This came over the transom yesterday from Assemblyman Jose Solorio. It ain't the Nobel Peace Prize, or even valedictorian, but I guess an award is an award:

Assemblyman Solorio Honored as Legislator of the Year by the California Association of Code Enforcement Officers
Assembly Public Safety Chairman Helped Advance The Organization’s Legislative Package

SACRAMENTO, CA – The California Association of Code Enforcement Officers (CACEO) has selected Assembly Public Safety Committee Chairman Jose Solorio (D-Anaheim) to receive the association’s “Legislator of the Year” award for his support and advocacy of three important association bills.

Assemblyman Solorio was presented with the award before a crowd of more than 400 code enforcement officers at a CACEO conference held last Thursday in Oxnard, California. 

“As chair of the Assembly Public Safety Committee, I was pleased to be able to set the association off on a good start by supporting three important bills that came before my committee.  I congratulate you on gaining your statewide assocaition status.  Your power and presence as a statewide organzation was definitely felt in Sacramento this year,” said Assemblyman Solorio. 

Code Enforcement officers investigate and prosecute violations dealing with municipal codes that govern signage, nuisances such as junk vehicles and over grown weeds on lots, housing standards, and residential and commercial zoning.   

“It was our pleasure to select Assemblyman Solorio as our Legislator of the Year because he understands the challenges that code enforcement officers face in the line of duty and the policy solutions that support our work. We commend him for his dedication to code enforcement and look forward to working with him in the years to come,” said Gary Harris, president of the CACEO.

Important CACEO bills supported by Assemblyman Solorio:

Enforcement of Illegal Dumping.  AB 1048 (Richardson) authorizes the Attorney General (AG) to provide code enforcement officers with the criminal histories of illegal dumping suspects upon showing compelling need.  This will enable code enforcement officers to check suspects and vehicles for warrants so they can determine if they are apprehending a suspect wanted for a dangerous felony crime and avoid being surprised by a dangerous offender.   

Status: Signed into law by Governor on September 10, 2007. 

Increased Penalties for Assaulting a Code Enforcement Officer.  AB 506 (Lieu) adds code enforcement officers to the list of persons (i.e. peace officers) against who battery with an injury is subject to increased penalties.  Under this bill, the crime would be punished as an alternate felony-misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in a county jail for up to one year, a fine of up to $2,000, or both, or by imprisonment in state prison for 16 months, two or three years and a fine up to $10,000.

Status:  Held in the Senate Public Safety Committee due to its affect on the state’s prison overcrowding crisis.

Increased Penalties for Attempted Murder of Code Enforcement Officers. AB 780 (Silva) expands the statute related to attempted murder of a peace officer to include several classifications of code enforcement officers.  The effect would be to increase the penalty for attempted murder for the proposed classifications from 5, 7, or 9 years, to life with the possibility of parole.  If the attempted murder was deliberate and premeditated, the increase would be from life with the possibility of parole (which has a seven-year minimum), to 15 years-to-life (which has a 15-year minimum).

Status:  Held in Assembly Appropriations Committee.