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 process.  I also supported SB 496, which requires health insurers including Medi-Cal to cover biomarker testing that… read more

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 or near parks and schools .Currently, the Department of State Hospitals (DSH) oversees placement and contracts with… read more

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 February 12th and 13th, was so important. The event was sponsored by the Yurok Tribe and the Wilton Rancheria from Northern California. Participants included state legislators, California Attorney General Rob Bonta, U.S. Senator Alex… read more

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 recent years, but homelessness has only gotten worse. Immediate action must be taken. That’s why I joined Senator Brian… read more

February is American Heart Month, and this year February 2nd 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 (CDC), reports that cardiovascular diseases are the nation’s leading cause of death for men and women. 44% of women are living with some type of heart disease, but only about 56% recognize heart disease as… read more

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, supported employment, as well as training mental health professionals, along with technology and infrastructure for… read more

I recently joined several legislators to tour the site of the Camp Fire, the deadliest wildfire disaster in 100 years, which stuck 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 of us remember the Cedar, Witch, Cocos, Guejito, Rice and Lilac fires which devastated much of San Diego County. In the… read more

I introduced AB 1031 in 2017 to establish the Native California Wildlife Rehabilitation Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund. The legislation allows taxpayers filing their returns to voluntarily ‘check off’ a specified amount to fund wildlife rescue organizations throughout the state. However, since the program expires this year, last week I introduced AB 1828 so that the voluntary wildlife rehab fund can continue until 2032.  Since 2018, taxpayers have contributed $2 million through the fund to help support California’s non-profit animal rehabilitation organizations, many of which receive… read more

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 4 of my colleagues (out of 80) who voted in accord with CalChamber’s position on 13 important bills that can significantly impact California’s… read more

Navigating the state’s bureaucracy, even figuring out which agency to contact, can be a big headache. Pointing constituents in the right direction and assisting with state-related issues is an important function of my District Office (DO). During 2023, we were able to help over 400 district residents resolve issues involving state agencies. People are still having problems reaching the Employment Development Department (EDD), and last year my DO staff was contacted by over 100 constituents having problems accessing EDD benefits. That’s a big drop from the peak of the pandemic when we… read more