Caucus News

Sacramento, California – Today, Senator Anthony J. Portantino (D – La Cañada Flintridge) received the 2022 Policy and Legislative Leadership Award on behalf of the California Mental Health Advocates for Children & Youth (CMHACY) during the 42nd annual CMHACY Conference. The Senator was honored for championing policies that promote the social, emotional, and behavioral wellbeing of children and families. 

LOS ANGELES - Today is recognized as Yom HaShoah. In Hebrew, the literal translation is “Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day”.
For the Jewish community – and victims of genocide globally – this day is one of memorialization, commemoration, and mourning. This holiday is also a critical component of Holocaust education, ensuring that younger generations recognize the horrors that can occur when prejudice, hate, and anti-Semitism run rampant in our communities.

Sacramento, CA- In a 4 to 0 vote, the Senate Public Safety Committee voted in favor of SB 1472: Ryan’s Law. Marking a major victory in the fight to keep California’s streets safe. After moving testimony from Carin Koeppel, founder of the Koeppel foundation and mother to Ryan Koepell who was killed by a reckless driver, the votes came in to recognize and address the growing issue of extreme speeding and reckless driving.

(SACRAMENTO) – Yesterday, Senator Richard D. Roth (D-Riverside) presented Senate Bill (SB) 1143 which establishes a new funding process for counties to use to build additional acute care inpatient psychiatric facilities. The bill earned unanimous support and is on its way to the Senate Appropriations Committee. 

(SACRAMENTO) – Yesterday, Senator Richard D. Roth’s (D-Riverside), Senate Bill (SB) 1199, which would establish a University of California, Riverside School of Medicine (UCRSOM) acute care teaching hospital in Riverside County, unanimously passed out of the Senate Education Committee and is headed to Senate Appropriations. With its own hospital, UCRSOM will be able to fortify a pipeline of physicians and provide a healthcare platform with the highest standard of care for the Inland Southern California region.

Sacramento, CA – Senator Anthony J. Portantino (D – La Cañada Flintridge) issued the following statement on the recent approval of $6.8 million in Measure W funds by the Upper Los Angeles River Watershed Area Steering Committee for Descanso Gardens. 

Senator Dave Cortese (D-Silicon Valley) made the following statement regarding the California Senate proposed investment of $20 billion in transportation projects statewide.

Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) and Senate Budget & Fiscal Committee Chair Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) announced today the second phase of the Senate’s “Putting Wealth to Work” budget proposal, which would continue to prioritize a more equitable economy to benefit struggling and middle class families and build  historic levels of reserves.

Sacramento, CA – Senate Bill 986, a measure authored by State Senator Anthony J. Portantino (D – La Cañada Flintridge) and Senator Tom Umberg (D – Santa Ana) to combat catalytic converter theft, passed the Senate Public Safety Committee.  SB 986 tackles catalytic converter theft by requiring dealers to apply a vehicle identification number (VIN) to the catalytic converter of each vehicle listed for sale and is supported by the California District Attorneys Association and Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore.

Sacramento, CA – California is facing a mental health crisis. Thousands of residents struggle with mental health conditions across the state and for a variety of reasons, many don’t have access to treatment which can lead to increased risk of unemployment, homelessness, suicide, and substance abuse.