Caucus News

SACRAMENTO – The Senate President Pro Tempore of the California State Senate, Senator Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles), issued the following statement today on the historic accomplishments of the California State Senate in 2017:

“This year we set out to revitalize our crumbling infrastructure and confront the housing crisis -- issues that touch the lives of every Californian.

Sacramento, State Capitol – On Friday, Assembly Bill 1284, co-authored by Senator Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) and authored by Assemblymember Matt Dababneh (D-Woodland Hills), passed out of the California State Legislature with bipartisan support.  AB 1284 strengthens California’s Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing program by giving the state’s Department of Business Oversight responsibility for enforcing consumer protections.

SACRAMENTO – Both the California State Senate and State Assembly voted this evening to pass Senate Bill 5, which represents an agreement between legislative leaders and Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. to place a roughly $4 billion general obligation bond measure on the June 2018 ballot to fund California’s parks, water and flood control infrastructure.

The state Senate passed more than a dozen bills by Senator Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties, this week and sent them to the governor for his consideration as the 2017 legislative year came to a close. In all, 16 bills by Senator Hill were passed by the Legislature this month and sent to Governor Jerry Brown for review. He has until October 15 to act on the legislation and hundreds of other bills that were passed.

SACRAMENTO – The California Senate today gave final approval to Senate Bill 54, the California Values Act, sending this closely-watched measure by Senate President pro Tempore Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles) to Governor Brown for his signature. Once signed into law and enacted, SB 54 will prevent state and local law enforcement officers and resources from being commandeered by President Trump to enforce federal immigration laws.

Sacramento, State Capitol – Senate Bill 687 authored by Senator Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), which requires non-profit hospitals in California to obtain approval from the state Attorney General before closing an emergency department, passed out of the California State Legislature today.

“The farther you live from an emergency room the more your life is at risk,” said Senator Skinner, “SB 687 creates a layer of protection for the wellbeing of our communities.”

SACRAMENTO – Senator Jim Beall, D-San Jose, chairman of the Senate Transportation and Housing, issues this statement regarding the Legislature’s historic approval of a housing package to meet California’s pressing shortage of affordable homes and apartments:

Six #EquityAndJustice bills win approval

SACRAMENTO – Just weeks after 25,000 people attended a concert here by artist-musician Common to push for common sense justice reforms, the California Legislature approved the final two bills in the #EquityAndJustice package.

Senate Bills 394 and 395, jointly authored by Sens. Ricardo Lara and Senator Holly J. Mitchell, now go to Gov. Brown, and supporters praised the package for its goal to promote prevention, rehabilitation and maintaining family cohesion.

SACRAMENTO, CA – Responding to high unemployment among transgender workers, Senator Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) introduced the Transgender Work Opportunity Act (Senate Bill 396). Senate Bill 396 combats discrimination and encourages greater inclusion of transgender Californians in the work force.

The Transgender Work Opportunity Act will make California the first in the nation to require training about gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation.

Sending six #EquityAndJustice bills to Governor Brown

SACRAMENTO – Just weeks after the artist and musician Common held a free concert outside the State Capitol for 25,000 people and met with legislators to push for common sense justice reform, the California Legislature approved two long-overdue juvenile justice bills.