Caucus News

SACRAMENTO – In May 1961, Chloe and Alderson Muncy of Paynesville, West Virginia were the first recipients of modern food assistance, granted through an executive order by President Kennedy.
Three years later, on Aug. 31, 1964, then-President Johnson signed the Food Stamp Act of 1964, permanently cementing one of the centerpiece initiatives from the War on Poverty. As Johnson said at the time, this program applies “the power of America’s … abundance to the task of building a better life for every American.”

SACRAMENTO – Senator Connie M. Leyva (D-Chino) recently introduced legislation that will require yearly testing of drinking water at schools in California to ensure water quality and safety.
Currently, the extent of ongoing water quality issues at school sites throughout the Inland Empire and California remains largely unknown and unaddressed.  SB 334 requires that, where schools find that their water is not clean, school districts must provide alternative sources of clean water.  

Sacramento, CA – State Senator Mike McGuire introduced legislation this week to protect old growth redwoods -- the tallest trees on the planet – and put a stop to the devastating  practice of burl theft  from our state and national parks and California’s forests. Burls – the dormant, knobby material that grows at the base of redwood trees – are the primary method of redwood tree regeneration.

SACRAMENTO – Senator Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills) introduced legislation this week that calls for more comprehensive and transparent reporting of oil and gas well drilling activity. This is the first step in addressing the serious deficiencies identified in how, for example, post-drilling wastewater is disposed of in underground wells.

SACRAMENTO – Stakeholders in the management of stormwater and urban runoff will consider emerging approaches to paying for stormwater projects during a public hearing in Sacramento convened by Sens. Bob Hertzberg and Fran Pavley on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015, beginning at 2 p.m.
Joining Sen. Hertzberg, chair of the Senate Committee on Governance and Finance, and Sen. Pavley, chair of the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water, will be several stormwater policy experts. 

SACRAMENTO –Dr. Richard Pan, a pediatrician and Senator representing Sacramento, Senator Ben Allen, the former Board President of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District and Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalaz who represents San Diego have introduced Senate Bill 277 to repeal the personal belief exemption that currently allows parents to opt their child out of vaccines in our schools. 

Senator Galgiani is pleased to announce that she has been appointed as Chair of the newly created Senate Select Committee on Missing and Unidentified Persons.

SACRAMENTO – In response to a recent court ruling that limits the ability of local jurisdictions in California from further statutorily protecting children from dangerous sex offenders, Senator Connie M. Leyva (D-Chino) today introduced a bill that will strengthen the ability of cities and counties to build upon existing protections from these offenders living in communities throughout the state.

SACRAMENTO – Senate President pro Tempore Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles) has selected and the Senate Rules Committee approved Senator Connie M. Leyva (D-Chino) to serve as Chair of the Senate Select Committee on Manufactured Home Communities.  Senator Leyva has also been selected as the Senate designee to the California Department of Housing and Community Development’s Mobilehome Park Inspection Program Task Force.