Caucus News

SACRAMENTO – Senators Bob Wieckowski, D-Fremont, Steve Glazer, D-Orinda, and 15 other Bay Area legislators on Wednesday urged Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders to provide funding to help acquire the N3 Ranch in Alameda, Santa Clara, San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties and preserve it as public parkland.

“This once-in-a-generation opportunity would help create one of the largest parks in California, protect a crucial watershed, fight climate change and provide accessible backcountry wilderness to millions of Californians,” Senator Wieckowski said.

Sacramento, California– State Senator Anthony J. Portantino (D - La Cañada Flintridge) has introduced SB 805, which prevents school employees from having to use their sick, vacation, or other paid leave in the event there is a natural disaster and the employee faces evacuation threats within the home or school.

SACRAMENTO, CA – State Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Sanger), representing the 14th Senate District in California, which includes cities in Fresno, Kern, Kings and Tulare counties, is pleased to announce that Shery Yang has joined the office as California’s State Capitol’s first Hmong Chief of Staff. Under the direction of the Senator, the Chief of Staff is responsible for directing, coordinating and supervising the daily and long-term operations of the Senator’s office, including Capitol, District and Committee staff.

SACRAMENTO – Senators Steve Glazer, D-Contra Costa, and Mike McGuire, D-Healdsburg, unveiled legislation on Wednesday to help Californians deal with some of the worst effects of power outages until PG&E and other utilities can ensure that they can keep the lights on during dangerous high-wind conditions.

California’s housing crisis dominated headlines in 2019, but one San Jose legislator’s effort to alleviate its impact left Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk without a signature.

Last year’s Senate Bill 5, authored by state Sen. Jim Beall, D-San Jose, aimed to support Newsom’s goal of building 3.5 million housing units by 2025 by establishing an Affordable Housing and Community Investment Program to help local cities and counties afford to build more affordable housing. The program would have been funded by redirecting property tax revenue initially collected for educational use.

SACRAMENTO – Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, introduced legislation today to improve horse racing safety across California and build on reforms adopted last year.

“We must do everything we can to put safety first and stop unacceptable horse deaths,” Sen. Dodd said.  “We must ensure track conditions are right and horses are fit before they hit the starting gate so we aren’t jeopardizing them and their jockeys.”

SACRAMENTO –Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, introduced legislation today to extend a pilot program in Napa and San Bernardino counties that helps prevent urban sprawl and protects natural resources.

“This is a common sense measure that helps extend necessary services while reducing the need for new wells or septic systems,” Sen. Dodd said. “It embraces our goals to preserve agricultural land and open space while focusing new construction in city centers and transportation corridors.”

SACRAMENTO – As the California State Legislature reconvened today, Senator Connie M. Leyva (D-Chino) introduced legislation that would repeal the 40-year-old California law requiring public school employees—including teachers—to pay for the cost of their substitutes, known as “differential pay”.  SB 796 would entitle school employees to continue to receive their full pay while on extended sick leave.

SACRAMENTO - Today Senators Beall, McGuire and Portantino introduced SB 795 a bill to increase the production of affordable housing units in California. In midst of homeless crisis, state must fund production efforts aimed at low and very-low income Californians.