The bills seek to enact reforms signed into law by President Barack Obama in March. Among other changes, they would prohibit health insurers from denying coverage because of preexisting conditions and create an exchange through which individuals could buy insurance.

Friday is the last day for bills to pass their first house. About 360 measures will be up for votes starting Tuesday after lawmakers return from a Memorial Day break.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenneger says he will completely eliminate a host of social programs, including Healthy Families, the state sponsored health insurance for children; CalWORKS welfare program; and In-Home Support Services for the elderly, blind, and disabled (IHSS), unless the feds cough up $6.9 billion dollars more for California.

That wave of 6,500 is more like a trickle that will come over the course of the year and not all at once, with relatively ‘low-level’ parolees released early but still subject to search and drug tests at any time.

“In Hawaii, which ranks near bottom in national achievement, the school year has been reduced by 17 furlough Fridays in which schools will be closed. The Superintendent, Pat Hamamoto, although agreeing that students will suffer due to less learning time, also said that the schools will try to cram in as much teaching as they can.”