Caucus News

SACRAMENTO – Legislation from Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, that would reduce the cost of road projects, allowing more improvements with the same amount of money, cleared an important vote today.

“This bill is about streamlining the often duplicative and bureaucratic process, making every transportation dollar count,” Sen. Dodd said. “We can use that savings to expand both the number and quality of projects, providing Californians with the good roads they deserve.”

Sacramento, California – Today, SB 7, authored by Senator Anthony J. Portantino (D–La Cañada Flintridge), passed the Assembly Transportation Committee. SB 7 will allow the purchase of surplus properties occupied by nonprofits at their current use value and prohibit Caltrans from implementing the tunnel or surface freeway options for the 710 gap closure. The bill is also a potential legislative fix for the state to return surplus freeway stubs back to local cities in the freeway corridor. 

SACRAMENTO – Foreign Service Officers from California representing the United States abroad, and their spouses, would be able to get an extension for their driver’s license that would keep it in full effect for the duration of the time they are serving abroad, under Senate Bill 267 authored by Sen. Bob Wieckowski.  The bill was approved this afternoon by the Assembly Transportation Committee.

San Francisco –  Today, Senator Scott Wiener’s (D-San Francisco) legislation to protect sex workers from arrest for sex work after they report a serious and violent crime, such as rape, passed out of the Assembly with a 54-13 vote. It will now head to the Senate for a concurrence vote.

SACRAMENTO – Senate Majority Leader Bob Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys) announced that his bill to bring greater equity to civil damage awards, SB 41, cleared a major hurdle today by unanimously passing the California State Assembly.

Senator Bradford Approves California State Budget -Securing Millions for Senate District 35

SACRAMENTO ­– Recently, the Budget Bill for fiscal year 2019-2020 was passed by the Senate and Assembly after long negotiations between both houses and the Governor’s Administration. The new budget includes the state’s largest reserves in history, pays down billions of dollars to our state’s pension debt, and prioritizes one-time investments aimed at tackling the main issues driving California’s affordability crisis.

Allocation of Funds will go towards Access to Clean Drinking Water, Asthma Prevention Services, Aging and Disability Resource Center Services, Short-Line Railroad Infrastructure Projects, Defense Against Family Separation & Deportation, and Youth & Civic Engagement Initiatives 

(SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA) – Today, Senator Bill Monning (D-Carmel) hosted a public forum with UC Berkeley and the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to present the Economic Impact Assessment for Diablo Canyon. 

“The Diablo Canyon Power Plant has been an important part of the local economy for decades and the region needs reliable data and information to prepare for its safe closure,” said Senator Monning.  “Information from this report will give the county and schools the tools to plan ahead to mitigate any negative impacts of the power plant’s closure.”

SACRAMENTO - Sen. Susan Rubio (D-Baldwin Park) today released a statement on Gov. Newsom signing the 2019-20 California budget:

San Francisco–  Today, Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), Dreamers, Democratic Party leaders, and immigrant rights advocates rallied to announce the introduction of Senate Bill 288. SB 288 would make it legal for Dreamers and other immigrants to run for California Democratic Party County Central Committee seats and for California Democratic Party Delegate positions. It is currently impossible for Dreamers and other immigrants to register as Democrats and thus run for these positions. A “Dreamer” is an individual born in a foreign country who was brought to the U.S.