Caucus News

San Diego, CA – September 13, 2017 – A bill authored by Senator Ben Hueso (D-San Diego) and Senate President pro Tempore Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles) that would instruct the director of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development to establish an international trade and investment office in Mexico has passed both houses of the state legislature with overwhelming bipartisan support, and is now heading to the Governor’s office for his signature or veto.
 

The California Assembly today passed SB 179, legislation authored by Sen. Toni Atkins that would create a third gender marker on state-issued identification documents for people who identify as nonbinary or intersex. The bill would also streamline the process for transgender, intersex and nonbinary Californians to obtain identification documents that accurately reflect their gender.

The bill now heads back to the Senate for concurrence with amendments made in the Assembly. From there, it goes to the governor for his signature.

“America is a nation of immigrants. California is a state of immigrants. Ten percent of our state’s workforce is undocumented. These are our family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues. And the most vulnerable among the undocumented are our young people. These are the people brought to this country while still children. We must support DACA and these Dreamers. They were raised in the United States. Some have no memory of the land of their birth. Some don’t even know they are undocumented until they apply for a college loan or a job.

As Hernandez’ SB 17 goes to the Governor, he encourages others to follow California’s lead and enact similar policy

SACRAMENTO – Today, Senate Bill 17, authored by Senator Dr. Ed Hernandez, O.D., now heads to the Governor after receiving a final bipartisan vote of 31-8 by the entire Senate. SB 17 will force pharmaceutical companies to explain their reasons for rising drug prices. 

SACRAMENTO- California Senate President pro Tempore Kevin de León (D- Los Angeles), Chair of the Senate Rules Committee, has announced the following Rules Committee Appointments:

Clearing barriers to finding an apartment or a job

SACRAMENTO – The California Assembly approved Senate Bill 393, the Consumer Arrest Record Equity Act, to seal arrest records and remove barriers to employment and housing for those arrested but not convicted of a crime. The CARE Act is sponsored by San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón.

SACRAMENTO – A proposal by Senator Jim Beall to let Bay Area voters decide whether to raise bridge tolls to fund a comprehensive regional traffic relief plan to reduce commuter congestion was approved by the Assembly today.

Consumer Arrest Record Equity (CARE) Act (Senate Bill 393) sponsored by San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón

SACRAMENTO – The California Assembly approved Senate Bill 393, the Consumer Arrest Record Equity Act, to seal arrest records and remove barriers to employment and housing for those arrested but not convicted of a crime. The CARE Act is sponsored by San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón.

Sacramento –  Today the California State Assembly passed Senate Bill 458, a bill by Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) to fix state recycling laws that are negatively impacting small grocery stores across California. The bill must go back to the Senate for a concurrence vote to accept amendments made in the Assembly before it moves to the Governor’s desk. The Senate previously passed SB 458 in July.

SACRAMENTO—The California Senate today gave final approval to SB 230, legislation by Sen. Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) that will help prosecutors convict predators who traffic in sex slavery, sending the bill to the governor’s desk. The Senate’s vote came after the Assembly passed the bill on Tuesday.