized board of the The California Regulatory Law Reporter Vol. 8, No. I (Winter 1988) IPUBLIC INTEREST ORGANIZATION ACTION South Coast Air Quality Management stantially decrease air pollution in the gation. This has meant a loss in diversity District (SCAQMD). Councilor Braude Los Angeles air basin. of plant life necessary for the health of has served on the air quality board since waterfowl. Surviving wetlands in state it was formed ten years ago. Under the and federal wildlife refuges are provided reorganization plan required by state water by the federal Bureau of Reclama- legislation (SB 151 Presley) signed into NATIONAL AUDUBON tion on an "if-and-when-available" basis law last fall, the size of the board will be SOCIETY only. The refuges have no legal rights to reduced from fourteen to eleven members. 555 Audubon Place the water and the Bureau will not bind Under the legislation, new powers Sacramento, CA 95825 itself to contracts for delivery. NAS are granted to the board to bring the (916) 481-5332 claims that the Bureau of Reclamation country's smoggiest air basin into com- does not recognize wildlife as a bene- The National Audubon Society pliance with national clean air stand- ficial use of its water, and could at any (NAS) has two priorities: the conserva- ards. Critics of SCAQMD advocated time begin awarding to farmers water tion of wildlife, including endangered the reorganization bill after negative which it has provided to the refuges in species, and the conservation and wise reviews of the board's performance by the past. use of water. The society works to the Environmental Protection Agency Further endangering birds and wet- establish and protect wildlife refuges, and the state Air Resources Board. The lands is the build-up of toxic materials- wilderness areas, and wild and scenic reorganization law grants the Governor, such as selenium, arsenic, boron, pesti- rivers. To achieve these goals, the society the Senate Rules Committee, and the cides, and chemical fertilizer runoff-in supports measures for the abatement Assembly Speaker one appointment available water. The much-publicized and prevention of all forms of environ- each. The boards of supervisors in the selenium accumulation in agricultural mental pollution. four counties covered by the air quality drainwater dumped at Kesterson Wild- district each have an appointment. MAJOR PROJECTS: life Refuge caused extraordinary destruc- Another four board members will be The November Audubon magazine tion and deformation of birds beginning selected to represent cities in each of the focuses attention on a critical decline in in 1983. The State of California subse- four counties. The new SCAQMD board wetlands habitat and, consequently, quently declared Kesterson a toxic pit. took office on January 8. waterfowl populations in California. Even though many waterfowl species ALAC is monitoring state and fed- NAS says that at one time there were winter in coastal marshlands exclusively, eral legislation which will establish new five million acres of wetlands in the many north-coast bays and estuaries are or improved air quality standards. The state, 92% of which are now gone. In silted in by logging operations and con- clean air group is awaiting introduction the Central Valley, 96% of the wetlands struction upstream. Orange and Los of a bill by state Senator Dan McCorquo- habitat has been converted to agricul- Angeles Counties have filled in 90% of dale, which will require the state Air tural and other uses.