Caucus News

Contact: Richard Stapler
Richard.Stapler@sen.ca.gov
PRESS RELEASE: Senator John Laird Appointed to California Coastal Conservancy
SACRAMENTO, CA- Today, Senate pro Tempore Toni Atkins appointed Senator John Laird to serve on the Coastal Conservancy of the State of California.

State Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, issued the following statement on the end-of-session budget agreement between the Legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom, which was approved today by the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee, for which she is chair:

Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins appointed Senator Josh Becker chair of the newly created Subcommittee on the Clean Energy Future. “The health and resilience of Californians and our economy depends on a clean energy future,” said Senator Becker, the Peninsula Democrat who also serves as vice chair to the Legislature’s Committee on Climate Change Policies. “California has a pressing need to accelerate the expansion of our clean energy supply in order to meet our climate targets.

SACRAMENTO – The Senate Rules Committee, chaired by Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego), appointed Clarissa Falcon to the California Transportation Commission during its meeting today.

“With over 25 years of experience, Clarissa Falcon is a well-respected and collaborative community relations expert and problem solver,” Pro Tem Atkins said. “Clarissa will help ensure that as our state continues to grow, our transportation infrastructure and policies will serve and improve the quality of life for all Californians.”

SACRAMENTO, CA — Senator Dave Min (D-Irvine) announced his Senate Bill (SB) 264, which would end gun shows at the Orange County Fairgrounds, passed out of the California Legislature today, and will head to the Governor’s desk for his signature. SB 264 was originally written to prohibit the sale of firearms, ammunition, and ghost guns on all state-owned property, but after advancing out of the State Senate, the Assembly Appropriations Committee narrowed the scope of the bill to the 32nd District Agricultural Association (otherwise known as the OC Fair and Event Center).

SACRAMENTO, CA — Senator Dave Min (D-Irvine) announced today his bill to create and extend protections for children in family court advanced from the State Legislature and will head to Governor Newsom’s desk for his signature. SB 654 passed the Senate Floor with unanimous support.  

SACRAMENTO – The state Senate today approved SB 807, a bill by Senator Bob Wieckowski (D-Fremont), to update and enhance civil rights enforcement and improve government efficiency in the state Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH). The bill was approved without opposition and goes to Governor Newsom for his consideration.

The California state Senate today greenlighted Sen. Nancy Skinner’s carbon sequestration bill, SB 27, on a vote of 34-4. SB 27, which is co-authored by Assemblymember Robert Rivas, D-Salinas, won unanimous approval in the state Assembly yesterday on a 75-0 vote. It would expand California’s carbon removal capability, also known as sequestration, as well as improve the carbon retention of the state’s natural and working lands. SB 27 now goes to Gov. Newsom for consideration.

The CA state Senate today unanimously approved Sen. Nancy Skinner’s SB 524, also known as “Choose Your Own Pharmacist,” on a 35-0 vote. SB 524, which won approval in the state Assembly yesterday on a vote of 57-7, will help ensure that patients can use the pharmacy they prefer by prohibiting “patient steering” — a practice in which health care plans and their agents limit what pharmacy can be used, even when the patient’s preferred pharmacy is in the patient’s health plan network. SB 524 now goes to Gov. Gavin Newsom for consideration.

SACRAMENTO ­– Today, Senate Bill 2, authored by Senator Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) and Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego), was approved on a vote of 49-21 on the Assembly Floor. Also known as the Kenneth Ross Jr. Police Decertification Act of 2021, SB 2 aims to increase accountability for law enforcement officers that commit serious misconduct and illegally violate a person’s civil rights.