Caucus News

On Friday, the last day of the first year of the 2017-2018 legislative session, the California Senate gave final approval to SB 2, legislation authored by Sen. Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) that creates a permanent source of funding for affordable housing.

Senator Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) issued the following statement on the Senate’s passage today of two budget bills collectively known as the California Clean Air Initiative:

“Today, California took steps that fulfill the promise of our innovative cap-and-trade program, bolster our fight against climate change, improve quality of life in our communities and help create a better future for generations to come. These measures will have significant, positive impacts throughout the state, and particularly in San Diego County.

Senate Bill 568 will move primary to first Tuesday in March

SACRAMENTO, California – Today the California Assembly voted to approve the Prime Time Primary (Senate Bill 568), which will advance California’s presidential primary from one of the last in the nation to one of the first.

Sacramento, CA – Today, the California State Senate passed SB 400 by Senator Anthony J. Portantino, D – La Cañada Flintridge, which requires Caltrans to freeze the rent for SR 710 corridor tenants who participate in the “Affordable Rent Program.”  Decades ago, Caltrans purchased these homes to pave the way for the 710 freeway.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Today the California Assembly overwhelmingly approved the California Religious Freedom Act (Senate Bill 31) with only one dissenting vote. The roll call was left open so final vote tally may change.

Senate Bill 31 will prevent California agencies from sharing data that could be used to compile a federal registry based on religion, national origin or ethnicity.

Senator Richard D. Roth’s (D-Riverside) measure to address the State’s housing crisis has been approved by the California State Senate and sent to Governor Jerry Brown. Senate Bill 540, which is part of a bipartisan package of bills aimed at lowering housing costs and spurring housing construction, was approved on a bipartisan vote of 29-7.

SACRAMENTO – The California legislature today passed fifteen a package of fifteen consequential measures aimed at tackling the state’s housing crisis; a problem that has made California home to 21 of the 30 most expensive housing markets in the nation.

At a time when homeownership in California is at its lowest point since the 1940’s, the state Senate is moving policies to fund new development, streamline approval processes, strengthen existing laws, and create more local accountability to build new housing and increase homeownership across the Golden State. 

San Diego, CA – September 15, 2017 – The California State Legislature this week voted unanimously to pass Senator Ben Hueso’s (D-San Diego) Tijuana River Valley legislation, which will reallocate $2.1 million for development at and restoration of the Tijuana River Valley. The legislation also updates the priority action areas of the Tijuana River Valley Recovery Strategy to determine the flow of wastewater and runoff, as well as conduct a Tijuana River Main Channel Water Quality Protection Feasibility Study.
 

SACRAMENTO – Senator Bill Dodd’s (D-Napa) resolution naming the third week of September as Child Passenger Safety Week in California passed the State Legislature with bipartisan support. Dodd’s resolution recognizes that fatal vehicle collisions account for 25 percent of injury deaths for children.

SACRAMENTO – The Senate today passed budget trailer bills AB 109 and AB 134, making this the most historic investment of its kind to clean air across California and advance zero-emission technologies in the transportation sector. Senate Democrats this summer led in determining the spending priorities for the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, with the primary focus on reducing carbon emissions and other air pollutants from the transportation sector.