Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.law From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: law Thu, May 7 1992 Date: Thu, 7 May 92 05:31:39 EDT Message-ID: 05-07 0000 DECISIONLINE: Business Law USA TODAY Update May 7, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network WAXMAN BILL CAUSES CONCERN: The Coalition for Vehicle Choice, a broad-based Washington lobbying group funded in part by Detroit carmakers, says it is concerned about a bill being offered by Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif. Automakers say the bill would force them to raise Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) to as much as 45 miles per gallon by 2000. The current standard is 27.5 mpg. (For more, see special Bill package below.) SUBCOMMITTEE VOTES FOR PRESERVE: Congress Wednesday joined the battle over how much of the Northwest's forests should be preserved for rare northern spotted owls, and at what cost to the area's timber industry. A House Agriculture subcomittee voted 7 to 6 to create a 6.8-million-acre preserve, a move that would allow only half as much logging on federal lands as in the 1980s. PRESERVE CRITICIZED: Neither side in the fight over protection for the spotted owl were happy with Wednesday's vote by a House subcommittee to create a preserve. Environmentalists said the proposal falls far short of what's needed to protect the endangered owl species. Timber interests and some Northwest congressional representatives said the cost in jobs would be too high. WEISS PLEADS GUILTY: Jay Weiss, who leased the building in New York where 87 people died in the Happy Land Social Club arson fire, pleaded guilty Wednesday to building code violations and agreed to pay $60,000 for a community center that serves Hondurans. Many victims of the March 1990 fire were Honduran. Weiss admitted the club had neither a caberet license nor adequate sprinkler system. ORCHESTRA SUES DISNEY: The Philadelphia Orchestra sued Walt Disney Co. Wednesday, demanding half of Disney's profits from the sale of "Fantasia" home videos and laser discs. The orchestra collaborated with Disney in creating the classic from 1938-40. In court papers, the orchestra estimates Disney has made $120 million in profit from sales of the videos and laser discs. Disney declined to comment. LABOR CONTRACT APPROVED: The USAir pilots union announced Wednesday that pilots and management have tentatively agreed on a four-year labor contract. The agreement offers cost-saving advantages for the airline and enhanced job security and industry-level compensation. Contract details will be presented to the USAir pilots' master executive council next week for ratification. SUIT OVER `OLD JOE' REJECTED: A judge in San Francisco Wednesday rejected a suit seeking a statewide ban on T-shirts and other promotional products bearing "Old Joe" Camel logo, agreeing with cigarette maker R.J. Reynolds that the suit is pre-empted by federal law on cigarette ads. Janet Mangini sued, saying the "Old Joe" logo should carry a label warning of hazards of smoking. WORKERS' COMP BILL APPROVED: A bill increasing workers' compensation payments for major injuries was approved by the Colorado Senate and sent to Gov. Roy Romer. Under the new bill, the loss of eyesight would pay $102,000, up from current $20,850. BILL WOULD TAX CAR IMPORTS: Legislation in Michigan to put a 10% excise tax on all foreign new cars imported into the state has been introduced in the state House. Buyers of foreign cars "may help to eliminate their job or their neighbor's job," said sponsor, state Rep. John Bennett. SPECIAL PACKAGE ON BILL: EMISSIONS COVERED BY BILL: Major U.S. and foreign automkers are questioning Rep. Henry Waxman's Global Climate Protection Act because it seeks to stabilize levels of carbon dioxide emissions, which contribute to global warming. Auto lobbyists believe their industry is sure to be targeted for carbon dioxide reductions, which are achieved by reducing gasoline usage through higher gas mileage. BILL DEFENDED: Greg Wetstone, a staffer on the House health and environment subcommittee, which Rep. Henry Waxman chairs, defends the Global Climate Protection Act, saying, "Its' not a CAFE bill." He points out that the bill makes no mention of autos, and automakers won't have to act if other industries reduce carbon dioxide emissions sufficiently. NO POSITION TAKEN: The Bush administration has yet to take a formal position on Rep. Henry Waxman's bill, but Bush told the Economic Club of Detroit in March that he would veto any legislation that would boost CAFE standards. The Waxman bill has about 150 co-sponsors. He is expected to offer it as an add-on to a national energy bill to be considered this month. (End of package.) Business Law Editor: Jason P. Smith. (919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM