Caucus News

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 – Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, issued the following statement today regarding Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara’s plan to ensure commercial and agricultural insurance coverage amid continuing wildfires.

REEDLEY, CA – Today, Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Sanger) released the following statement after her press conference announcing an investment of $2.8 million to replace the Olson-Kings River Sewer Main:

SACRAMENTO – On October 8th, Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 567 into law to modify the criminal sentencing process. SB 567 creates a presumption of sentencing judgement of imprisonments and enhancements not to exceed the middle terms, unless there are circumstances in aggravation of a crime that justify the imposition of the upper term.

SACRAMENTO – As part of his final action on bills from the 2021 legislative session, Governor Gavin Newsom this weekend announced he signed into law Senator Ben Hueso’s (D-San Diego) bill to ensure more low-income Californians have access to discounted phone and Internet service through the Lifeline Universal Telephone Service Program (California LifeLine Program).

The legislature’s Joint Committee on the Arts, chaired by Senator Ben Allen (D – Santa Monica), today reviewed the findings of a new report on the $217 billion impact of creative industries on the California economy.  The hearing coincided with the release of the “2015 Otis Report on the Creative Economy of California,” an annual report by the Otis College of Art and Design, which for the first time contained a regional analysis of creative industries within eight geographic areas of the state.

Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation by Senator Josh Becker on Friday to make it easier and less costly for property owners who want to power their homes with electricity so they can reduce or eliminate use of fossil fuels.
 California was successful in its campaign to reach 1 million solar roofs and now this is the first step in the new campaign to reach 1 million all-electric buildings.

SACRAMENTO –  In the past week, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 790, SB 406 and SB 317  by Senator Henry Stern (D-Los Angeles) into law. Governor Newsom had previously signed all 4 other Stern bills passed to his desk. Stern's new laws aim to improve conditions for nursing home patients, help those in need of mental health assistance, promote wildlife corridors, and tackle wildfire prevention, power shut offs, and oil pollution to the Governor’s desk. 

Wildlife Corridors

SONOMA – Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, will host a virtual town hall Oct. 18 bringing the latest updates from Sacramento and featuring panelists Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis and Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins. Among the topics to be discussed will be highlights of the legislative and budget year as well as the road ahead for 2022

The town hall will be streamed live over multiple channels and broadcast on KSVY Sonoma. Panelists will take live and submitted questions.

SACRAMENTO - Today, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senator Scott Wiener’s (D-San Francisco) legislation, SB 221, which requires health plans and insurers to provide patients with timely follow-up care for mental health issues and substance use disorders. It will go into effect on July 1, 2022.