Governor Vetoes 273 Bills but Signs 571

Vetoes

The 273 bills vetoed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger included legislation on the following topics:

BAD MEAT: A bill that would have allowed state health officials to tell local health officers and the public which stores or restaurants may have received shipments of tainted meat. A secrecy agreement between California and the U.S. Department of Agriculture hinders such disclosures. (SB 1585 by Sen. Jackie Speier, D-Hillsborough)

DENTISTS: A bill that would have allowed dentists to perform facial cosmetic surgery. (SB 1336 by Sen. John Burton, D-San Francisco)

DRIVER'S LICENSES: A bill that would have made California's 2 million illegal immigrants eligible for driver's licenses. Schwarzenegger said he feared that terrorists would use the documents to infiltrate the country. (AB 2895 by Assemblyman Fabian Nunez, D-Los Angeles)

DRUGS: Seven of nine bills, all written by Democrats, that were aimed at lowering prescription drug prices for individual Californians and the state itself. Two would have eased consumer access to Canadian pharmacies where drugs cost less. (AB 1957, AB 1958, AB 1960, SB 1144, SB 1149, SB 1333, SB 1563)

E-MAILS: A bill that would have required employers to inform workers if management might ever read their e-mails. (SB 1841 by Sen. Debra Bowen, D-Marina del Rey)

FERRET AMNESTY: A bill that would have made pet ferrets legal and granted amnesty to the more than 100,000 weasel-like animals already kept by Californians, so long as they were spayed or neutered and vaccinated against rabies. Schwarzenegger, who co-starred with a ferret in "Kindergarten Cop," said the issue needed more study. (SB 89 by Sen. Dede Alpert, D-San Diego)

FOREIGN JOBS: Five labor-backed bills by Democrats that sought to track and curb the movement of jobs overseas. One bill would have banned state agencies from contracting with companies that "outsource" jobs. Another would have required California companies to annually report how many people they employ outside the United States. (AB 1829, AB 2715, AB 3021, SB 888, SB 1492)

GRAPES: A bill that would have banned farmers from requiring workers to test unwashed grapes for ripeness by eating them. Schwarzenegger said existing workplace rules already cover inappropriate practices. (SB 1901 Sen. Richard Alarcon, D-Sun Valley)

MASCOTS: A bill that would have banned public schools from using the term "Redskins" as a team name. Schwarzenegger said such a decision should be left to individual schools. (AB 858 by Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg, D-Los Angeles)