The Legislature will open on December 7th with the swearing in of all members and start the 2021-2022 session. Though a few bills are likely to introduced, the day is largely ceremonial, and the new session will begin in earnest on January 6th. 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 and prevention of wildfires, that we have a secure, reliable water supply for people and agriculture alike, that our education system is funded with operational certainty for students and… read more

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 differently, but there are generally agreed upon methods we all can use to keep stress in check. Among these are limiting the… read more

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 4 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 down, completely or partially, and thousands of workers have lost their jobs. This session the Legislature adopted measures… read more

Throughout my term in the legislature I have advocated for those most vulnerable. I authored a bill to safeguard children who witness domestic violence incidents, and to allow counties to provide court approved mental health treatments for persons who have completed their sentences if they are a danger to themselves or others.   I have introduced legislation to increase penalties for those convicted of child pornography-related offenses when those crimes take place on government owned computers Other co-authored legislation requires background checks for adults in youth sports, increased… read more

One of the most important lessons from the pandemic is the need to prioritize reliable prescription drug manufacturing. California, especially this region, has long been a center for medical research, and one of our top priorities should be to encourage more drug research, innovations, and manufacturing, especially for generic drugs. That’s why I support Senate Bill 852. While the main benefit of SB 852 will be to make medication available for thousands of Californians at a more reasonable cost, as we emerge from the pandemic-induced recession we can also create thousands of new jobs to help… read more

Since joining the Legislature I have authored and supported many bills protecting pets and native wildlife, most of which are now law. This session, I co-authored AB 128, which prevents the sale of wild horses for slaughter when purchased at auction. I also supported SB 469, which allows the California Horse Racing Board to quickly suspend events when necessary to protect the health and safety of horses or riders, along with AB 1565 to speed adoptions of kittens in animal shelters. SB 397 facilitates the evacuation of pet owners and their animals during emergencies. Unfortunately, SB 64 to… read more

I recently joined my legislative colleagues to recognize over 100 nonprofits that work tirelessly to enhance our communities and the lives of our citizens. Due to the pandemic, we were unable to have the usual ceremony at the Capitol, but the lack of a formal celebration cannot diminish the important contributions made by California’s nonprofits. This year I am very pleased to recognize the Assistance League of Inland North County as my Nonprofit of the Year. Serving communities from Fallbrook to Rancho Bernardo, and from Warner Springs to San Marcos, Assistance League’s 150 members… read more

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 9 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 September 25th. Senate Bill 855 (Wiener) expands Californians’ ability to obtain treatment for substance abuse and mental health disorders by requiring insurers to pay for medically necessary… read more

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 bi-partisan plan with then Governor Jerry Brown to increase vegetation clearance funding, and to empower CalFire and the California… read more

With the final adjournment of the Legislature on August 31, hundreds of bills were forwarded to the Governor, who now has until September 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 AB 1710 (Wood) to allow pharmacists to administer FDA-approved COVID-19 Vaccines. We also passed AB 1577 (Burke) conforming state law to federal law to exclude CARES Act and Paycheck Protection Program loans from state… read more