Caucus News

Sacramento, CA – Today, Senator Ben Allen (D – Santa Monica) and the California State Senate paid tribute to the newly appointed U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera.  At a special ceremony on the Senate Floor, Mr. Herrera was introduced by Senator Allen, the chair of the Joint Committee on the Arts, and recited two of his original poems.

Sacramento, CA – Today, Senator Ben Allen (D – Santa Monica) and the California State Senate paid tribute to the newly appointed U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera.  At a special ceremony on the Senate Floor, Mr. Herrera was introduced by Senator Allen, the chair of the Joint Committee on the Arts, and recited two of his original poems.

To atch, listen to Sen. Hertzberg click HERE:

SACRAMENTO – In recognition of his efforts to champion greater access to mental health care, Sen. Bob Hertzberg received a first-ever leadership award from a statewide advocacy group.

SACRAMENTO – To kick off Independence Day weekend celebrations, Senate President pro Tempore Kevin de León on Thursday led a swearing-in ceremony at the Old Sacramento Schoolhouse Museum for 16 children who took the oath to become United States citizens.

De León, who taught naturalization classes before becoming a legislator, congratulated the children, aged 7 to 17, and their families on their commitment to being part of the fabric of this wonderfully diverse country.

SACRAMENTO – On Wednesday, July 1, 2015, the California Assembly Education Committee passed Senate Bill 695 (De León/Jackson) unanimously on a bipartisan vote of 6-0. Under the legislation, health courses, which are a condition of graduation for a majority of California high school students, will provide instruction on affirmative consent, sexual harassment, assault, violence, and the importance of developing positive and healthy relationships.

SACRAMENTO – California Senate President pro Tempore Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles), Chair of the Senate Rules Committee, has announced the following appointment by the Rules Committee:

SACRAMENTO – A state department whose responsibilities include monitoring hazardous waste facilities will itself be monitored by independent experts, according to provisions sought by Senate President pro Tempore Kevin de León in the recently approved budget.

The 2015-16 budget signed by Governor Brown last week established a 3-person panel to monitor the Department of Toxic Substance Control (DTSC), in addition to a $13 million budget increase to boost its permitting process and hazardous waste oversight operations.

Senator Richard D. Roth (D-Riverside) announced today that two Riverside County housing developments have been awarded approximately $12 million in grants to combat veteran homelessness.

Legislation authored by Senator Leno prompts every consumer to enable kill switch technology during the setup of a new smartphone