Caucus News

SACRAMENTO – The Senate Judiciary Committee today passed Senate Bill 16 by Sen. Bob Wieckowski (D-Fremont) to assist Californians struggling to repay their private student loan debts by lowering the cap on how much lenders can garnish from their paychecks.  Wieckowski told the committee reducing the cap from 25 percent of a borrower’s wages to 15 percent, the same level as federal student loans, will encourage lenders to work more closely with students to create manageable repayment plans.

SACRAMENTO – Legislation by Sen. Bob Hertzberg, D-Van Nuys, that protects consumers who sign up for a free trial with an automatic renewal for a service that comes with a charge today passed the Senate Judiciary Committee.

In addition, SB 313 requires businesses to make it just as easy for consumers to cancel the arrangements as it was to sign up for them. The bill directs businesses to notify consumers three-to-seven days before they are charged for an automatic renewal, and it requires businesses to obtain a consumer’s stand-alone authorization for the renewal.

(SACRAMENTO, CA) – Senator Bill Monning (D-Carmel) announced Senate Bill (SB) 538, legislation that would target the unfair business practices of dominate healthcare providers that use their market power to force higher charges on consumers.  

Sacramento, CA – With a strong showing of support in the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Mike McGuire and Scott Wiener’s Presidential Tax Transparency & Accountability Act that would share basic tax information with the American public and require that all presidential candidates release the last 5 years of their tax returns in order to appear on the California ballot, was approved today.

Sacramento – Today the Senate Public Safety voted in favor of a bill authored by Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) and Assemblymember Todd Gloria (D-San Diego) that will modernize laws that criminalize and stigmatize people living with HIV.  Senate Bill 239 would amend California’s HIV criminalization laws, enacted in the 1980s and ‘90s at a time of fear and ignorance about HIV and its transmission, to make them consistent with laws involving other serious communicable diseases.

First five measures pass initial policy tests

SACRAMENTO – Nine days after introducing a comprehensive bill package to reform California’s criminal justice system for juveniles and young adults, five of the measures have passed their initial policy tests.

The latest action came today as the Senate Public Safety Committee approved bills to eliminate court fees on those found innocent and to keep records sealed on those not convicted of a crime.

Join the Senate health leader, budget chair and members of the California Legislative Women's Caucus for a discussion on What's at Stake for Women's Health

SACRAMENTO – California has long embraced policies and programs that protect and expand access to comprehensive reproductive health care. As a result, health outcomes have improved, public dollars have been saved, and teen birth and abortion rates in our state are at their lowest in decades.

Pasadena, CA – On Sunday, March 26, Senator Anthony J. Portantino (D – La Cañada Flintridge) had the privilege of honoring ten exemplary women from Senate District 25 in the courtyard of Pasadena City Hall. The California State Legislature first recognized March as Women’s History Month in 1987 and has continued the tradition. Each year members of the State Legislature recognize the exceptional women in their district with a celebration commemorating their efforts.

Sacramento –  Today the Senate Governmental Organization Committee approved Senate Bill 384, a bill authored by Senator Scott Wiener to allow – but not require – local communities to extend alcohol service to as late as 4 AM. The LOCAL Act, which stands for Let Our Communities Adjust Late Night, now moves to the Senate Appropriations Committee. The committee's action today represents the first time a committee of the California Legislature has ever approved this bill.

Sacramento, CA – The legislature’s Joint Committee on the Arts, chaired by Senator Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica), will hold an oversight hearing on the California Film and Television Tax Credit Program on Wednesday, March 29, at 1:30 in the State Capitol.  The hearing will look at production trends throughout the state.