The Latest: California bill would protect children’s credit

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Latest on action in the California Legislature (all times local):

3:45 p.m.

California parents may soon gain the right to protect their child’s credit so their identity can’t be stolen by scammers.

The measure approved Thursday would apply to minors under 16 years old or an incapacitated person with an appointed guardian.

Democratic Sen. Bob Hertzberg of Van Nuys says it can be extremely difficult for children or their guardians to fix compromised credit.

California was the first state to allow people to freeze their credit in 2001. But children who’ve never applied for credit don’t have a record that can be frozen.

The Senate approved AB1580 in a 38-0 vote. The bill by Democratic Assemblyman Mike Gatto of Glendale returns to the Assembly, which has already approved it but must sign off on Senate changes.

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3:40 p.m.

The California Senate is backing legislation to require single-person public restrooms to be gender neutral.

The Senate’s approval in a 28-7 vote Thursday sends AB1732 back to the Assembly.

Democratic Assemblyman Phil Ting of San Francisco proposed the legislation amid a heightened national debate about the rights of transgender Americans. Ting says his bill would also help caregivers and parents with children of different genders.

The bill would ask inspectors and officials who enforce building codes to check restroom signs for compliance.

Critics have said the bill would inconvenience many more people than it would help because of messy men and dirty toilet seats.

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3 p.m.

The state Senate has voted to make California the latest state to give dying patients a right to try experimental medical treatments.

Senators approved AB1668 in a unanimous vote Thursday, sending it back to the Assembly.

The “right to try” bill would allow drugmakers and medical device manufacturers to provide access to experimental treatments that haven’t been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Drugmakers and device manufacturers would not be required to accommodate a patient’s request for experimental products.

“Right to try” bills are advocated by the Goldwater Institute, a libertarian think-tank . It says at least 31 states have approved such legislation.

Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed a similar bill last year, saying the FDA already has a program in place to allow the use of experimental drugs.

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2:50 p.m.

The California Senate is backing legislation to repeal the sales tax on tampons and other feminine hygiene products.

The Senate approved the measure in a 38-0 vote on Thursday. AB1561 returns to the Assembly, which has already approved it but must agree to changes made in the Senate.

The proposal by Democratic Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia of Bell Gardens would exempt tampons, pads, menstrual cups and menstrual sponges from the state’s 7.5 per cent sales tax.

Supporters say the tax unfairly burdens women who have little choice but to purchase the products.

Feminine hygiene products are already excluded from sales taxes in five other states.

Canada decided last year to scrap tampon taxes. In March, the European Union gave the United Kingdom and other member nations the go-ahead to do the same.

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12:35 p.m.

California lawmakers are advancing a bill eliminating the state’s 10-year time limit to bring rape and child molestation charges after several women were precluded from bringing cases against actor Bill Cosby.

SB813 would apply to crimes committed in the future. It would not allow Cosby’s accusers to seek prosecution for sexual assault they say he committed decades ago.

Cosby has repeatedly denied the allegations made by dozens of women around the country, some claims dating to the 1960s.

Republican Assemblyman Travis Allen of Huntington Beach says rape is such a heinous crime that statutes of limitations are inappropriate.

The Assembly voted unanimously Thursday to send SB813 back to the Senate.