Caucus News

MALIBU - At least a hundred kids from across Los Angeles County spent the day surfing, learning about the ocean environment and engaging with their state representatives in a whole new way at State Senator Henry Stern's Inaugural Surf Summit.

The event was the brainchild of Senator Stern who engaged the Children’s Lifesaving Foundation and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Malibu, West San Gabriel Valley, West Valley, and Variety Boys & Girls Club to participate and shuttle their members out to Zuma Beach for the summit.

SACRAMENTO, CA – Senators Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) and Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego), the joint authors of the Healthy California Act (Senate Bill 562), released this statement in response to the Assembly Rules Committee’s decision not to hear the bill before the July 14 legislative deadline:

Sacramento, CA – State Senator Josh Newman (D-Fullerton) today sent letters to State Controller Betty Yee and Senate Secretary Danny Alvarez, stating he would not accept the pay increase for State Legislators scheduled to go in effect in December. In the letters Newman stated:

SACRAMENTO – California Senate President pro Tempore Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles) released the following statement after United States Senate Republicans unveiled their plan to reform U.S. healthcare policy.

Senator Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) issued the following statement regarding the bill that U.S. Senate Republicans are proposing to replace the Affordable Care Act:

Senate Bill 355 by Sens. Mitchell and Lara now goes to Gov. Brown                                                                                                                          
SACRAMENTO – The California Legislature sent Gov. Brown the first in a package of criminal justice-reform bills seeking to improve public safety, save taxpayers money and put greater emphasis on prevention, rehabilitation and maintaining family cohesion.

Senator Hernandez also asks for transparency and a diversity of opinions through the process

SACRAMENTO – Today, the California State Senate Health Leader called for the U.S. Senate to conduct transparent proceedings for their version of health care reform and implored federal leaders to learn from California’s success with the Affordable Care Act.

SACRAMENTO– Parents joined with Dr. Richard Pan, the California Brady Campaign and other community members outside of the UC Davis Medical Center’s Emergency Department (ED) to remind parents that one of the most effective ways to keep kids safe and out of the ED is to ASK other parents if there are any unlocked guns in their homes before sending children over to play. 

Sacramento, CA – More than one in three Native American kids live in poverty, and 22 percent ages 25 and older have not finished high school, the lowest of any racial/ethnic demographic group across all schools. Only 13 percent of Native Americans have completed a bachelor’s degree or higher, compared to 29 percent of the US population.

Sacramento –  Today the Senate Environmental Quality Committee passed a bill by Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) to fix state recycling laws that are negatively impacting small businesses across California. SB 458 authorizes CalRecycle to create five mobile recycling pilot programs throughout the state, which will allow cities like San Francisco to pursue a mobile recycling redemption program.