Sen. Cannella gets two useful bills passed

Two useful bills by Sen. Anthony Cannella, R-Ceres, were among those signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown over the weekend.

Senate Bill 1563 is one of almost 20 bills that the Legislature produced this year to help veterans find jobs and otherwise ease back into civilian life. SB will give additional points to veterans who are applying for peace officer positions and worked in military police service.

Current law gives veterans 10 preference points in civil examinations when applying for state positions, such as prison guard or Highway Patrol officer. This will increase the preference points to 15 for those veterans who served in military law enforcement positions.

The bill passed the Senate and Assembly with unanimous votes, evidence that helping veterans is one thing that elected officials can agree on, regardless of party.

Cannella also was successful with a bill to establish a one-stop shop on the Internet for entrepreneurs to learn and access the necessary permits and licenses to start a business. An existing Web site provides a database of where to go, but not digital copies of various state applications. Assemblywoman Kristin Olsen, R-Modesto, had a similar proposal this year, but it did not advance.

Cannella's SB 1563 does not reduce the number of regulations but makes it easier for those wanting to start a business to navigate the complex state bureaucracy.