Editing Don Perata (section)

==California State Senate==
[[File:Don Perata portrait.png|thumb|Portrait of Perata during his time as a state senator]]

Perata is a staunch advocate of [[gun control]]. In 1999, Perata successfully drove legislation that updated the California "assault weapons" ban by adding a ban of generically described [[semi-automatic firearm]]s. He obtained a [[Concealed weapons|concealed weapons permit]] to legally carry a loaded handgun in public. He claimed this was necessary for [[self-defense]] due to threats on his life and the well-being of his family from some individual opponents of his pro-[[gun control]] legislative activity.<ref>[http://www.ninehundred.net/~equalccw/donperata.gif Perata letter requesting handgun permit], Ninehundred.net; accessed August 5, 2017.</ref>

Perata has been an advocate for the rights of the elderly, the mentally ill, and the disabled.  He supported legislation to create a discount drug program and legislation to require HMOs to pay for mental health treatment. He supported legislation that secured $27 million annually for ovarian and prostate cancer and legislation that increase access to breast cancer screening for low-income women. He has authored legislation requiring California utilities companies to contract for cleaner energy sources and supported tougher penalties on oil refinery emissions.{{citation needed|date=August 2017}}

In early 2005, Perata introduced a bill to repair California's flagging infrastructure including highway improvements, housing reform and levee repairs. Governor [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]] began to speak out in favor of improving state infrastructure after Schawarzenegger's November 2005 special election ballot initiatives were defeated. While Schwarzenegger's plan included fixing transportation problems, his infrastructure plan was drastically more costly and advocated more prisons and did not address the housing problem.{{citation needed|date=August 2017}}

In a rare occurrence for Sacramento politicians, in early 2006 Perata and Schwarzenegger began to work together to piece together a bipartisan infrastructure plan that both sides of the legislature could embrace. They were successful and five bond measures were approved by California voters on the November 2006 ballot.  These measures are aimed at improving roads, mass transit, affordable housing, levee repair, and upgrading educational facilities.{{citation needed|date=August 2017}}

In July 2007, during state budget negotiations, Perata ordered the Senate to remain in session for 19 hours in an attempt to reach an agreement on the budget. California requires two-thirds of both legislative houses and the governor's signature to pass a budget.  Perata needed two Republican votes in the State Senate to pass the budget and the lock down aimed to get those two Republican votes. The California State Senate Republicans presented a revised budget that aimed to reduce state spending and included tax credits to some Fortune 500 corporations, cuts to transportation and welfare, and eliminating cost-of-living pay raises to the blind, elderly, and disabled.<ref>[https://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-budget25jul25,1,676069.story GOP budget plan would slash welfare: Proposal to go before the full Senate would cut $1 billion more than the Assembly version and removee aid from thousands of families] by Halper, Evan & Jordan Rau. ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' July 25, 2007. Accessed July 29, 2007.</ref><ref>[http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/2007/07/post_43.html The Inside Story: Perata in His Own Words on the California Budget Process and Results] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070829155904/http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/2007/07/post_43.html|date=August 29, 2007 }}</ref>

The state budget had already gained the required two-thirds majority in the California Assembly and the support of Governor Schwarzenegger. Perata and the Senate Democrats rejected the Senate Republican budget proposal and the Republicans held out for weeks into August, preventing many state legislators from returning home for their summer recess, before the budget was passed. Perata retaliated against [[Republican Party (US)|Republican]] [[Jeff Denham]] for voting against the budget by stripping Denham of committee assignments and contributing to a recall effort against Denham.<ref>[http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/11/11/BA0TT9QOF.DTL Perata retaliates against Republican who helped hold up budget], sfgate.com; accessed August 5, 2017.</ref>

Perata's concluded about the Capitol: "There is no center. I'm not talking about political center. There is no action center, or moral center, or anything else left in Sacramento."<ref>Evan Halper and Michael Rothfeld, "Is California too unwieldy to govern?", Los Angeles Times, December 15, 2008</ref>

In an April interview, Perata reflected on the value of the legislation passed by the State Legislature under his leadership as [[President pro tempore of the California State Senate]]: "Almost everything I wanted to do in Sacramento that was beneficial to the state—whether it was on gun control or infant mortality—was twice as beneficial to my district. In many instances, my role was to get it done; I didn't have the need to take or get the credit, just results."<ref>[http://www.perata4mayor.com/modules/article/list/release.php?pi=ye2b0p6hg9hwme&id=ywchdorhucd7nl&done=http%3A%2F%2F Perata says he'd guide Oakland with a firm hand] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715063903/http://www.perata4mayor.com/modules/article/list/release.php?pi=ye2b0p6hg9hwme&id=ywchdorhucd7nl&done=http%3A%2F%2F|date=July 15, 2011}}</ref>