"Paris Hilton Bill" Vetoed

The Sacramento Bee reported yesterday that Gov. Schwarzenegger vetoed a bill nicknamed for Paris Hilton.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed legislation Saturday that would have banned motorists from holding a live animal in their laps or arms.

The Republican governor gave no specific explanation other than to blame his veto of Assembly Bill 2233 on the recent budget dispute.

As he has with six dozen other bills this signing period, Schwarzenegger attached a uniform four-sentence message explaining he is signing bills only of the "highest priority" during the condensed signing period caused by the 85-day budget delay.

Talk show host Rush Limbaugh and other conservatives ridiculed the lap-dog measure as excessive government and dubbed it the "Paris Hilton Bill" in honor of the celebrity dog lover. Violators would have faced a base fine of $35, which could have risen to $150 with state and county fees.

Assemblyman Bill Maze, the bill's author, said he proposed AB 2233 after seeing a Tulare County woman driving with three dogs on her lap.

"One had its feet on the steering wheel and the other two were leaning over her left arm," said Maze, R-Visalia.

"You've got a live animal that has a mind of its own," Maze said. "It can get tangled in the steering wheel or pinned between your knees. It can create a real hazard for yourself and everyone else."

Yes, it can. Which is why I never let my little dog Abby ride in my lap when I was driving. And my mom's little dog Scooter always rides shotgun, too.

Stupid is as stupid does, and people who drive with their dogs on their laps are being stupid. But so is Assemblyman Maze for introducing this bill. Micromanaging drivers is going too far. Next, they'll be telling us we have to drive with our hands in the 2:00 and 10:00 positions or risk a ticket.