Senator Benjamin Allen

Sacramento – Environmentally friendly mass transit projects will soon be eligible for an expedited approval process in Los Angeles County. Senate Bill 44, by Senator Ben Allen (D – Santa Monica), will allow zero-emission mass transit projects to be considered for expedited California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review. Governor Newsom signed the measure into law on Thursday.

Sacramento – Following fallout from the Orange County oil spill, Senate Bill 433 by Senator Ben Allen (D – Santa Monica) was signed by Governor Newsom which will give the Coastal Commission the ability to assess penalties for natural resources impacts for responsible parties.

Sacramento – Sacramento – As Governor Gavin Newsom takes steps to prohibit new oil wells and facilities within a 3,200-foot exclusion area – or setback – from sensitive locations such as homes, schools, and hospitals, State Senator Ben Allen (D – Santa Monica), chair of the Senate Environmental Quality Committee and Co-Chair of the Environmental Caucus, today applauded the proposal that would also require pollution controls for existing wells and facilities within the same areas.

Sacramento – Californians incarcerated due to criminal penalty enhancements that are no longer in state law may soon have those enhancements retroactively removed from their record. Governor Newsom’s signature of Senate Bill 483 last week, authored by Senator Ben Allen (D – Santa Monica), applies the repeal of these demonstrably ineffective enhancements to people currently in jails and prisons, subject to court review and approval.

Sacramento – In the wake of potential abuse cases (including that of Britney Spears), California’s conservatorship framework is just one step away from being significantly reformed. Assembly Bill 1194 by Assemblymember Low (D – Silicon Valley) and Senator Ben Allen (D – Santa Monica) cleared its final hurdles in the California Legislature today. The bill now heads to the Governor, who has until October 10 to sign it into law or veto.

Sacramento – The California Legislature today approved Senate Bills 155 and 170, budget measures that will dedicate substantial funding for the state to address the climate crisis in meaningful ways that protect Californians, our environment, and our economy. Senator Ben Allen (D – Santa Monica), chair of the Senate Environmental Quality Committee and Co-Chair of the Environmental Caucus issued the following statement:

Sacramento – At a celebratory event in California’s capital city today, State Senator Ben Allen honored Door To Door Cleaners as Small Business of the Year for the 26th Senate District.

Los Angeles – Representatives of the region’s renowned museums joined elected officials at the iconic La Brea Tar Pits today to call attention to the dire need for safeguarding vital cultural assets in the face of increasingly frequent climate-fueled disasters.

Sacramento – Following Governor Gavin Newsom’s May Revision of his $268 billion proposed state budget announced this morning, State Senator Ben Allen (D – Santa Monica) released the following statement:

Sacramento, CA – As President Joe Biden dedicated today’s executive actions to addressing climate change, State Senator Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica), Chair of the Senate Environmental Quality Committee and Co-Chair of the Legislative Environmental Caucus, commended the progress: