Senator Bill Dodd

SACRAMENTO – Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, today acknowledged the month of June as Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse Awareness month in recognition of a serious and growing crisis in California.

“Understanding the pervasive nature of this problem as well as the warning signs are critical steps toward prevention,” Sen. Dodd said. “Because sadly, not a day goes by without reports of horrific cases of abuse or exploitation of the elderly or adults with disabilities.”

SACRAMENTO – Legislation advanced today from senators Bill Dodd and Steven Glazer to ensure critical facilities such as hospitals, fire stations and water treatment plants can operate during wildfire-inspired electric utility power shutoffs such as those used last year by Pacific Gas & Electric Co.

SACRAMENTO – Legislation from Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, that would help expedite and improve emergency evacuations in disasters such as wildfires by authorizing municipalities across the state to use European-style “hi-lo” sirens in patrol vehicles cleared a key committee today with unanimous support.

SACRAMENTO – Sen. Bill Dodd and Assemblymember Adam Gray today introduced key amendments to their sports wagering legislation that would lift the practice out of the shadows while generating hundreds of millions of dollars a year to help close a massive state budget deficit caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

NAPA – Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, will co-host a virtual town hall 2 p.m. Thursday about the impact of the coronavirus on North Bay non-profit organizations and services available to assist them during the pandemic.

The town hall is co-hosted by the California Association of Nonprofits. They will be joined by a panel of experts on the topic. Viewers may submit questions to the panelists via email and registration is required.

ISLETON – The Mei Wah Beer Room, a popular tavern owned by City Councilmember Iva Walton that helped revitalize the town while preserving its Chinese-American history – all while remaining open for take-out orders during the coronavirus pandemic -- has been named Sacramento County Small Business of the Year by Sen. Bill Dodd.

NAPA – Ben and Ali Koenig, who responded to the coronavirus pandemic by transitioning their popular restaurant, Heritage Eats, into a much-needed food and grocery delivery service, have been named Napa County’s Small Business of the Year by Sen. Bill Dodd.

PENNGROVE – Kim Hanson’s JavAmoré Café, which serves as a community hub for Penngrove residents and provided a needed source of food and emotional nourishment during the coronavirus pandemic, has been named Sonoma County’s Small Business of the Year by Sen. Bill Dodd.

SACRAMENTO – Legislation from Sens. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, Holly Mitchell, D-Los Angeles and Assemblymember Autumn Burke, D- Inglewood, to improve access to high-quality maternity care in California, cleared a key committee today with overwhelming, bipartisan support. Senate Bill 1237, sponsored by the California Nurse-Midwives Association and Black Women for Wellness, also would curb disparities in outcomes for black women and infants and counter the obstetrician shortage – projected to be critical in some counties by 2025.

SONOMA – Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, will host a virtual town hall 6 p.m. Thursday, May 21 to discuss the public health, educational and economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, as well as the reopening of the state.