Caucus News

Sacramento –The State Senate today approved SB 432 by Senator Tony Mendoza (D-Artesia), Chair of the Senate Labor and Industrial Relations Committee on a unanimous bipartisan vote of 34 to 0. The bill modernizes outdated law by deleting the term “alien” from the California Labor Code, as a definition for an immigrant individual.

Sacramento – Senator Cathleen Galgiani announced that she will host Transfer Workshops for Heald College students next Thursday in both Stockton and Modesto.  The workshops will provide information on transferring units, satisfying course requirements and financial aid questions.

There will be representatives on hand from the local Community Colleges (Delta College in Stockton and Modesto Junior College in Modesto), as well as from Humphries College and the Student Aid Commission as well as the Human Services Agency.

SACRAMENTO–Senator Lois Wolk (D-Davis) issued the following statement today regarding the Governor’s announcement of changes to the Bay Delta Conservation Plan:

SACRAMENTO – In a letter to Governor Jerry Brown, the California State Senate’s Majority Caucus urge collaboration and list precise steps to help the state confront the historic drought crisis.
Signed by all 25 Democratic Senators, including Senate President pro Tempore Kevin de León, the letter asks for immediate drought relief funding and recommends tools for equipping communities in their water conservation efforts. The Senators also articulate several areas where state agencies can marshal resources to preserve water supplies more effectively.

SACRAMENTO – Legislation that would allow the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) to increase its use of renewable energy passed the Senate today. SB 502, authored by Senator Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, allows the regional passenger rail system to purchase wholesale electricity directly from renewable energy sources, enabling BART to reduce the carbon footprint of hundreds of thousands of Bay Area commuters.

Senator Richard D. Roth’s (D-Riverside) proposal to fix the state’s dire physician shortage by funding additional medical residency slots passed the Senate Health Committee today on a bipartisan, unanimous vote.

SACRAMENTO – The Senate Environmental Quality Committee today overwhelmingly approved Senate Bill 350, which will establish new standards for renewable energy generation, building energy efficiency, and reduction in petroleum use by 2030. The bill passed on a 5-2 vote. More information.

SACRAMENTO – A Senate policy committee Wednesday approved a bill by Senate President pro Tempore Kevin de León to increase state oversight of hazardous waste facilities like the Exide battery recycling plant in Vernon that operated unpermitted for decades.

Sacramento, CA – Senator Mike McGuire’s bill to forever protect California’s coast from new offshore oil development in state waters passed with a sweeping vote of support from the Senate Natural Resources Committee Tuesday afternoon.
SB 788 – The Coastal Protection Act – will close the loophole in the Coastal Sanctuary Act that currently would allow the State Lands Commission to grant new leases for offshore oil and gas development. New offshore oil leases are a real possibility in California and developers are already testing the political waters.

SACRAMENTO—Yesterday, Senate Bill 223, authored by Senator Cathleen Galgiani, passed out of the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee on a 7-1 vote.  SB 223 would create an oversight committee composed of community members and subject area experts who would monitor and evaluate the activities of the Division of Boating and Waterways and improve public transparency and accountability of aquatic invasive weed control in the Delta.