Caucus News

Inspired by Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto and backed by more than a dozen legal aid and advocacy groups, legislation by Senator Josh Becker to improve access to civil justice was passed by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday. Senate Bill 355 would update the eligibility criteria for low-income Californians seeking a waiver of filing fees and other costs associated with litigation. The current criteria for automatically qualifying for a waiver is tied to the federal poverty level, which does not accurately reflect the true cost of living for California residents.

SACRAMENTO - Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco)’s legislation, SB 221, which would require health plans and insurers to provide patients with timely follow-up care for mental health issues and substance use disorders, passed the Senate Health Committee by a vote of 9-0. It will now head to the Senate Appropriations Committee. 

SACRAMENTO, CA – Today, Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Sanger) released the following statement after her bill, SB 367—the Campus Opioid Safety Act was approved by the Senate Education Committee by a 7-0 vote:

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom, Attorney General Xavier Becerra, Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego), and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) today announced the establishment of the five-member inaugural board for the California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA), a new administrative agency charged with protecting the fundamental privacy rights of consumers over their personal information. The CPPA board consists of experts in privacy, technology, and consumer rights.

SACRAMENTO, CA – The California Senate Education Committee today approved education bills by Sen. Susan Rubio (D-Baldwin Park) that will ensure children receive critical instruction in their earliest years of learning and align teacher reading instruction assessments with the most current best practices.

SACRAMENTO - Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco)’s legislation, Senate Bill 379, the Equitable and Inclusive UC Healthcare Act, passed the Senate Education Committee by a vote of 5-2.
 

SACRAMENTO, CA — Senator Dave Min (D-Irvine) released a statement today remarking on the horrific shootings in Atlanta Tuesday night. According to reports, the eight victims were mostly women and four were of Korean descent.

SACRAMENTO – Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) released the following statement regarding last night’s tragic string of shootings in Atlanta that left eight dead. Six of the victims were women of Asian descent. The Bay Area has also seen a surge of deadly attacks and hate crimes on members of the AAPI community in recent months.

SACRAMENTO – With more Californians relying on the internet during the coronavirus pandemic for distance learning and remote work, Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, today announced the introduction of his new legislation to streamline the installation of high-speed broadband service, ensuring better access, especially for low-income people.

SACRAMENTO –  As more cars become equipped with in-vehicle cameras capable of recording the interior of the vehicle cabin and the actions of the driver, consumers face another threat to their privacy in a place where they might spend a great deal of their time every day.