Legislation

2024 Legislation

SB 85 — Supports refugees and those granted asylum by extending the base number of days they are entitled to case management from 90 to 180

SB 294 — Removes barriers to youth accessing mental health treatments by requiring that any private insurance treatment denials be automatically referred to the state’s existing Independent Medical Review process

SB 312 — eliminates barriers to building student housing by resolving implementation challenges with SB 886

SB 905 —  closes the "locked door loophole" in the Penal Code that allows some auto burglars to escape consequences

SB 912 (the ROAD Testing Act) — eliminates the nation's leading known cause of wrongful conviction by preventing the use of an inaccurate class of field drug tests in prosecuting suspects for suspected possession of controlled substances

SB 925 — provides sustainable long-term funding for public transportation in the Bay Area

SB 937 — removes barriers to building housing by allowing developers to defer payment of their impact fees until the project is completed

SB 951 — streamlines the production of housing by aligning timelines for Coastal Commission review with housing element law, and removing urbanized parts of San Francisco from the Coastal Zone

SB 957 — empowers efforts to eliminate health disparities by closing loopholes in requirements to collect LGBTQ health data

SB 960 — strengthens Caltrans's process to make state-owned streets safe for all road users, including pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users

SB 961 — improves street safety by requiring speed governors in new vehicles sold in California

SB 966 — reduces the cost of prescription drugs by cracking down on anticompetitive practices by pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and requiring transparency

SB 969 — allows cities to activate streets by creating designate "entertainment zones" where local bars and restaurants can sell drinks outside

SB 988 — protects freelance workers from exploitative practices from employers

SB 1012 — allows adults over 21 to use certain psychedelics in a controlled environment, and only under the supervision of a licensed therapeutic facilitator

SB 1047 — supports the responsible development of large-scale AI systems, including by establishing CalCompute, a public AI resource, and by requiring developers perform safety testing before releasing new large-scale models.

SB 1227 — stimulates the revitalization of downtown San Francisco by providing temporary relief from CEQA for most renovation and construction projects, and expanding an existing tax exemption for low income housing to housing affordable to more middle class families

 

2023 Legislation

SB 4 (Affordable Housing on Faith Lands Act) — Allows faith institutions (such as churches, synagogues, and mosques) along with nonprofit colleges to build affordable housing on their property by-right, even if local zoning prevents this housing

SB 58 — Decriminalizes the possession and use of certain psychedelic drugs

SB 70 (Medication Access Act) — Improves access to medication by limiting the circumstances in which health plans can change a patient’s medication for financial, rather than medical reasons

SB 76 (Entertainment Zones Act) — Allows municipalities to create temporary Entertainment Zones that allow neighborhood businesses — which are currently barred from selling alcoholic beverages to-go during festivals — to participate on equal footing with outside vendors

SB 85 — Supports refugees and those granted asylum by extending the base number of days they are entitled to case management from 90 to 180

SB 90 (Insulin Affordability Act) — Caps the out-of-pocket cost of insulin at $35 for a 30-day supply for CalCare recipients and bans health plans from imposing a deductible on insulin prescription drugs

SB 97 (Righting Wrongful Convictions Act) —  Smooths the process by which the wrongfully convicted can prove their innocence and overturn wrongful convictions

SB 238 (Youth Mental Health Access Act) — Removes barriers to youth accessing mental health treatments by requiring that any private insurance treatment denials be automatically referred to the state’s existing Independent Medical Review process

SB 253 (Corporate Climate Data Accountability Act) — Requires all large corporations that do business in California to publicly disclose their greenhouse gas emissions

SB 312 — Creates a pilot program and authorizes payments to Caltrans contractors that use warm mix asphalt, which lowers the carbon and pollution emitted by asphalt infrastructure projects

SB 339 - Increases access to the HIV prevention drug PrEP by resolving issues in the implementation of SB 159 (2019), which allowed pharmacists to furnish a limited supply of PrEP without a prescription.

SB 365 — Allows a worker’s, consumer’s, or government’s lawsuit to move forward even if a corporate defendant files an appeal to a trial court’s ruling that a forced arbitration clause is invalid or non-existent

SB 407 - requires the Department of Social Services to take additional steps to ensure foster families are affirming to LGBTQ youth.

SB 423 — Extends and strengthens SB 35 (Wiener, 2017), which streamlines and accelerates housing permits in areas that underperform their housing targets. SB 423 removes the sunset on SB 35, which is set to expire at the end of 2025.

SB 513 (Reducing Recidivism Through Therapy Act) — Rehabilitates California’s incarcerated population and reduce California’s high recidivism rate by providing access to therapy to all incarcerated Californians

SB 532 - improves voter transparency in the ballot measure process by allowing more complete financial disclosures in the voter information guide.

SB 593 (San Francisco Replacement Housing Act) — Removes barriers to replacing more than 5,800 units of low- and moderate-income housing that were demolished in the 1950s-70s period of redevelopment, also known as “urban renewal”

SB 770 - requires the California Secretary of Health to engage in waiver discussions with the federal government on a concrete timeline toward the establishment of a unified healthcare financing system

2022 Legislation

SB 107 - Provides refuge for trans kids and their families in California so they can avoid criminal prosecution for seeking or allowing gender-affirming care in states like Texas. 

SB 225 - Improves timely access to mental health care.

SB 271 (Fair Federal Juries) - Expands jury pools in federal courts in California by allowing them to summon jurors using state tax filing lists, making juries fairer and more diverse

SB 379 (Solar Access Act) - Requires California cities to provide online, instant solar permitting to streamline remote installation and inspection

SB 467 (End Wrongful Convictions Act) - Ensures expert testimony used as admissible evidence in court has sound logic and methodology, and provides the opportunity to challenge wrongful convictions

SB 834 (No Tax Exemption for Insurrection) - Ends tax-exempt status for nonprofits that engage in or support insurrection or overthrowing elections

SB 836 - Extends the safeguards from SB 785 (Wiener, 2018), which protected a person’s immigration status in a public court record

SB 853 (Medication Access Act) - Requires health plans to cover medications through the duration of any appeals of a denial of insurance coverage

SB 858 (Health Plan Accountability Act) - Updates and increases penalties for health plans that violate state law in denying or delaying insurance coverage

SB 866 (Teens Choose Vaccines Act) - Allows teens 12 and over to get vaccinated without parental consent

SB 879 (PET Act) - Ends the suffering of cats and dogs by prohibiting these household pets from being used in toxicity tests for products such as pesticides and food and color additives

SB 886 (Student and Faculty Housing Act) - Streamlines and accelerates student and faculty housing production across the state and increases the supply of housing so more students and faculty can live on campus

SB 922 (Jumpstarting Sustainable Transportation Act) - Cuts red tape and speeds up sustainable bike, bus, light rail, pedestrian and other transportation projects

SB 923 (TGI Inclusive Care Act) - Requires health providers and staff who interact with transgender, gender non-conforming, and intersex (TGI) people to undergo cultural competency training to help them provide inclusive care

SB 964 (Behavioral Heath Workforce Revitalization Act) - Increases California’s investment in its behavioral workforce in order to retain workers, increase the size of the behavioral health workforce, and support behavioral health workers who are facing a significant increase in demand for services

SB 980 (Modernizing Liquor Licensing Act) - Makes it easier for small businesses to fill vacant storefronts by simplifying several elements of the liquor license application process

SB 1106 (Fresh Start Act) - Helps people clear their record and reenter society — such as getting a job and housing — even if they can’t pay restitution fines

SB 1144 (Safe and Efficient Water Act) - Requires public schools and state agencies to complete a water quality and efficiency assessment on their facilities

SB 1186 - Restores voter-created access to medical cannabis across the state by requiring cities and counties to provide consumers access to purchase medicinal cannabis products.

SB 1228 (Genetic Privacy for Sexual Assault Victims Act) - Protects sexual assault survivors and other victims by prohibiting the retention of DNA profiles collected from victims by local law enforcement agencies — including rape kits for sexual assault survivors

SB 1336 - Provides targeted tax relief to California’s struggling, legal cannabis businesses

2021 Legislation

SB 10 - Provides a powerful tool for local governments to upzone neighborhoods to 10 unit apartment buildings in an expedited process, as long as the upzoned areas are not sprawl.

SB 57 - Legalizes Overdose Prevention Programs (safe consumption sites) in San Francisco, Oakland and Los Angeles County.

SB 73 - Repeals certain mandatory minimum jail/prison sentences for drug offenses and provides judges with more discretion to order probation and other alternatives to incarceration.

SB 107 - Enables easier access to CalFresh (food stamps) by allowing people to apply by phone instead of in person, and by creating a simplified application process for seniors and people with disabilities.

SB 110 (Recovery Incentives Act) - Legalizes the substance use disorder treatment known as contingency management, and authorizes Medi-Cal to cover it. Contingency management has proven to be the most effective method of treatment for methamphetamine addiction, and is frequently used as a treatment program by the Veterans Affairs Administration.

SB 210 (License Plate Privacy Act) - Prevents sensitive Automatic License Plate Reader (ALPR) data from being misused by law enforcement.

SB 221 - Ensures patients receive timely follow-up mental health and substance use disorder treatment.

SB 225 (Bodily Autonomy, Dignity and Choice Act) - Provides children (some of whom may identify as intersex) and their families a chance to make informed decisions about major surgeries to change variations in the appearance of genitalia and other sex characteristics.

SB 234 (SUPPORT Act - Supporting Underserved Young People for Positive Resets and Transitions) - Creates a $100 million forgivable loan program to fund new housing, or acquire existing housing, for transition age youth between ages 16 and 26.

SB 252 (PET Act - Prevent Extraneous Testing) - Ends the suffering of cats and dogs by prohibiting these household pets from being used in toxicity tests for products such as pesticides, food and color additives, and drugs.

SB 260 (Climate Corporate Accountability Act) - Mandates all companies with over $1 billion in gross annual revenue disclose and set up targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

SB 271 (Sheriff Democracy and Diversity Act) - Restores California’s long-standing eligibility requirements for Sheriff candidates, allowing all registered voters to run for Sheriff in their community.

SB 314 (Bar and Restaurant Recovery Act) - Helps California’s restaurants, bars, and music venues recover economically from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic by creating more flexibility in how they can serve alcohol, including where they can serve and how they can share spaces with other businesses (for example, making permanent the popular and successful outdoor dining and parklet regulations currently in place because of the pandemic).

SB 339 (Gas Tax Alternative Pilot) - Extends California’s Road Charge Pilot Program, providing a potential future source of transportation and road funding.

SB 357 (Safer Streets for All Act) - Repeals discriminatory loitering law that targets sex workers and trans women of color

SB 379 (Equitable and Inclusive UC Healthcare Act) - Ensures that University of California Health System (UC Health) contracts with healthcare facilities that allow UC staff practicing in those facilities to provide a full range of healthcare services, including reproductive and gender-affirming care.

SB 467 - Halts the issuance or renewal of permits for hydraulic fracturing (fracking), acid well stimulation treatments, cyclic steaming, and water and steam flooding starting January 1, 2022, and then prohibits these extraction methods entirely starting January 1, 2027.

SB 477 (Housing Data Act) - Strengthens California’s housing data collection to ensure the state and the public understand the impact and effectiveness of state housing laws.

SB 478 (Housing Opportunity Act) - Ensures that areas already zoned to allow multifamily housing up to ten units are able to legally accommodate this type of housing, doing away with abusive requirements that make it effectively impossible to build anything other than a large single-family home despite the multi-family zoning.

SB 519 - Decriminalizes possession and personal use of psychedelics.

SB 617 (Solar Access Act) - Requires California cities to provide online, instant solar permitting to streamline remote installation and inspection.

SB 793 (Entertainment Venue Recovery Act) - Creates a new music entertainment venue license to streamline permitting, and allows localities to zone for “entertainment zone” open container areas to create lively spaces for increased business.

2020 Legislation: 

SB 281 - Building Permits

Due to COVID-19, extends the period for the expiration, effectuation, or utilization of a housing permit and other entitlements that had not expired as of March 4, 2020, by 24 months

SB 288- Streamlining Sustainable Transit Projects 

Will reform CEQA requirements for sustainable transportation and safe streets projects to speed up the approval processes for climate-friendly projects

SB 378 - Ending Mandatory Jail Time for Nonviolent Drug Offenses

Ends mandatory minimum jail and prison sentences for nonviolent drug offenders, giving judges discretion to sentence offender to probation instead

SB 592 - The Fair Juries Act

Expands jury pool to all tax filers to make it fairer and more representative of California's actual demographics

SB 855 - Mental Health Coverage

Requires that insurers cover medically necessary treatment for mental health and substance use disorders (MH/SUD)

SB 859 - End the Epidemic

Requires HHS, in coordination with the Chief of the Office of AIDS (OA), to establish and implement a Master Plan on HIV, HPV, and STIs

SB 882 - CalFresh

Makes it easier for seniors to access CalFresh

SB 888 - Substance Use Disorder Services

Allows for expansion of contingency management as a tool of mental health and substance use care

SB 899 - Affordable Housing on Faith Institution & Nonprofit Property

Permits affordable housing for lower-income families on land owned by religious organizations and non-profit hospitals regardless of local zoning restrictions

SB 902 - Local Control for Increased Housing Density

Allows local governments a streamlined path to zone infill neighborhoods for gentle, missing middle density — up to ten units per parcel — if they choose

SB 932- SOGI Data

Requires state to collect COVID-19 data on sexual orientation and gender identity

SB 939 - No COVID Commercial Evictions

Bans evictions of impacted commercial tenants, including many small businesses and non-profit organizations, for the duration of the COVID-19 State of Emergency; grants particularly hard-hit businesses, such as restaurants, the opportunity to renegotiate or otherwise modify leases 

SB 1138 - Shelters 

Will require cities to amend their housing plans to ensure they are building shelters in areas connected to services and in areas where there is room to build shelters

2 year bills:

SB 58- The LOCAL (Let Our Communities Adjust Late-night) Act

Creates pure local control on whether to extend nightlife alcohol sale hours and is limited to San Francisco

SB 69- The Ocean Resiliency Act of 2019

Will help improve ocean water quality, reduce ocean acidification, restore habitats that sequester greenhouse gas emissions, and protect keystone species.

SB 132- Supporting Incarcerated Transgender Individuals

Ensures that transgender people in custody have equal rights and protections and to help protect the human dignity and safety of all people in custody

SB 145- Ending Discrimination Against LGBTQ People Regarding Sex Offender Registration

Sponsored by Equality California and the Los Angeles County District Attorney, SB 145 puts a stop to LGBTQ young people from being placed on the sex offender registry, when similarly situated young straight people are not

 

2019 Legislation:

SB 23- Combating the Vehicle Break-In Epidemic

Sponsored by San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón, this legislation aims to close a loophole in the Penal Code that allows some auto burglars to escape consequences

SB 34- The Dennis Peron and Brownie Mary Compassionate Care Act

Will exempt compassionate care programs from paying state commercial cannabis taxes when they are providing free medical cannabis to financially disadvantaged people living with serious health conditions. Due to an oversight in how Prop 64 was drafted, these not-for-profit donation programs that have been serving medical cannabis patients for decades are now being forced to pay taxes meant for businesses, which are forcing these charity programs to shut down

SB 40- Technical Updates to Senator Wiener’s 2018 Conservatorship Law

Makes technical amendments to Senator Wiener’s SB 1045 from 2018, which created a new conservatorship for seriously addicted and mentally ill people on our streets. The legislation ensures that San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego counties can better help individuals living with serious mental health and substance abuse issues get stabilized and find housing.

SB 48- Right to Shelter for California's Unhoused Residents

Creates a “right to shelter” policy to address the number of homeless individuals and families who do not have reliable access to shelter

SB 50- The More HOMES (Housing, Opportunity, Mobility, Equity, and Stability) Act

Modeled on SB 827 of the last legislative session— this legislation legalizes more housing near job centers and public transportation by overriding hyper-restrictive low-density zoning, while protecting against displacement of renters and vulnerable communities.

SB 58- The LOCAL (Let Our Communities Adjust Late-night) Act

Creates pure local control on whether to extend nightlife alcohol sale hours and is limited to nine California cities: San Francisco, Los Angeles, Oakland, Sacramento, West Hollywood, Long Beach, Coachella, Cathedral City & Palm Springs

SB 69- The Ocean Resiliency Act of 2019

Will help improve ocean water quality, reduce ocean acidification, restore habitats that sequester greenhouse gas emissions, and protect keystone species.

SB 127- Creating Complete Streets

Require Caltrans to make roads safer for people walking, bicycling, or using transit when repairing or upgrading state-owned roadways in urbanized areas

SB 132- Supporting Incarcerated Transgender Individuals

Ensures that transgender people in custody have equal rights and protections and to help protect the human dignity and safety of all people in custody

SB 136- Repealing Unnecessary and Common One-Year Sentence Enhancements

Repeals a commonly used one-year sentence enhancement that is added to each prior prison or felony jail term that an individual has served

SB 142- Requiring Lactation Accommodation for Working Mothers

Ensures working mothers have access to lactation facilities in the workplace, and help create more family friendly work environments

SB 145- Ending Discrimination Against LGBT People Regarding Sex Offender Registration

Sponsored by Equality California and the Los Angeles County District Attorney, SB 145 puts a stop to LGBT young people going on the sex offender registry, when similarly situated young straight people do not

SB 159- Increasing Access to HIV Prevention Medication 

Authorizes pharmacists to furnish pre- and post- exposure prophylaxis (PrEP and PEP) without a physician prescription and also prohibits insurance companies from requiring prior authorizations in order to obtain PrEP coverage

SB 166- Providing Guidelines for Water Reuse at Breweries and Wineries

Sponsored by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, SB 166 provides wineries and breweries with clear guidance on reusing process water onsite, to encourage more water reuse

SB 201- Prohibiting Medically Unnecessary Genital Surgery on Intersex Babies

Ensures that people born with atypical genital characteristics have the right to provide informed consent before undergoing potentially harmful genital surgery

SB 233- Improving Sex Worker Health and Safety

Prohibits the arrest of people involved in sex work when they come forward as a witness or victim of a specified violent and serious crime. It also provides that the possession of condoms may not be used as evidence to arrest someone for engaging in sex work

SB 268- Increasing Access to Income Assistance

Ensures more individuals are able to access income assistance through the CalWORKs program in order to move more children out of poverty and help families meet basic needs. The bill does so by repealing the so-called “asset test,” which forces low income people to choose between income assistance and saving money in order to climb out of poverty.

SB 271- SDI Benefits for Motion Picture and TV Production Workers

Increases access to unemployment insurance, state disability insurance, and paid family leave benefits for motion picture and TV production workers that are traveling to other states for work but are still California residents

SB 281- Revitalizing the Cow Palace

Transfers the entire 68-acre Cow Palace Property to a local Joint Powers Authority - comprised of Daly City, San Mateo County, and San Francisco - which will have full authority to manage and develop the land with housing and mixed use development and permanently bans gun and ammunition sales at the Cow Palace site

SB 285- Reducing Food Insecurity among Californians Experiencing Hunger

Streamlines CalFresh enrollment by setting clear and accountable statewide enrollment goals, improving ease of access to enrollment for eligible Californians, and eliminating questions deemed unnecessary and that only create obstacles in the enrollment process

SB 288- Solar Bill of Rights

Enables more consumers to invest in and generate their own renewable energy by removing barriers, including outdated tariffs and delayed connections to the grid

SB 378- California Estate Tax to Fund Programs Reducing Wealth Inequality

Replicates the federal estate tax, but lowers the exemption to $3.5 million and directs the collected taxes to a new fund to address and alleviate the wealth gap

SCA 1- Repealing Article 34

Added by the voters in 1950, Article 34 of the California Constitution requires cities to submit projects to a voter referendum when public funds are allocated to developing low-income rental housing. No other type of housing is subjected to this requirement. This constitutional amendment was designed to keep people of color and poor people out of certain neighborhoods. SCA 1 deletes this racist provision from our state constitution. Joint Author with Senator Ben Allen. 

AB 362- Implementing Safe Injection Sites

Creates a 3-year pilot program allowing San Francisco to implement supervised drug consumption programs, otherwise known as safe injection sites. It is modeled on the bill that Governor Brown vetoed in 2018. Principal co-author with Assemblymember Susan Eggman.

AB 1611- Eliminating Surprise Emergency Room Bills

Bans hospitals from sending surprise emergency room bills to insured patients — called “balance billing” — after an ER visit. Principal co-author with Assemblymember David Chiu.

SB 27- Presidential Tax Transparency Bill

Requires all presidential candidates to release their tax returns prior to being placed on the California ballot. Joint author with Senator Mike McGuire 

SB 54 – Phasing Out Single Use Plastics

Requires that single-use plastic packaging and products sold or distributed in California be reduced by 75 percent by 2030, in order to reduce the waste and pollution caused by these products. Joint author with Senators Ben Allen and Nancy Skinner.

SB 332- Increasing Water Recycling

Requires wastewater treatment facilities to reduce the volume of treated water discharged into the ocean annually by 50 percent by 2030 and 95 percent by 2040. Joint author with Senator Bob Hertzberg. 

 

2017/18 legislation:

SB 35 – The Housing Accountability and Affordability Act 

Creates a streamlined approval process for housing when cities are not meeting the housing creation goals required by the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA), which will expedite the construction of affordable housing. 

SB 148 – Cannabis Safe Payment Bill 

Makes it safer and simpler for cannabis business owners to pay state fees and taxes, which will encourage compliance with state laws and provide support for business owners. The lack of banking access for cannabis businesses results in a growing industry that is cash-based, lacks transparency, and is susceptible to public safety challenges, including violent crime. Passed as part of Budget Trailer Bill.  

SB- 179 Gender Identity

Creates a non-binary option for citizens while eliminating obstacles for trans and non-binary individuals who are trying to obtain state identification. Joint authoring with Senator Toni Atkins. 

SB 219 – LGBT Senior Long-Term Care Bill of Rights 

Strengthens protections for LGBT seniors living in long-term care facilities against discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or HIV status. The bill would protect all seniors living in skilled nursing facilities, immediate care facilities, and residential care facilities.

SB 239 – Modernizing HIV Criminalization Laws

Updates California criminal law to approach transmission of HIV in the same way as transmission of other serious communicable diseases. It also brings California statutes up to date with the current understanding of HIV prevention, treatment and transmission to reduce stigma around HIV and improve public health outcomes. 

SB 278 -- CalFresh Overissuance Protections

Provides enhanced protections for CalFresh recipients when, through no fault of their own, they receive more benefit then they are supposed to receive through overissuances, and improves the cost-effectiveness of the CalFresh program. 

SB 282 -- The Reducing Hunger Among Vulnerable Californians Act of 2017 

Increases access to prepared food for low income homeless, elderly or disabled Californians and also creates employment opportunities for childless homeless adults.

SB 384 -- Reforming Sex Offender Registry

Creates a tiered system that will make the sex offender registry a more effective tool for law enforcement to investigate sex crimes. Supported by law enforcement officials, criminal justice organizations, and sexual assaults victims right groups. 

SB 458 -- Mobile Recycling 

Directs CalRecycle to create five mobile recycling pilot programs throughout the state, which will allow cities like San Francisco to pursue a mobile recycling redemption program. Under SB 458, these mobile recycling programs will qualify as full recycling centers under California law, thus relieving surrounding small grocery stores of the onerous obligation of having to accept recycling for redemption.

SB 658 -- Strengthening Voir Dire

Prevents unreasonable and arbitrary restrictions during voir dire by requiring judges to consider specific factors when setting time limits and types of questions. 

SB 700 -- Solar Energy Storage Initiative

Creates the Energy Storage Initiative to provide rebates to electricity customers for the installation of home and business energy storage systems, which allow solar energy to be stored and used throughout the day and night. 

SB 726 -- Protecting CalWORKS Recipients from Overissuance Penalties

Modernizes outdated laws and codifies existing practices relating to procedures for collecting California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) overpayments.

SB 765 -- Housing Streamlining Follow-Up Bill

Makes technical updates to Senator Wiener’s premier housing streamlining bill SB 35 passed in 2017. 

SB 785 -- Protecting Immigration Status in Court

Protects immigrants from irrelevant disclosures of their immigration status in open court by requiring that any discussion or questioning about the immigration status of any witness, victim, or defendant first be deemed by a judge to be relevant and admissible.

SB 822 -- Restoring Net Neutrality in California

Re-instates the net neutrality protections put in place by the Federal Communications Commission under President Obama in 2015. These protections were repealed by the FCC under President Trump in December 2017.

SB 828 -- Fixing RHNA -- Making Housing Assignments More Equitable

Creates a clearer, fairer, more data-driven, and more equitable process for how the state and regional bodies assign Regional Housing Needs Assessment numbers to local communities. It does this by requiring a more data-focused, objective process and by creating stronger guardrails, thus reducing the wiggle room jurisdictions use to lower their RHNA allocations.

SB 892 -- Celebrating Lunar New Year in California

Designates Lunar New Year as a day of special significance in California and requires the Governor to honor Lunar New Year annually. Also under SB 892, all public schools and educational institutions will be encouraged to conduct exercises recognizing the traditions and cultural significance of the Lunar New Year, the contributions of Asian and Pacific Islander Californians to the state, and any local festivities and celebrations of the occasion. (With Joint Author Richard Pan) 

SB 900 -- California Fruit and Vegetable EBT Pilot Program (Passed as part of the 2018 State Budget)

Makes California-grown fruits and vegetables more affordable for low-income Californians under the CalFresh program while also supporting California farmers. 

SB 918 -- Homeless Youth Act of 2018

Directs the Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council to help set specific measurable goals to prevent and end youth homelessness in California.

SB 923 -- Strengthening Eyewitness Identification Standards to Reduce Wrongful Convictions

Sets statewide eyewitness identification standards to help prevent misidentifications that lead to innocent people being convicted and actual perpetrators remaining free.

SB 966 -- Expanding On-Site Water Recycling

Allows local communities to create on-site water recycling programs by requiring that the State Water Resources Control Board (“State Water Board”) issue comprehensive regulations, including health and safety standards, to help local jurisdictions implement these programs. “On-site” means that the water recycling occurs in individual buildings, as opposed to utility-scale water recycling.

SB 1004 -- Strengthening Early Intervention Mental Health Services for Youth

Ensures access to effective, quality early intervention mental health care in counties across the state by requiring a much more structured and focused approach on prevention and early intervention mental health programs funded by the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), which administers the millionaires tax (Prop 63).

SB 1021 -- Protecting Consumers from Drug Co-Pay Price Gouging

Keeps out-of-pocket drug costs low for consumers by preserving and strengthening existing drug pricing protections. SB 1021 does this by permanently extending drug co-pay limits and prescription drug pricing standards put in place in 2015 under a bill (AB 339). 

SB 1045 -- Expanding and Strengthening California Conservatorship Laws to Help Mentally Ill and Drug-Addicted People

Allows San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego counties more flexibility in expanding the reach of the conservatorship system, modernizing its administration, and assisting individuals who suffer from chronic homelessness, accompanied by debilitating mental illness, severe drug addiction, repeated psychiatric commitments, or excessively frequent use of emergency medical services

SB 1442-- Pharmacy Staffing

Requires that pharmacies always have sufficient staff available to assist pharmacists in order for pharmacists to provide the guidance and support to patients that is required by law.   

SB 1464 -- Expanding Dental Health Access for People with Special Needs (Passed as part of the 2018 State Budget)

Increases the access for Denti-Cal patients with special needs to the dental care they desperately need by giving dentists the funding resources to overcome the unique challenges they face when providing oral services to this population.

AB- 291 Immigrant Tenant Protection

Provides greater protection of tenants against discrimination based on immigration status; Landlords may no longer use reporting tenants as leverage for eviction.  Principal co-author with Assemblymember David Chiu.

AB 352 Affordable Housing: Efficiency Units

Increases affordable housing by allowing for the development of efficiency units, aka micro-units. Principal co-author with Assemblymember Miguel Santiago

SCR 110 -- Supporting Intersex Infants & Families

Calls on the medical community to stop performing nonconsensual and often irreparably harmful sex assignment and genital “normalization” surgeries on intersex infants at birth.  Instead, medically unnecessary surgery should be delayed until the intersex individual can decide for themselves whether to pursue surgery at all, at an age when informed consent is possible.  

SCR 161 -- Runaway and Homeless Youth Prevention Month

Declares November as Runaway and Homeless Youth Prevention Month in California.