Governor Left Wednesday on a 12-day trade...

Governor Left Wednesday on a 12-day trade mission to London, Paris and Brussels.

Appointed Willard Shank of Sacramento to the Public Employment Relations Board, which oversees collective bargaining involving public employee unions. A Republican, Shank, 65, the former adjutant general of the California National Guard, replaces Martin W. Morgenstern, whose term expired. The job pays $76,079 a year and requires Senate confirmation.

Assembly Committee Action:

Speed Limit: The Ways and Means Committee approved a bill (AB 669) to authorize the state to increase the maximum speed limit to 65 m.p.h. from 55 m.p.h. on certain segments of rural interstate freeways. A 15-4 vote sent the bill to the Assembly floor.

Video Display Terminals: The Ways and Means Committee approved a bill (AB 348) by Assemblywoman Sally Tanner (D-El Monte) to require a state study on the need for safety requirements for video display terminals. A 20-1 vote sent the bill to the Assembly floor.

Housing: The Housing Committee approved a bill (AB 1020) by Assemblyman Jim Costa (D-Fresno) to prohibit rent controls on commercial properties. A 9-0 vote sent the bill to the Assembly floor.

Sewage: The Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee approved a bill (AB 930) by Assembly Speaker Willie Brown (D-San Francisco) to place a $150-million bond issue on next year’s ballot to clean up sewage and toxic chemical waste along the border between California and Mexico. A 13-1 vote sent the bill to the Ways and Means Committee.

Senate Committee Action:

Higher Education: The Education Committee approved a bill (SB 703) by Sen. Gary K. Hart (D-Santa Barbara) to place an $800-million bond issue for higher education facilities on next year’s general election ballot. A 6-0 vote sent the bill to the Appropriations Committee.

Unemployment Insurance: The Industrial Relations Committee approved a bill (SB 346) by Sen. Herschel Rosenthal (D-Los Angeles) to increase the maximum weekly unemployment insurance benefit from $166 to $206. A 5-1 vote sent the bill to the Appropriations Committee.

Pay Equity: The Industrial Relations Committee approved a bill (SB 511) by Senate President Pro Tem David A. Roberti (D-Los Angeles) to create a commission to examine salary differences between male and female state employees. A 5-2 vote sent the bill to the Appropriations Committee. The governor vetoed a similar bill last year.

Murder: The Judiciary Committee approved a bill (SB 736) by Sen. Daniel E. Boatwright (D-Concord) to double the prison sentence for those convicted of solicitation of murder. The current range of two to six years would increase to four to 12 years. A 7-0 vote sent the bill to the Appropriations Committee.

Marijuana: The Judiciary Committee rejected a bill (SB 218) by Sen. Ed Davis (R-Valencia) to increase the penalty for first-time possession of small amounts of marijuana from a $100 fine to a $500 fine or six months in County Jail or both. The vote was 4-2 in favor of the bill, but six votes were required for approval by the 11-member committee.