Bakersfield, Calif. (May 8, 2026)–Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Bakersfield) issued the following statement regarding yesterday’s action by the U.S. Department of Justice to crack down on market manipulation and anti-competitive behavior in the meat market:

Avalon, CA – On May 8, 2026 Senator Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach) joined local officials, community members and local businesses in Avalon to present a check for $1 million in state funding to support critical improvements to the historic Green Pleasure Pier.
 

SACRAMENTO – This week, the California State Senate passed Senate Bill 941 by Senator Steve Padilla (D-San Diego), which would prohibit the excessive markup of products sold at private detention facilities.

Today, Senate Bill 73 by Senator Sabrina Cervantes (D-Riverside) was approved by two Assembly committees, Elections and Public Safety. The bill, a follow-up to Senate Bill 851 (Cervantes) that Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law last year, will provide California’s election systems with additional protection against outside interference. SB 73 has an urgency clause that will allow its provisions to take effect for the June 2 statewide primary election if signed into law by the Governor in time.

Sacramento, Calif. (May 5, 2026)—Following a month of federal and state law enforcement crackdowns on anti-competitive behavior, State Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Bakersfield) today said that recent legal actions confirm long-standing concerns raised by Central Valley farmers and consumers that markets are uncompetitive — and pushed back against misleading claims that antitrust enforcement harms agriculture.

SACRAMENTO – Senator Ben Allen (D-Pacific Palisades) released the following statement in response to the California Department of Insurance’s enforcement against State Farm after investigating the insurer’s handling of claims filed by survivors of the 2025 Los Angeles fires.

This administrative action against State Farm is long overdue, but it still falls short of ensuring real consequences.

SAN JOSÉ, CA – El Senador Estatal de California Dave Cortese (Distrito 15) emitió la siguiente declaración en respuesta a las nuevas regulaciones del Departamento de Vehículos Motorizados de California (DMV) relativas a la operación y el despliegue de vehículos autónomos (VA) en California:

SAN JOSE, CA – California State Senator Dave Cortese (District 15) issued the following statement in response to new regulations from the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) regarding the operation and deployment of autonomous vehicles (AVs) in California:
“The California DMV’s proposed AV regulations reinforce exactly why I introduced Senate Bill 1246 — because innovation without accountability cannot be tolerated when public safety is at stake.

(SACRAMENTO) – Senate Bill 1381 by Senator Sabrina Cervantes (D-Riverside) was approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee on Monday. The bill, sponsored by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, would require the individualized education program team of the Local Educational Agency (LEA) to provide parents of students who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, visually impaired, or deaf-blind information regarding the option for the student to attend a state special school.