Caucus News

Sacramento, CA – Senate Bill 883, jointly authored by Senator Anthony J. Portantino (D – Burbank) and Senator Richard D. Roth (D – Riverside), was signed into law by Governor Newsom.  The measure extends the sunset date on the Umbilical Cord Blood Collection Program (UCBCP) for an additional five years.  Umbilical cord blood stem cells have achieved remarkable success in curing leukemia.  The University of California Davis has administered the UCBCP since its inception.

Sacramento, CA - State Senator Anthony J. Portantino (D – Burbank) announced that his budget request of $150,000 for Friends of the Los Angeles River (FoLAR) was approved in the 2022-2023 State Budget.  The funds will help with conservation efforts in order to restore the natural and historic heritage of the important Los Angeles River.

SACRAMENTO – Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa announced today that Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed his legislation to enhance wildfire prevention through implementation of a $20 million prescribed fire claims fund.

Sacramento, CA – Senate Bill 1002, a measure authored by State Senator Anthony J. Portantino (D – Burbank), seeks to address California’s mental health provider shortage.  SB 1002 authorizes qualified social workers to offer assessment and psychotherapy for mental or behavioral health issues in order to provide additional resources to injured workers in need of immediate care.  Governor Newsom has signed the measure into law

Sacramento, CA – Senate Bill 987, a measure authored by Senator Anthony J. Portantino (D – Burbank) that provides access to lifesaving cancer treatments, was signed into law by Governor Newsom.  SB 987 aims to address significant disparities in cancer patient access by expanding Medi-Cal patient eligibility for necessary clinical expertise and resources.

SACRAMENTO – Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed Senate Bill 1013 written by President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins, D-San Diego, and Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, adding wine and distilled spirits bottles to California’s recycling program.

SACRAMENTO – Legislation written by Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) and Senator Bill Dodd (D-Napa) to add wine and distilled spirits bottles to California’s longtime bottle recycling program has been signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom.

SACRAMENTO – In an important step forward to create greater contraceptive equity statewide, Governor Gavin Newsom today signed Senate Bill 523, which will expand and modernize birth control access in California regardless of an individual’s gender, insurance coverage status, where they work or where they go to school.

SACRAMENTO – Sen. Bob Hertzberg of Van Nuys today issued the following statement after Gov. Newsom signed Senate Bill 774 to exempt homeless persons from an existing requirement that they have a 30-day relationship with a doctor before having an emotional support animal certification.

SACRAMENTO – Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) released the following statement following Governor Gavin Newsom signing into law SB 1375, which would allow qualified nurse practitioners to provide first trimester abortions without the supervision of a physician: