The tax deal Governor Jerry Brown reached with two Assembly Republicans still needs to pass the Senate.  An effort by Democrats and business groups to overhaul the state's regulatory system still needs to pass both chambers.  And a bipartisan deal that would let online retailers like Amazon wait until late next year to collect sales tax still needs to be written.

Steinberg: "I certainly think we can get the vast majority of it done, if not all of it."

Senate Leader Darrell Steinberg acknowledges that unveiling several significant proposals at the last minute gets a lot of criticism.

Steinberg: "Fair points, but sometimes, you gotta strike while the iron is hot."

Steinberg says there's momentum for issues that normally might not make it through the legislature.  That includes a measure Steinberg announced late Thursday night that would speed up the state's environmental review process for some major development projects.


GOP Criticizes Dems on "Job-Killer" Bills

The California legislature is churning through hundreds of bills this week ahead of Friday's end-of-session deadline.  But minority Republicans are criticizing majority Democrats for passing bills that the GOP believes would hurt the economy.

Senate Republican Leader Bob Dutton says he's especially frustrated with Democratic measures that impose new regulations on businesses.

Dutton: "Trouble is that for every one that they're passing to create jobs, they've got about 30 or 40 jobs per one created that are going out."

But Democrats say the bills and regulations are justified.  Senator Juan Vargas calls himself a moderate Democrat who wants to see business grow in California - but, he says, business that's appropriate.

Vargas: "We don't want to be Texas.  We don't want to be the polluted state.  We don't want to be the state that creates jobs that don't pay a living wage."

Among the bills passed by the Senate Thursday that Republicans consider a "job-killer" - a measure written at the last minute that would allow child care providers to unionize.

A bill that would impose fines and extra prison time for the use or smuggling of cell phones in California prisons is on its way to the governor.

Democratic Senator Alex Padilla says his measure would help prevent cell phones from being used to coordinate street gang activity and traffic drugs.

Padilla: "Yes, they're technically banned from our prison system today, but unfortunately, there's been no consequences.  With this bill, there will finally be consequences for inmates who are caught with a cell phone - and also for the people who are smuggling cell phones in to distribute them to prisoners."

Padilla's bill also allows the state to use new technology to block cell phone signals and communications in prisons.

The measure cleared its final vote in the Senate Thursday without opposition.  If signed by the governor, it would take effect immediately.