The nomination of Michael B. Mukasey to become the next U.S. attorney general was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday despite his refusal to say whether he thinks waterboarding is illegal. Mukasey would become the U.S. attorney general if the Senate votes to confirm the nomination next week.

Assemblyman Jim Beall is attempting to pass a bill, introduced Jan. 18, 2007, that would allow Californians to buy tuition at today’s price and use it in the future, when tuition costs will most likely be higher. AB 152 is a pre-paid tuition program in which contributors can purchase units based on the cost of attending a University of California in 2008.