As Vice Chair of the Assembly Health Committee, I do all I can to ensure that California remains at the forefront in combating serious threats to public health. Raising awareness about diseases, preventing their spread and providing information about treatments can be critical. That’s why I strongly support World AIDS Day 35, which took place on December 1st.
California has almost one-third of the nation’s homeless population despite having only 12% of the U.S. population. In recent years, we have thrown $20 billion at the problem, yet homelessness is growing. In fact, it’s gotten so much worse that we have become a national embarrassment.
Constituent input is very important to me as I serve as your representative in Sacramento. Your opinions and suggestions help guide my decision making process on legislation and policy priorities that come before me on the Assembly floor.
California department stores have been raided by people walking out with thousands of dollars in stolen goods. Los Angeles County, the Central Valley and the Bay Area have been the most impacted, though it’s affecting the entire state.
The Legislature adjourned September 14th, and the Governor had until October 14th to sign or veto all legislation. Of the 2,668 bills introduced, 1,046 made it to his desk. He signed 890 and vetoed 156. Many of the bills he signed will have significant impacts, though they received little public attention.
The bipartisan California Legislative Women’s Caucus (LWC) was formed in 1985 by nine Democrats and six Republicans. Today, 50 of the Legislature’s 120 members are women -- the Caucus now includes 18 Senators (15 Democrats and three Republicans) and 32 Assemblymembers (27 Democrats and five Republicans).
Red Ribbon Week -- October 23rd to 31st -- delivers a strong anti-drug message to school children nationwide. I strongly support this annual program, and again this year my office is distributing thousands of Red Ribbon certificates to schools throughout the 75th Assembly District.
As almost any resident of San Diego County knows, toxic wastes have been pouring into the ocean along the border south of San Diego for generations. Over the decades, there have been reports, studies and protests, but little action.
If you own a home, you must have homeowner’s insurance. You can’t even get a mortgage without it. Yet many insurers have abandoned California, or simply canceled policies as they came up for renewal. This situation has recently worsened, and many homeowners have been forced into the costly and inadequate FAIR Plan. Without a solution, our economy will crash, taking the national economy with it.
As many of you know, I work hard in Sacramento to fight taxes, fees and overbearing regulations. Californians continue to suffer under our excessively high cost-of-living, partly a result of the highest income, gasoline and sales taxes in the United States. Fortunately, we have Proposition 13 to keep property taxes in check, but those protections are now in serious jeopardy.