No Sales Tax on Diapers and Menstrual Hygiene Products in California in 2020-2021

Sleep tight! No sales tax on your diaper in 2020 and 2021, babeeee!

Here’s something to factor into your budgets beginning January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2021. California Senate Bill 92 signed by Governor Newsom eliminates sales and use taxes on diapers for infants, toddler and children, as well as on menstrual hygiene products, including tampons, specified sanitary napkins, menstrual sponges and menstrual cups.

But the taxes only go away for two years, unless the law is extended.

This is good news, or at least temporarily good news, for women and families of diaper-wearing kids.

I didn’t keep tabs on how many diapers we went through when the kids were of diaper-wearing age, but It seems to me every few hours was about par for the course. Perhaps 8 diapers a day. At an average of say 25 cents per diaper, that could add up to over $700/year in diapers.

As of today, one would pay $54.25 in sales taxes on $700 worth of diapers in Ventura County (7.75%). That creeps up to $66.50 in Los Angeles County (9.5%).

Why was this put into place? SB 92, published June 28, 2019, indicates “the specific goals, purposes and objectives of this act are to promote public health by increasing the affordability of, and expanding access to, diaper and menstrual hygiene products.”

Logical questions I have no answers for:

1. Why did they not eliminate the sales taxes on adult diapers? (Asking for a friend.)

2. Why did they eliminate the sales taxes for only two years?

3. Was there not a men’s product to apply the sales tax break to? How about a tax break on beer for a couple years!? That would be cool!

How Bills Become Law in the California State Legislature

The California State Legislature is made up of two houses: the 40 member Senate and the 80 member Assembly, representing the people of the State of California.

All legislation begins as an idea or concept. Ideas and concepts can come from a variety of sources. The legislative process begins when a Senator or Assembly Member decides to author a bill.

A Legislator sends the idea for the bill to the Legislative Counsel where it is drafted into the actual bill. The draft of the bill is returned to the Legislator for introduction to the Senate or the Assembly.

A bill is introduced or read the first time when the bill number, the name of the author, and the descriptive title of the bill is read on the floor of the house. No bill may be acted upon until 30 days has passed from the date of its introduction.

The bill then goes to the Rules Committee of the house of origin where it is assigned to the appropriate policy committee for its first hearing. Bills are assigned to policy committees according to subject area of the bill. For example, a Senate bill dealing with health care facilities would first be assigned to the Senate Health and Human Services Committee for policy review. Bills that require the expenditure of funds must also be heard in the fiscal committees: Senate Appropriations or Assembly Appropriations. Each house has a number of policy committees and a fiscal committee. Each committee is made up of a specified number of Senators or Assembly Members.

During the committee hearing the author presents the bill to the committee and testimony can be heard in support of or opposition to the bill. The committee then votes by passing the bill, passing the bill as amended, or defeating the bill. Bills can be amended several times. Letters of support or opposition are important and should be mailed to the author and committee members before the bill is scheduled to be heard in committee. It takes a majority vote of the full committee membership for a bill to be passed by the committee.

Each house maintains a schedule of legislative committee hearings. Prior to a bill's hearing, a bill analysis is prepared that explains current law, what the bill is intended to do, and some background information. Typically the analysis also lists organizations that support or oppose the bill.

Bills passed by committees are read a second time on the floor in the house of origin and then assigned to third reading. Bill analyses are also prepared prior to third reading. When a bill is read the third time it is explained by the author, discussed by the Members and voted on by a roll call vote. Bills that require an appropriation or that take effect immediately, generally require 27 votes in the Senate and 54 votes in the Assembly to be passed. Other bills generally require 21 votes in the Senate and 41 votes in the Assembly. If a bill is defeated, the Member may seek reconsideration and another vote.

Once the bill has been approved by the house of origin it proceeds to the other house, where the procedure is repeated.

If a bill is amended in the second house, it must go back to the house of origin for concurrence, which is agreement on the amendments. If agreement cannot be reached, the bill is referred to a two house conference committee to resolve differences. Three members of the committee are from the Senate and three are from the Assembly. If a compromise is reached, the bill is returned to both houses for a vote.

If both houses approve a bill, it then goes to the Governor. The Governor has three choices. The Governor can sign the bill into law, allow it to become law without his or her signature, or veto it. A governor's veto can be overridden by a two thirds vote in both houses. Most bills go into effect on the first day of January of the next year. Urgency measures take effect immediately after they are signed or allowed to become law without signature.

Bills that are passed by the Legislature and approved by the Governor are assigned a chapter number by the Secretary of State. These Chaptered Bills (also referred to as Statutes of the year they were enacted) then become part of the California Codes. The California Codes are a comprehensive collection of laws grouped by subject matter.

Conejo Valley Guide Facebook Followers Name Their Favorite Family Eateries in the Conejo Valley

In a recent drawing on the CVG Facebook Page, we asked followers to name off their favorite family restaurant in the Conejo Valley. There were over 300 responses in the two day drawing and of course we would love to share them with you here, in alphabetical order. Some of these eateries are not technically in the Conejo Valley, but hey, that’s ok.

Listed below are the restaurants noted, and the number of times they were noted. The most mentioned eateries were Lure Fish House, Stonefire Grill, Toppers Pizza Place and Country Harvest.

• Agoura’s Famous Deli

• Ali Baba’s Kitchen 3

• All About the Burgers Simi Valley

• Alpine Deli

• Ameci Pizza

• Bad Ass Tacos 2

• Bangkok Avenue 2

• Bandits BBQ 9

• Brent’s Deli

• Cactus Patch in Moorpark

• California Pizza Kitchen

• Carrara Pastries in Moorpark 2

• Casa Nostra Ristorante

• The Cheesecake Factory 5

• Chi Chi’s Pizza Simi Valley 2

• Chili’s

• Cici’s Cafe 2

• Cho Cho San 2

• Cisco’s 2

• Country Harvest 9

• Cronies

• Dave & Buster’s

• Don Cuco Simi Valley 2

• Draughts

• Eggs N Things 3

• Eloong Dumplings

• Figueroa Mountain Brewing

• Fusion Grill 5

• Habanero Mexican Grill

• Holdren’s

• Islands 4

• Janchi Korean BBQ

• Jinky’s Cafe

• Junkyard Cafe Simi Valley

• Lakeview Garden Chinese Restaurant

• Latigo Kid

• Lazy Dog Cafe 5

• Little Calf Creamery and Cafe 5

• Los Dos Amigos 2

• Love Pho Cafe

• Love Sushi

• Lure Fish House 11

• Made in Italy

• Marmalade Cafe 2

• Mandarin Bistro

• Marcello Ristorante 2

• Mendocino Farms

• Mika Sushi

• Minato Sushi

• Mission Burrito

• Mouthful Eatery

• Natural Cafe

• Nonna

• Nori Japanese Grill

• Olive Garden 2

• P&L Burgers

• Plata Taqueria in Agoura Hills 2

• Poke U and Me in Camarillo

• Pokeland

• Pookie’s Thai

• Ranch Hand BBQ 2

• Red Robin 4

• Roma Deli

• Sake 2 Me Sushi Simi Valley

• Sesame Inn

• Sharky’s 6

• Side Street Cafe

• Snapper Jack’s

• Social Monk

• Soom Soom

• Stacked 6

• Stella’s II

• Stonefire Grill 10

• Sumo Sushi 3

• Sushi Oaks

• Taqueria El Tapatio in Moorpark

• Taqueria Jalisco Mexican Food in Moorpark

• Tavern 101

• The Habit Burger

• The Original Pizza Cookery 5

• Thousand Oaks Fish and Chips

• Thousand Wok

• Toppers Pizza Place 9

• Vegan Thyme

• Wood Ranch BBQ 6

Conejo Valley Guide Facebook Page Followers Share Their Father's Day Plans

Bunnies pondering their Father’s Day plans.

In a recent drawing on the Conejo Valley Guide Facebook Page, we asked folks what their Father’s Day weekend plans were. The response was outstanding and of course we’re going to share some highlights of these responses right here for future reference!

CVG Facebook Fan Selected Responses:

All the ladies in my family are going to cook for the amazing dads in our family. We are going to cook a traditional dish. Of course all of us are going to enjoy.

Chores at home and spending time together ❤️

My daughters and I will spend the morning baking my husband's favorite cake 🤪😊

We are going to church in the morning and then lunch with my husband's parents. Hopefully a relaxing day.

Both our kids will be over, we have not had any quality time since Christmas as we have been so busy with work, school, fixing house up and new puppy!

Channel Islands Harbor vintage boat show!

Church and family BBQ! (BBQ and lunch was a recurring theme).

Our Fathers Day plan is to bbq and play games with family and friends who have become family. Family is what my husband loves.

My husband and I are taking a Sunday drive along Mulholland and having dinner at PF Chang’s (lettuce wraps)

We have planned a family hike through Wildwood Park and then home for waffles!
We will be spoiling my husband with Fathers Day gifts and taking him out for lunch at Cheesecake Factory, one of his favorite places to eat. Not a bad day at all.

Going to the beach😎

Finney’s with my family, and seeing my father in law after!!

Going to the Channel Islands car show in the morning followed by bbqing at home with family 💙

Dinner at Bandits tonight. Miss the crowd!

BBQ swim party with family

My three boys and I are surprising my husband by making an omelette bar (*which is huge, cause I don’t cook 😂) and then we are all going bowling! 🎳

Spending time together as a family, and letting dad sleep in!

Taking my dad to breakfast then for a walk in Oak Canyon Park!

We don’t have plans for this Sunday for Father’s Day as my daughter's father (my hubby) is serving overseas. But he will be visiting later this month...so we will celebrate then ❤️ Happy Father’s Day to all you wonderful daddies out there, near or far xoxo.

We are going to church and then out to a Fathers Day lunch at my favorite place. Then a nap 💤.

Here are some more ideas for future Father’s Day or any day for that matter plans:

OVER 50 THINGS TO DO IN THOUSAND OAKS

LOCAL AREA BEACHES

LOCAL HIKING AND TRAILS

LOCAL AREA CAMPING

BIKE PATHS IN AND AROUND VENTURA COUNTY

Cookie, Candy and Sugary Snack Food Based Cereals Seem to Be Trending

In a recent visit to the local Walmart Neighborhood Market, I walked down the cereal aisle and noticed what appears to be a new trend…numerous cereals based on other products…cookies, candy and other snack foods. While we generally don’t buy sugary cereals, the sighting of these cereals kind of brought me back to my youth and my days of Cocoa Pebbles.

And speaking of Cocoa Pebbles, I Wikipedia’d (I’m assuming Wikipedia can be used as a verb, like Google) it and learned that Cocoa Pebbles and Fruity Pebbles, introduced in 1971 and based on The Flintstones, is the oldest surviving cereal based on characters from a TV series or movie. And there you have it.

Oreo O’s were originally launched in 1997 and discontinued in 2007. They were re-launched by Post Cereals in June 2017.

Nilla Cereal is based on Nilla Waters, with the flavor of banana pudding. This was launched in 2018, along with Golden Oreo O’s Cereal.

The iconic Chips Ahoy cookies were brought to market in 1963.. Chips Ahoy Cookie Cereal came to Walmart in early 2018, along with Nutter Butter Cereal.

And here is an example of another icon product turned cereal. Walmart started exclusively carrying both Frosted Strawberry and Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop Tarts Cereal in January 2019, fully 55 years after Pop Tarts toaster pastries were launched.

Reese’s Puffs Cereal is made with “real Reese’s peanut butter” it says on the box. These have been around awhile though, having launched in 1994.

Here’s a family size box of Dippin’ Dots Cereal. Launched in 2018, 30 years, if you can believe it, after Dippin’ Dots was invented.

And last but note least for this compilation is Hostess Donettes Cereal. Why one would prefer donut shaped cereal to an actual donut with milk is beyond me, but to each his own. Hostess Donettes Cereal as well as Hostess Honey Bun Cereal were launched in late 2018.

Fireworks Hill in Thousand Oaks Has Hosted the City's Fireworks Show for Decades

So called "Fireworks Hill" is located in the center of Thousand Oaks, enveloped by McCloud Avenue on the northwest, St. Charles Drive on the northeast, Wilbur Road on the east, Marin Street on the south and Hillcrest Drive on the southeast.

The hill is passed by tens of thousands of commuters each day as it can clearly be seen from the 101. 

For decades, the annual City of Thousand Oaks 4th of July Fireworks have been launched from this hill, a 27 acre parcel that was acquired by the City of Thousand Oaks in 1994. According to an April 7, 1994 Los Angeles Times article, the top of the hill was graded three decades prior.

According to minutes from the April 5, 1994 City Council meeting, city council voted by a 3 to 2 vote to acquire the property from the Robert A. Franklyn Estate for $540,000, plus $5,000 in estimated escrow closing costs.

While the general public is not given access to Fireworks Hill on the 4th of July, the fireworks launched from this site can be seen from quite a large radius in the surrounding area. Here's to a great Independence Day!

Independence Day events and activities throughout Ventura County

Fireworks Hill shown here in early January 2016, when three were snow capped peaks in the background.

Filmed at Apricot Lane Farms in Moorpark, "The Biggest Little Farm" Documentary Is a Must See

My kids had no idea what the film was about. I had heard good things about “The Biggest Little Farm,” and on a hot Sunday afternoon we headed over to the Regency Westlake Village to catch the 1 pm screening.

The Biggest Little Farm is a documentary that follows the dreams of John and Molly Chester and their dog, Todd., as they achieve their dream of creating a certified biodynamic farm. This farm happens to be Apricot Lane Farms, located right here in Moorpark (10700 Broadway Road).

Prior to pursuing the farm, Molly was a private chef and food blogger, while John was a career documentary filmmaker.

The film was truly an engaging tale of how these farmers found the inspiration to create their dream, enlist the help of many others - investors and support team - build the farm and sustain it, encounter numerous obstacles and challenges, and find creative solutions to these challenges.

It was a wonderful film to bring the kids to see. The film brought a lump to my throat many a time. The farm animals played a large part in the film and led us through emotions of joy to sadness, cheerfulness and grief. The story flowed nicely and the hour and a half brought not a dull moment.

While most of us would never entertain the thought of opening a farm, the lessons of perseverance and finding clever solutions in the film is of value to all. I’m glad I brought my teenage sons to the film.

Visit www.thebiggestlittlefarmmovie.com for showtimes at local theaters. Highly recommended!

Learn more about Apricot Lane Farms at www.apricotlanefarms.com. Their produce, meat, eggs and products are available at the Thousand Oaks Farmers’ Market and Calabasas Farmers’ Market, as well as at the Erewhon store in Calabasas.