As you know, we had an election on November 5th, and due to term limits, I will be leaving office. Carl DeMaio will be your new Assemblyman, and when he officially takes the oath on December 2nd, my 12 years in the Assembly will come to an end. Going forward, a lot remains to be done. Since most of our state’s legislators come from the big metropolitan areas – Los Angeles and the Bay Area – making sure they pay attention to the rest of California is a must.

Proposition 28, approved by 61% of California’s voters in 2012, established our current term limit system. California legislators may serve a total of twelve years -- Senate terms are 4 years and Assembly terms are two. I’m now finishing my 6th Assembly term – my 12th and final year. Prior to 2012, legislators could serve a total of 14 years, but only three terms in either house.

It’s been my honor to serve the people of the 75th Assembly District for the past 12 years. With extensive agricultural areas, deserts and mountains, including all 18 of San Diego County’s sovereign Indian tribal nations, we are one of the most diverse regions in California.

The legislative special session called to rein in high gas prices has adjourned. A bill that supporters claim will help prevent gasoline price spikes by increasing reserves, AB X2-1, passed on a party-line vote. Unfortunately the bill, along with other measures that could be implemented soon, may have the opposite effect.

Red Ribbon Week -- October 23rd to 31st, delivers a strong anti-drug message to school children nationwide. I strongly support this annual program, and once again this year my office is distributing thousands of Red Ribbon certificates to students throughout the 75th Assembly District.

The 2023-2024 regular session of the Legislature adjourned August 31st. For better or worse, over the past two years we’ve debated 4,821 bills. This year, over 1,200 bills passed both houses and were sent to the Governor.  He vetoed 15.7%.  And last year, 1,100 bills reached the Governor, and his veto rate was 14.9%.

We’ll soon have another tool to help reduce the ongoing threat of wildfires. My bill, AB 1819, passed both houses of the Legislature without opposition, and was signed into law by the Governor September 22nd.

The State Legislature adjourned for the year August 31st, but a special session to deal with gas prices has been called. Several proposals are on the table.

San Diego County has made great strides to safeguard itself against California’s recurring drought cycle. For example, in 1991, 95% of our water was imported by the Metropolitan Water District (MWD). By 2023, only 14% of our water was imported by the MWD. Diversification efforts included building the Claude “Bud” Lewis Desalination plant in Carlsbad, increased conservation, an agreement to import water from the Imperial Irrigation District, and other measures.

The regular legislative session ended on August 31st – and a first extraordinary session was opened. The regular new legislative session will begin December 2nd, after the November election. This session a number of important bills impacting public health/safety came before the Assembly Health Committee, where I serve as Vice Chair.