Caucus News

Sacramento – SB 1160 authored by Senator Tony Mendoza, Chair of the Senate Labor & Industrial Relations Committee, was signed into law today by Governor Brown.

SACRAMENTO – Senate Bill 947 to reduce red tape in the application process for the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program was signed by the Governor today. 

Since 2009, applicants for the CalFresh program, which offers food to families in need, have had the opportunity to be interviewed over the telephone.  Conversely, applicants for the CalWORKs program must be interviewed in-person, even in counties that would rather conduct interviews over the phone to improve efficiencies and better utilize limited staff time.

(SACRAMENTO, CA) – Today, Governor Jerry Brown signed Senate Bill (SB) 1363, authored by Senator Bill Monning (D-Carmel), which requires the Ocean Protection Council, in coordination with the State Coastal Conservancy, to establish a program to restore eelgrass in order to mitigate the impacts of global warming on the ocean and on California’s coastal plant and animal species.

Sacramento, CA – Legislation authored by Senator Ben Allen (D – Santa Monica) to remove current law’s prohibition on public financing of campaigns was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown today.

“Californians are demanding greater accountability from their elected officials, and rightfully so.  Anything we can do to empower communities to reduce the influence of money in campaigns is a good thing,” said Senator Allen.

Sacramento, CA – A measure authored by Senator Ben Allen (D – Santa Monica) and Senator Robert Hertzberg (D – Van Nuys) to transform the way elections are conducted was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown today.  SB 450 authorizes counties to replace neighborhood polling places with conveniently located vote centers and allow voting in the 10 days preceding and election; it also requires every voter to be mailed a vote-by-mail ballot.

SACRAMENTO –Legislation by Sen. Jim Beall, D-San Jose, calling for expanded oversight of crucial mental health services for foster care children was signed into law today by Gov. Brown.

Sacramento – Today, at a Whittier press conference, Senator Tony Mendoza (D-Artesia) and the parents of Hun Joon “Paul” Lee announced that Governor Jerry Brown signed into law the “Paul Lee School Bus Safety Law” (SB 1072).

SACRAMENTO – A bill jointly authored by Dr. Richard Pan and Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson, SB 1189 to ensure autopsies are conducted only by licensed physicians and forensic autopsy reports are accurate and unbiased has been signed by Governor Jerry Brown.

Sacramento, CA – Legislation authored by Senator Ben Allen (D – Santa Monica) allowing counties and general law cities to establish independent redistricting commissions was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown today.

“This is a good government policy that will bring a refreshing level of independence to what historically has been a highly politicized process,” Senator Allen said.

SACRAMENTO – A bill authored by Dr. Richard Pan and principle co-authored by Senator Bill Monning, which would allow California to partner at the federal level to help prevent violent deaths, including gun deaths, was signed by the Governor today.