Caucus News

Senator Dave Cortese (D-San Jose) has secured $2 million to move forward the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District’s (Midpen) Highway 17 Wildlife and Trail Crossings Project and connect over 30,000 acres of open space in the Santa Cruz Mountains. 

SACRAMENTO - Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco)’s housing legislation, Senate Bills 478, 477 and 10, passed the Assembly Local Government Committee. They passed by votes of 5-2, 8-0 and 6-1 respectively, and will now head to the Assembly Appropriations Committee. Each bill is sponsored by California YIMBY, and SB 477 is additionally cosponsored by SPUR.

Sacramento - State Senator Bob Archuleta’s (D-Pico Rivera) bill to improve the safety of illegal fireworks handling and disposal has passed the Senate, and is currently making its way through the Assembly.

Senate Bill 277, improves California’s safe handling and disposal of confiscated illegal fireworks by establishing an enforcement and disposal fund to better coordinate enforcement efforts between the State Fire Marshal and local agencies.

The 2021-2022 budget set to be signed by Governor Newsom will include a groundbreaking California Homeless Hiring Tax Credit that would simultaneously confront the homelessness crisis facing California, address the job losses stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic that have disproportionately harmed low-income communities, and ease the significant financial strain that many small businesses are currently experiencing.

SACRAMENTO – As California’s drought deepens, threatening community and agricultural supplies, legislation advanced today from Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, to streamline improvements to the state’s outdated central water delivery system.

“This legislation will speed the contracting process to keep supplies flowing to our communities and farmers,” Sen. Dodd said. “Water is the lifeblood of our state and the drought underscores the need to update our aging water infrastructure. I thank Assembly committee members for seeing the value in this commonsense measure.”

Sacramento, California – Senator Anthony J. Portantino (D – La Cañada Flintridge) announced that SB 61, which would prohibit anyone under 21 years of age from purchasing center-fire, semi-automatic firearms and limit all others to one purchase per month, took effect today.

Montebello – Senator Bob Archuleta (D-Pico Rivera) announced in a budget agreement that passed the Senate Monday he secured funding to support projects ranging from $4.5 million for a clinical trial network of blood cancer experts across UC cancer centers, $1.1 million for the city of La Habra Heights Fire Department, $4.2 million for the city of Whittier’s LGBTQ+ Regional Hub, and $5.4 million in support of county Veteran Service Officers.

SACRAMENTO – As Californians recover from the pandemic shutdown, legislation advanced today from Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, that would help hundreds of thousands of families who have fallen behind on their water bills and are at risk of being disconnected from water service.

“Ensuring everyone in the state remains connected to drinking water is an absolute necessity for a full economic recovery,” Sen. Dodd said. “My bill ensures families will be able to pay for water services needed to protect their health and safety.”

SACRAMENTO – With extreme heat and wildfires already straining California’s energy capacity, legislation advanced today from Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, to help the state reduce its reliance on carbon-emitting generators during disaster-driven power outages by assisting the planning of micro-grids, with a priority on low-income communities.

Sacramento, California – Senator Anthony J. Portantino (D – La Cañada Flintridge) announced today that his budget request for $4.5 million for UC Hastings College of Law scholarships for California students who graduate from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) was approved. The appropriation is a reauthorization of Senator Portantino’s funding request from three years ago, which led to 18 talented HBCU students earning full ride scholarships to the prestigious California law school.