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
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Encouraging young women to fulfill their life’s potential by taking full advantage of available educational opportunities is one of my passions. As a member of the Legislative Women’s Caucus, I am happy to spread the word about the Minerva Scholarship program, established by the Women in California Leadership Foundation to educate, support and empower young women and girls. The foundation is committed to providing select young women of good character and demonstrated accomplis... Full story
As many of you know, I have served on the Assembly Health Committee for most of my term in the State Legislature, and I am now the committee’s Vice Chair. The committee’s jurisdiction includes healthcare, behavioral and mental health, medical insurance, Medi-Cal and other public healthcare programs, and long-term care licensing. The lives of millions of Californians are impacted by legislation that comes before this committee. For example, several important health-related bil... Full story
As you know, the placement of Sexually Violent Predators in rural areas of California, including San Diego County, has been an ongoing problem. SVPs have been placed in Jacumba Hot Springs, Campo, Boulevard, Borrego Springs and other locations, often near homes, parks and schools. Currently, the Department of State Hospitals oversees placement and contracts with Liberty Healthcare, which then seeks court approval. Courts sometimes intervene to deny inappropriate placements,... Full story
In 2011, the legislature worked in an effort to abolish California’s Redevelopment Districts. Although some RDAs were poorly managed, their abolition deprived cities of an important tool that had often been successfully used to stimulate business, create new housing and revitalize blighted areas, especially for older cities Last Week, the Assembly Local Government Committee, on which I serve as Vice Chair, passed Assembly bill 2945 (AB 2945) introduced by Assemblyman David A... Full story
Millions of children and young adults throughout the nation are active social media users. Last week two bills dealing with social media’s impact on child and adolescent mental health passed the Assembly Health Committee. Worldwide, there are 34 social media platforms, with at least 100 million users. According to a U.S. Surgeon General’s report last year, 95% of teens aged 13 to 17 use social media, and more than one in three report they use it “almost constantly.” Most so... Full story
Last week, Assembly Bill 1965 (AB 1965), introduced by Assemblywoman Blanca Rubio (D – Baldwin Park), passed the Assembly Health Committee, where I serve as Vice Chair. Once implemented, AB 1965 will take aim at the public healthcare crisis impacting tribal communities throughout California. Health disparities impacting American Indian and Alaska Native communities include opioid overdose death rates, which are higher among the AIAN population than any other group. Diabetes p... Full story
There are 99 legislative chambers throughout the 50 states. Of these, 16 states have enacted term limits, including California. Other term limited states include Ohio, Florida, Missouri, Michigan, Arizona, Kansas and Nevada. Proposition 28, which was approved by 61% of California’s voters in 2012, established our current term limit system. California legislators may serve a total of 12 years – Senate terms are four years and Assembly terms are two. I’m now serving my sixth... Full story
California is the country’s leading agricultural state. In recognition of the importance of agriculture to our economy, ceremonies recognizing Ag Day were held at the State Capitol March 19. California has over 83,000 farms and ranches, 4% of the nation’s total. But we produce over one third of the country’s vegetables and almost three-quarters of the country’s fruits and nuts. San Diego County plays a big part. From cattle grazing on East County hillsides, to avocado and cit... Full story
Summer is fast approaching, for many a time to take out the boat and head for the ocean, the nearest lake, or over to the river. But there’s more to boating than just recreation. The industry supports thousands of jobs, and has a major impact on our state’s overall economy. California is one of the top 10 boating states in the nation. Recreational boating has a $13 billion annual economic impact on California’s economy, supports over 41,000 jobs and over 2,800 busin... Full story
March is Women’s History Month, and it serves as an important reminder of the progress we’ve made in the past 100 years. In 1920, the 19th Amendment was ratified granting women the right to vote nationally. California had granted women the right to vote in 1911, but it wasn’t until 1918 that the first four women were elected to the Legislature. Women’s Suffrage was not a partisan issue. When the 19th Amendment passed Congress, over 80% of Republicans and 50% of Democra... Full story
I am a strong advocate for expanded access to healthcare, including mental health and Substance Use Disorder (SUD) treatments. These issues frequently come before the Assembly Health Committee, where I serve as Vice Chair. This session, I introduced Assembly Bill 1944, which seeks to create a safe pathway for patients with rare and ultra-rare diseases seeking investigational treatments designed just for them, despite the usual costly and extremely time-consuming FDA approval p... Full story
The placement of Sexually Violent Predators (SVPs) in rural areas of California, including San Diego County, is an ongoing problem. Since the 75th Assembly District covers most of rural northern and eastern San Diego County, I am very pleased to join Senator Brian Jones (R – San Diego) as co-author of Senate Bill 1074. In San Diego County, SVPs have been placed in Jacumba Hot Springs, Campo, Boulevard, Borrego Springs and other locations, often in residential neighborhoods o... Full story
San Diego County’s tribal communities are all located within the 75th Assembly District – we have more sovereign tribal governments than any county in the nation. Their safety, security and prosperity are very important to me, and for our region. That’s why the second annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) summit, which took place in Sacramento Feb. 12 and 13, was so important. The event was sponsored by the Yurok Tribe and the Wilton Rancheria from North... Full story
Surveys indicate that 70% of Californians see homelessness as a big problem. That’s understandable since almost one half of all unsheltered homeless persons live in California, though we have only about 12% of the nation’s total population. Over the past three years, our homeless population increased by over 22,000 persons, to almost 174,000. In San Diego County, the homeless population increased by 10% in the last year alone. California spent $20 billion on the problem in... Full story
February is American Heart Month, and this year Feb. 2 was National Wear Red for Women Day, which encourages people to wear red to help raise awareness about cardiovascular diseases. This year the Legislative Women’s Caucus has again supported a Senate Concurrent Resolution to recognize women’s heart health in the month of February. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reports that cardiovascular diseases are the nation’s leading cause of death for men and women... Full story
In 1967, many state hospitals serving persons with mental illnesses were closed, but local programs to address their needs were inadequate. In 1991, oversight of mental healthcare was placed under county control, but by 2004 it was evident that this realignment hadn’t improved the situation. In 2004, voters approved Proposition 63, the California Mental Health Services Act (MHSA). The MHSA focuses on developing programs aimed at prevention and early intervention, housing, supp... Full story
I recently joined several legislators to tour the site of the Camp Fire, the deadliest wildfire disaster in 100 years, which struck much of Butte County in 2018. The fire resulted in 85 deaths, covered almost 240 square miles, and almost totally destroyed the towns of Paradise, Concow and other communities. Sadly, this tragic death toll was surpassed in 2023 by fires that engulfed Maui, with almost 100 dead and many still missing. Our region is no stranger to wildfires. Most... Full story
I have operated my own small business for 30 years, and eliminating burdensome regulations that get in the way of business formation and success were major reasons I first ran for public office. These efforts have continued throughout my time in the Legislature, and I am very proud that my voting record last year put me at the top of the California Chamber of Commerce’s (CalChamber) list of pro-business Assemblymembers. Last year, I was joined by only four of my colleagues (... Full story
In 2020, there were just under 46,000 suicides in the United States, making it the nation’s 12th-leading cause of death. California’s suicide rate is 10.7 per 100,000, compared to 13.4 nationally. Suicide rates across the United States have been increasing and are now double homicide rates. Obviously, more can be done to end this ongoing tragedy. September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and this session I co-authored Assembly Concurrent Resolution 37, declaring Sep... Full story
California has the highest gasoline prices in the country, and at 51.1 cents per gallon, our gasoline tax is also the highest. Keep in mind we have the country’s worst poverty rate, with many living just barely above the poverty level, and thousands have real problems just making ends meet. Making matters worse, SB 339 has been signed into law by the Governor. It pilots implementation of a “Road Usage Charge” (RUC), to eventually charge motorists a “per mile driven” tax. We a... Full story
4 was California’s worst year ever for wildfires – 33 people died and 4.2 billion acres burned. This year is on track to be even worse. Thankfully, the Legislature has responded to this crisis with a historic investment in wildfire prevention and response. With $200 million per year in ongoing funding, California’s land managers and firefighters will have the resources to turn the tide against our state’s deadly wildfires. Until recently, this funding was in doubt. The Gov... Full story
Droughts are a fact of life in California and shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone. Yet somehow we don't seem capable of preparing for them. We are now in the second year of severe drought, and much of California's agriculture, especially in the Central Valley, is facing devastation. The State Water Resources Control Board will soon vote on an "emergency curtailment" order that will prevent thousands of the state's farmers from using major rivers and streams to irrigate thei... Full story
According to a report by the FBI, 2020 was the deadliest year in California since 2007, with homicides increasing by 31%. Public safety should be our priority, but we’ve been moving in the wrong direction. In California, 28% of homicides last year were gang-related, 7% were the result of domestic violence. Minority populations suffered the most as Hispanics accounted for 45% of homicide victims, and African Americans, 31%. The homicide rate in 2019 was the lowest since 1966, m... Full story
In the late 1800s, the federal government granted San Luis Rey River water rights to the cities of Vista and Escondido, depriving local tribes of water they had used for thousands of years. In essence, allocating the water rights twice. According to Bo Mazzetti, Rincon Tribal Chairman, “The cattle were dying. The Trees were dying.” In the 1960s the tribes sued, leading to a final settlement that was eventually agreed upon 50 years later. As a member of the Escondido City Cou... Full story
California is now reopening its economy, something I’ve been advocating for months. As a small business owner, I understand the disproportionate impact the pandemic had on small businesses, which make up 95% of all businesses in this region and employ the vast majority of workers. We’re taking a huge step in the right direction, though it’s months too late. Eliminating mandatory shutdowns is only part of the solution. Businesses need help so that they can successfully reope...
