Caucus News

Sacramento, CA – The November 2018 midterm election is going to be one of the most important elections in a generation. With just 50 days to go, Governor Brown has signed a landmark bill into law that will preserve the votes of thousands of Californians at the ballot box. 

FREMONT – Governor Jerry Brown today signed legislation by State Senator Bob Wieckowski (D-Fremont) to relinquish a stretch of State Route (SR) 84 to the city of Fremont, which has plans to make a variety of improvements to the route.  Under SB 989, the portion of SR 84 between I-880 and Mission Boulevard will be turned over to the city.

SACRAMENTO – State Senator Bob Wieckowski’s (D-Fremont) bill to protect people who request public records under the California Public Records Act from having to pay the attorneys fees of a public agency was signed into law today by Governor Jerry Brown.  Supporters of Senate Bill 1244, including the California News Publishers Association (CNPA), said the bill is necessary to ensure access to public records.

SACRAMENTO –  Ensuring Caltrans meets SB 1’s mandate to save taxpayer dollars through efficiency,  Governor Brown today signed Senator Jim Beall’s legislation to allow the permanent use of a new design process that has resulted  in faster and less costly road repairs and upgrades.

“SB 1262 will create hundreds of millions in savings on road projects,’’ Beall said. “Caltrans can take those savings and invest it in more road maintenance and upgrades to increase the safety and efficiency of our transportation system across the state.’’

SAN JOSE --  Sen. Jim Beall’s legislation allowing the cities of San Jose and Los Angeles to lease Caltrans properties to serve the homeless was signed into law by Governor Brown today.

Under SB 519, co-authored by both Beall and Senator Steven Bradford, D-Gardena, the cities would be able to lease up to 10 parcels of unused Caltrans land at a cost of only $1 per month. The bill calls for the properties to be used as sites for emergency shelter or programs that provide food.

Sacramento, CA – One of the most important Governmental transparency bills of 2018 was just signed into law by Governor Brown.

Senator McGuire’s SB 929 – the Special Districts Transparency Act –  requires every independent special district in California to create and consistently maintain a website with specific and detailed information including meeting agendas, clear information on the district’s budget and expenditures, compensation reports, information on how to contact representatives of the district and more.

SACRAMENTO – Governor Jerry Brown signed legislation authored by Senator Connie M. Leyva (D-Chino) that will help Covered California continue to serve over 1.5 million California residents during this era of federal uncertainty.

SB 1245 will allow Covered California to have emergency rulemaking authority for nearly all of its regulatory packages until January 1, 2022.  This legislation will also ensure that there will be enough time for the public to review and comment on the proposed regulations ahead of them being adopted by the Covered California Board of Directors.

SAN JOSE – Senator Jim Beall, D-San Jose, chairman of the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee, issues this statement on today’s ratification of SB 818 by Governor Brown today to restore the Homeowner Bill of Rights, which had lapsed on Jan. 1, 2018:

Sacramento, CA –Two measures authored by Senator Ben Allen (D – Santa Monica) were signed into law Thursday by Governor Jerry Brown at the Global Climate Summit on a cruise aboard the first plug-in hybrid electric ferry boat out in the middle of San Francisco Bay.