State Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, D-Oakland, and Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman, R-Irvine, are leading a 16-member bipartisan delegation to Washington, D.C., next Monday through Thursday to meet with California House members on issues including flood control and water supply; greenhouse gases; homeland and port security; the No Child Left Behind education law; the Real ID Act; the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) reauthorization; and State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP) reauthorization.
The only Bay Area state Senator other than Perata who’ll be on the trip is Ellen Corbett, D-San Leandro. With more than a third of the Senate out of the state, there will be no floor session next week. The Senate Appropriations Committee will meet Monday, but will only take up non-controversial items and move things to the suspense file; the Education Committee will have an informational hearing Wednesday on school and campus safety.