Caucus News

SACRAMENTO – Today, Governor Jerry Brown will release his 2015-2016 revised spending proposal. State Senator Holly J. Mitchell (D-Los Angeles) released the following statement:

“Revenue is surging. The nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office has estimated that revenue for the full year could exceed estimates by more than $4 billion. The budget is not simply a math problem. Our hands are not tied. The Legislature has options to use a significant portion of the funds to meet human needs.

Sacramento, CA – With a broad show of support, Senator Mike McGuire’s Online Vacation Rental legislation, SB 593 was again approved Wednesday by a second Senate committee with a 4-2 vote from members of the Governance and Finance Committee.
Last month, SB 593 was also approved with a unanimous vote in the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee. After approval today, Senator McGuire’s critical legislation regulating Online Vacation Rental Businesses will now proceed to the Senate floor for a vote.

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

Senator Richard D. Roth’s (D-Riverside) proposal to protect California’s small businesses and the disabled community was approved by the Senate Governance and Finance Committee today on a bipartisan, unanimous vote.

Senator Richard D. Roth’s (D-Riverside) proposal to protect California’s small businesses and the disabled community was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee today on a bipartisan vote.

“I thank my colleagues for supporting this common-sense, balanced measure to protect the disabled community and small businesses,” said Senator Roth.  “Senate Bill 251 is a critical step in guaranteeing access for disabled Californians by providing small businesses with the tools and resources necessary to comply with state and federal disability access laws.”

Sacramento – Senator Loni Hancock (D-Oakland), Chair of the Senate Committee on Public Safety, today called for the closure of the California Rehabilitation Center (CRC) at Norco.

Amendments exempt honorably retired peace officers from campus ban
SACRAMENTO -- Legislation by Senator Lois Wolk (D-Davis) to help control concealed weapons on school and college campuses has earned broad support from law enforcement groups after recent amendments retained the current ability of honorably retired officers to carry a concealed firearm on campus grounds.

Bill requires minimum two–person train crews
SACRAMENTO—Legislation by Senator Lois Wolk (D-Davis) to protect communities along rail lines by requiring trains and light engines carrying freight within California to be operated with an adequate crew size for public safety reasons secured passage from the Senate last Thursday on a bipartisan 23-11 vote.

LOS ANGELES – Greater mental health training for officers not only increases the margin of safety for both them and people with mental illnesses but also improves community trust and saves taxpayer dollars, police and mental health professionals said before a California State Senate subcommittee hearing today.“The experts made it clear: Improving mental health training for our peace officers is the right thing,’’ said Sen. Jim Beall, chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Mental Health.

Malibu, CA – The City of Malibu, Senators Fran Pavley and Ben Allen, Assemblymember Richard Bloom, and the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) held a press conference and screened a new video promoting safety on Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), followed by a bicycle safety rodeo for kids on May 8 as part of the multi-agency efforts to improve safety on PCH.