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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On Jan. 11, 80 Assemblymembers and 40 Senators will return to Sacramento for the new 2021-2022 legislative session, which convened Dec. 7. Hundreds of bills will be introduced over the coming weeks. Most won’t be controversial, and many will probably never become law. Most bills must be submitted to the Office of Legislative Counsel by Jan. 22, and Feb. 19 is the final bill introduction deadline for this year. Bills will be referred to their respective committees for hearings...
The holiday season is traditionally a time of giving. It’s also appropriate at this time of the year to support organizations in our area that reach out to help those in need. Locally, many organizations are available to provide assistance, but these groups depend on all of us for their support, especially during the current pandemic. These organizations include Western Eagle Foundation of Temecula, which assists people throughout Southern California with food, clothing and pe... Full story
I introduced AB 1031 in 2017 to establish the Native California Wildlife Rehabilitation Fund. The bill allows taxpayers filing their returns to voluntarily ‘check off’ a specified amount to fund wildlife rescue programs. AB 1031 had bipartisan support and was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown. California’s nonprofit animal rehabilitation organizations rescue sick, injured and orphaned wildlife and provide them with medical treatment, care, protection and nouri...
The Employment Development Department has clearly not been up to the task of providing unemployment benefits to the millions of Californians thrown out of work when the COVID-19 pandemic struck That’s why I joined several of my Republican colleagues on Dec. 7, the first day of the new session, to introduce a package of bills aimed at making EDD more efficient and more secure. My bill, AB 24, will ensure that claimants quickly receive decisions about their applications by r...
On Dec. 7, the organizational session for the State Assembly’s 2021-2022 convened in Sacramento. But this year, things looked a lot different than normal. Though a few bills were introduced, the Speaker and other Assembly officers were sworn in, and resolutions related to operating the House were adopted, the event was not held at the State Capitol building as usual. Because of COVID-19 restrictions, the new session began at Golden 1 Center, the first time since 1907 that t...
Nov. 28 was ‘Small Business Saturday,’ a day to patronize local small businesses. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy. Without them, our state and national economies will never recover. My husband and I have owned our own small business for over 25 years, I know how hard it is to keep a business going in California. Costly, overbearing regulations, high taxes and fees, high rents, energy bills, all make doing business in this state a challenge. Now the pan...
The state could owe you money. The holiday season is fast approaching and many are suffering from severe economic distress resulting from the COVID-19 shutdowns, so take a few minutes to see if you have some money coming to you. The state of California is sitting on almost $10 billion in unclaimed properties. Some of that money could be yours. Under California’s Unclaimed Property Law, banks, insurance companies and other businesses are required to transfer property to the c...
The Legislature will open Dec. 7 with the swearing in of all members and start the 2021-2022 session. Though a few bills are likely to be introduced, the day is largely ceremonial, and the new session will begin in earnest Jan. 6. Next year my priorities will continue to be on the needs of this region. We must ensure that we have sufficient resources and response to disasters like COVID-19 and prevention of wildfires, that we have a secure, reliable water supply for people...
This has been a tough year for all of us. The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in business shutdowns, growing unemployment and extreme economic distress, along with related public health/mental health impacts for thousands. And now, the drawn-out election aftermath and the fast approaching holiday season will be adding to what’s already been one of the most stressful years in decades. Stress and anxiety levels are going through the roof. We all cope with stress d...
California’s small businesses employ over 7 million people and make up 95% of all businesses in this region. Most employ less than 100 workers, and businesses with four employees or less comprise 65% of the total, like our neighborhood grocery or restaurant. The problems I encountered running my small retail business are what first led me to run for public office. Before the pandemic, business in California was booming. Now small businesses are suffering. Many have shut d...
This session, I am honored to be recognized as a "Mental Health Super Hero" by the Steinberg Institute because of my work on mental health policy, advancing mental health parity to physical health and working to expand access to care. In addition, I supported nine bi-partisan bills, which were all forwarded to the Governor for his signature. I co-authored three of these bills, signed by the Governor on Sept. 25. Senate Bill 855 (Wiener) expands Californians' ability to obtain...
This year, devastation from California’s wildfires is at record levels of destruction – about 3.4 million acres already burned! We have some of the toughest environmental standards in the nation, but our success in reducing greenhouse gas emissions is wiped out by tons of carbon dioxide spewed into the atmosphere by these fires. The Legislature recently passed legislation to help prevent wildfires and deal with their aftermath. Two years ago, I supported a bipartisan plan wit... Full story
With the final adjournment of the Legislature Monday, Aug. 31, hundreds of bills were forwarded to the governor, who now has until Wednesday, Sept. 30, to decide their fate. There’s often lots of controversy in Sacramento, but contrary to what may be a common impression, many bills pass with overwhelming support from both parties. This session was no different. For example, we passed Assembly Bill 1710, written by Assemblymember Jim Wood, D-Santa Rosa, to allow pharmacists t... Full story
The 2019-2020 legislative session ended Monday, Aug. 31. During the two-year period, 5,423 bills of all types were introduced. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, we had two unexpected shutdowns, and in the last weeks, some members were absent and Senators were forced to vote remotely. At one point, there was an unsuccessful attempt to limit Senate debate to save time. In a normal year, the fate of much important legislation is often decided during the final few days, but... Full story
California has already reached historic levels in acres burned – 700 fires with over 1.3 million acres burned. As always, California’s first responders are on the job, protecting our lives, our property, our families and everything we hold dear. We owe them our cooperation, our respect and our support. Last winter’s heavy rainfall generated a huge amount of fuel in our arid region. Now that summer is winding down, that fuel is dry and just waiting for a spark. With Santa... Full story
August marks a huge milestone. In 1920, women were granted the right to vote nationwide when Tennessee became the 36th state to ratify the 19th Amendment. According to the amendment, “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.” Just to be clear, millions of women had already been voting. Fifteen states had granted women full suffrage, and limited voting rights had been granted in... Full story
Schools are essential, and the need to educate our children is not negotiable. The 2020-2021 budget package maintained school funding based on 2019-2020 attendance levels, which essentially placed a funding cap on all schools, even those experiencing high levels of growth. Before enactment of this year’s education trailer bill, Senate Bill 98, school districts were “held harmless” over declining year-to-year enrollment. If the district lost students, it would still be funde... Full story
A major side effect of the Coronavirus pandemic is the immense impact on California’s mental health and substance use. Over 22,000 overdoses and suicides are projected to result from forced isolation and rising unemployment. Parity means substance abuse and mental illness need to be treated equally as physical health; 90% of those with substance use disorders, and almost 60% of mentally ill adults go untreated. California’s 21-year old Mental Health Parity Act increased acc... Full story
The coronavirus pandemic has thrown millions out of work and created massive problems at California’s Employment Development Department, the agency empowered to provide unemployment insurance to laid-off workers. Between March and May, EDD experienced a 3,400% increase in claims compared to January/February. From March 8 to July 18, EDD processed 8.7 million claims, including 6.8 million standard unemployment insurance claims and 1.4 million pandemic unemployment assistance c... Full story
The California Department of Motor Vehicles has extended the time for driver’s license renewals that had expired during the period of March 2020. All driver’s licenses for those under the age of 69 were extended until July 31 with expanded online renewal available. Commercial license renewals were extended until Sept. 30, 2020. Learners permits from March 2020 were also extended six months. It is good news for many. My office has been contacted by many people over age 70 with... Full story
In California, opioid and heroin use is a major threat to public health and is the leading cause of death for those under 50. It’s a major cause of crime and contributes directly to high recidivism rates in our prison system. That’s why I’ve introduced Assembly Bill 1304, co-written by state Sen. Tom Umberg, D-Santa Ana, which will provide medication-assisted treatment for eligible parolees who volunteer to participate. Medication-assisted treatment is an innovative treat... Full story
Independence Day is traditionally a time to go to the beach, have backyard barbecues and close out the day watching fireworks. But this year, the celebrations won’t be as widespread, the beaches will be much less crowded. The limited July Fourth activities may be appropriate since it provides an opportunity to pause and reflect on what the day is really about. Two hundred forty-four years ago, a group of agricultural colonies with a population of less than 3 million, scattered... Full story
When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, state revenues began to plummet, while spending on unemployment insurance and social programs increased exponentially. The result – our $21 billion surplus suddenly transformed into a $54.3 billion deficit. The budget that passed June 15 was the beginning of discussions between the governor and the Legislature over a series of trailer bills that implement the budget. Questions remained about how to maintain California’s fiscal solvency wit... Full story
One of my passions in public service is encouraging young women to fulfill their life’s potential by taking full advantage of available educational opportunities. As Minority Leader and 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 goo... Full story
In March, our economy slammed on the brakes and thousands were thrown out of work. Millions filed for unemployment insurance. The Employment Development Department, known as EDD, has processed $26 billion in benefits over 12 weeks, versus $22 billion during the entire recession of 2008. It amounts to 14% of all claims filed nationally. Even so, many unemployed workers have run into problems that have delayed payments for weeks or even months. The deluge of claims overwhelmed... Full story
