Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma
Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma
Sorted by date Results 101 - 125 of 220
In March, the California legislature recessed due to the COVID-19 emergency. This recess was unprecedented in our history and underscored a critical problem. While California lawmakers continued to work from their districts, they cannot vote on legislation when they are unable to meet in Sacramento. When it comes to technology, our legislature is stuck in the past. The recent recess and current social unrest have shown that it can be unsafe for members, their staff and the... Full story
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s May revised budget projection for the coming fiscal year shows that the $21 billion surplus we had has become a $54 billion deficit in our state budget. The economic activity that generates tax revenues supporting state programs has collapsed because of COVID-19. We are now in a serious recession, with unemployment levels greater than those of the Great Depression. It is imperative that we safely open up our economy to reduce the hit on our economic o... Full story
We all miss going out to eat, seeing our family dentist and sporting events. Small businesses have taken a huge hit, and we must ensure they recover. The governor just released Phase 2 reopening, based on successes with social distancing and smoothing the curve. California’s economy should reopen quickly. By using social distancing and other protections, most businesses can reopen while keeping customers safe. As a member of the Joint Task Force on Business and Jobs R... Full story
Gov. Gavin Newsom recently announced creation of the first-in-the-nation “Great Plates Delivered program,” which will partner with cities, counties and tribes to deliver food to older adults. The program will provide nutritious meals to older Californians who should stay home during the COVID-19 pandemic. By partnering with local restaurants struggling to stay afloat, the program keeps restaurant workers employed, and seniors stay safe at home without risking their health at... Full story
Gov. Gavin Newsom recently created the California Task Force on Business and Jobs Recovery to get the economy growing again as quickly and safely as possible. As Assembly Minority Leader and a small-business owner, I was honored to be selected as a member of this critical team. The coronavirus response has devastated California’s economy, including thousands of small businesses that employ millions. We slammed the brakes on the world’s fifth largest economy, and the most vul...
National emergencies bring out the best in us as Americans always step up to help those in need. During this coronavirus pandemic, individuals, nonprofit organizations and businesses are answering the call for help. In our Assembly District 75, Abbott Laboratories, with a major facility in Temecula, is deeply involved in the medical response to the pandemic. Abbott has developed tests that can detect the disease in just a few minutes and recently announced the launch of a new... Full story
These times can be overwhelming. While we love our homes, being forced to stay there for extended periods causes stress, anxiety and depression. We are worried about our income, our jobs, our children’s education, our health and our future. So how do we cope with this new and very unreal lifestyle that the coronavirus has forced upon us? Remember, we are all in this together, and help is available. While we must physically isolate ourselves in order to help rein in the v... Full story
Congress just passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, a $2 trillion stimulus package aimed at helping Americans cope with an economy that is suddenly screeching to a halt. Small businesses, along with millions of employees, have been hit hard. Under the CARES Act, the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Plan is available to virtually every small business in America. There are two qualifications – businesses must employ less than 500 wor... Full story
The COVID-19 outbreak is drastically affecting the lives of millions. My offices have received calls from workers, employers, health care professionals and many more seeking information and guidance during this tumultuous time. As a result, I asked my leadership team to compile a list of resources available to workers, employers and others to help get us through this unexpected public health and financial crisis. Resources include the U.S. Small Business Administration.... Full story
As Minority Leader, I have been working with the governor to coordinate the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. A number of important steps are underway. Last week, we passed bipartisan legislation to provide $500 million in initial emergency funding expandable to $1 billion, to activate closed hospitals, increase equipment capacity for existing hospitals, provide hotel beds for the homeless, clean up child care facilities, fund In-Home Supportive Services a... Full story
California requires testing children considered at greatest risk for lead poisoning, which includes those enrolled in Medi-Cal and other programs for low-income children. We recently learned that over a nine-year period, DHCS did not ensure that millions of children were tested properly. Nearly half of 2.9 million eligible one-and 2-year-old children were not tested at all, and another 740,000 missed one of the two required tests. As a member of Assembly Health Committee, I... Full story
AD-75 (R) This week California observes Arbor Day, created in 1872 by the Nebraska State Board of Agriculture. Celebrating trees is a wonderful thing. California’s observance coincides with the birthday of botanist Luther Burbank. My Assembly Concurrent Resolution 157 recognizes March 7, 2020, as California Arbor Day, and urges Californians to observe the day with appropriate tree-planting programs and activities. Tree People, California ReLeaf, and the California Urban F... Full story
The last Tuesday in February is World Spay Day, an international effort originally started by the Doris Day Animal League in 1995. To mark the day, I joined some legislative colleagues on the Capitol lawn, with representatives from animal rescue groups and shelters throughout California, including Dr. Gary Weitzman of the San Diego Humane Society, to help increase public awareness about the importance of spaying and neutering our pets. Last year, the San Diego Humane Society p... Full story
AD-75 (R) Our personal data is valuable, needing secure protection in this digital age. In 2018, Gov. Jerry Brown signed California’s Consumer Protection Act, the toughest, most far-reaching data protection law ever passed in the United States. Though the law was passed in 2018, its provisions became effective Jan. 1. The CCPA grants Californians the right to request that businesses not disclose any personal information collected about them, the categories and sources of t... Full story
AD-75 (R) As a member of the Assembly Select Committee on Infectious Disease in High Risk Communities, I do all I can to ensure California remains at the forefront in combating serious threats to public health. Human-immunodeficiency virus, the hepatitis C virus and sexually transmitted diseases are among the most serious public health issues facing our state. That’s why I have joined Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, to co-author Senate Bill 859, requiring the d... Full story
AD-75 (R) This week I joined my colleagues to address a large crowd gathered on the Capitol steps to protest Assembly Bill 5, one of the most devastating pieces of legislation in California’s recent history. This ill-conceived attempt to deal with the problem of employee misclassification has jeopardized the livelihood and security of thousands. My office has received hundreds of phone calls, emails and letters opposing AB 5 from a broad cross section of workers, including U... Full story
Earlier this session I spoke on the Assembly Floor on House Resolution 7 that I jointly wrote with Assembly member Eloise Gómez Reyes, D-San Bernardino. HR 7 declares January Human Trafficking Awareness Month in California, part of a nationwide effort to combat this growing menace. A form of modern slavery, human trafficking has grown 842% in the United States since 2007. Worldwide, there are over 40 million victims of human trafficking, 75% of the victims are women and... Full story
It’s easier to prevent wildfires than to control them once they’ve started. That’s why I introduced Assembly Bill 19, which will provide $25 million for vegetation management along county-maintained roads. Auto-related wildfires are a major problem in California. In 2016 and 2017, almost 25% of local wildfires were vehicle-related. The Carr Fire, the state’s seventh largest, began when sparks from a flat tire ignited brush along a highway in Northern California. The fire ki... Full story
AD-75 (R) In 2018 former Gov. Jerry Brown signed two bills which will have a major impact on water use in our state. Assembly Bill 1668 and Senate Bill 606, which I opposed, created stringent water use mandates for all Californians. One regulation involves a 55 gallon per day indoor water use limit. Contrary to some news reports, it is not an individual mandate. No one will be told they can’t take a shower or do laundry on the same day. The 55-gallon mandate requires water s... Full story
AD-75, (R) When the state Legislature returned Jan. 6 to complete the 2019-2020 session, the 80 Assemblymembers and 40 Senators gathered in the state Capitol to begin work on some of the most consequential issues that have ever faced California. It’s likely that around 3,000 bills will be introduced over the next few weeks. All legislation must be submitted to the Office of Legislative Counsel by Jan. 24 so that bill language can be drafted by the final introduction d... Full story
Effective Jan. 1, hundreds of new laws went into effect. Some residents may have heard about, but others possibly not. Several of the new laws impact veterans. Among these are legislation that makes honorably discharged veterans exempt from paying state or local business license fees for selling or providing services, if the veteran is sole proprietor. Another law exempts automotive adaptive equipment sold to veterans with service-connected disabilities from sales and use... Full story
With the recent heavy rains, our water supply may not be at the top of everyone’s worry list. Even so, last week the San Diego County Water Authority gave an update on the future of water in our region. The County Water Authority was created by the Legislature in 1944. Its 24 member agencies provide about 75% of our water and serve 3.3 million people. But only 17% of our water comes from local supplies, which include the nation’s largest desalination plant at Carlsbad.11% ori... Full story
AD-75 (R) Last week I gave the keynote speech at the State of Reform Health Policy Conference in San Diego, one of the largest, most diverse gatherings of healthcare executives and policy makers in California. Health care is one of my passions, and as a member of the Assembly Health Committee, I was thrilled to be invited. Mental health is a major topic. One in six California adults experience some form of mental illness, and two-thirds of children and adolescents suffering... Full story
AD 75 We’re entering the holiday season, and many people could use a little extra cash. You might be interested to know that California is sitting on unclaimed properties valued at over $9 billion. Please visit www.claimit.ca.gov to see if any of that money belongs to you. Why does California have so much unclaimed property? Under our unclaimed property law, businesses like banks and insurance companies are required to transfer property to the controller’s office if it goes un...
California has many powerful state agencies that impact the lives of millions. One of the most powerful, but perhaps less known or understood, is the California Public Utilities Commission. The CPUC was created in 1911 after a constitutional amendment was approved by voters to reorganize the Railroad Commission, which was established decades earlier to regulate the state’s powerful railroad industry. In 1912, the Legislature passed the Public Utilities Act, expanding R... Full story
