Caucus News

Sacramento, CA – A strong democracy depends on a voter’s belief that their vote counts.

However, in California, according to the Secretary of State’s Office, over 25,000 residents had their ballots thrown away and not counted in the November 2016 General Election cycle.

These 25,000 mail ballots were thrown out because of a mismatching signature — the voter’s signature on their ballot did not match what was in their file.

Sacramento –  Today, Senator Scott Wiener’s (D-San Francisco) Senate Bill 1004, a bipartisan bill to expand effective prevention and early intervention programs for children, teenagers, young adults, and underserved individuals experiencing early signs of severe mental illness passed the California Assembly by a vote of 61-0. SB 1004 now heads to the Senate for its final vote.

Sacramento – Today, the Assembly passed a bill by Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) to transform the California energy storage market and extend solar usage into the evening and night hours. SB 700 will provide customer rebates for installing energy storage systems, just as California once did for solar panels, by extending the critical Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) for five years past its current expiration date.

Sacramento – Today the Assembly approved Senator Scott Wiener’s (D-San Francisco) Senate Bill 905 to allow – but not require – cities to extend sales of alcohol at bars, nightclubs, and restaurants (but not liquor stores) to as late as 4 a.m.  The bill passed the Assembly with a vote of 46-14, and must now go back to the Senate for a concurrence vote. If passed will head to the Governor for his signature.

(SACRAMENTO) – Today, the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources approved SB 120, authored by Senator Richard D. Roth, in a 7 to 0 vote. SB 120, which enjoys a broad coalition of supporters including U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein, Governor Jerry Brown and Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom, enhances protections to California’s deserts by creating a definitive process for the state to assess proposals to export desert groundwater to other regions of the state.

Bills by state Senator Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties, to tighten accountability for fire safety inspections, to better protect minors from forced underage marriage, and to prevent ratepayers from shouldering costs resulting from utilities’ negligence advanced today in the Legislature.

SACRAMENTO – The state Assembly today approved a bill by Senator Bob Wieckowski (D-Fremont) to rein in election abuses in California’s more than 55,000 homeowner associations (HOA).  Senate Bill 1265 now heads back to the Senate for a concurrence vote before being sent to Governor Brown. 

Sacramento, CA - Today, the California Legislature passed Senator Nancy Skinner’s (D-Berkeley) Senate Bill 1227, aimed at making it easier to build much needed student housing. Dubbed “Housing Our Students,” SB 1227 would change state housing law to enable a builder of student housing to benefit from California’s density bonus law and comply with local inclusionary housing policies. Skinner’s bill now goes to Governor Brown for his signature.

(SACRAMENTO) – Today, California took a crucial step in the ongoing fight against human trafficking. SB 1104 – which will require schools to share human trafficking prevention resources with parents and guardians – received unanimous support from the California State Senate and heads to Governor Jerry Brown’s desk. The legislation is co-authored by Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins (D-San Diego), Senate Republican Leader Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel), Senator Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) and Senator Bill Dodd (D-Napa).

Sacramento, California – The California State Legislature has voted to pass SB 1126 authored by Senator Anthony J. Portantino (D–La Cañada Flintridge). The bill will include the Arroyo Seco Tributary into the Upper Los Angeles River and Tributaries Working Group. SB 1126 contains an urgency clause which would make it effective on the day it garners a signature from Governor Brown.  Non-urgency bills do not become law until January 1st.