Press Releases

February 5, 2021

SACRAMENTO - Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) introduced Senate Bill 314, the Bar and Restaurant Recovery Act. SB 314 will help 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).

February 3, 2021

SACRAMENTO – Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) has introduced SB 271, the Sheriff Democracy and Diversity Act, to allow all registered voters to run for Sheriff — reverting back to the eligibility requirements in place from 1850 until 1989. Currently, only law enforcement officers — people with POST (Peace Officer Standards and Training) certificates — are eligible to run for Sheriff.

January 28, 2021

Sacramento — Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) introduced Senate Bill 260, the Climate Corporate Accountability Act (CCAA). SB 260 would be the first law in the country to require U.S.-based companies — those doing business in California and generating over $1 billion in gross annual revenue — to disclose all of their greenhouse gas emissions and set science-based targets to reduce those emissions. SB 260 is co-sponsored by Carbon Accountable, Sunrise Bay Area, and the California League of Conservation Voters.

January 21, 2021

SACRAMENTO - Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) introduced SB 225: the Bodily Autonomy, Dignity and Choice Act, to provide children and their families a chance to make informed decisions about major surgeries to change variations in the appearance of genitalia and other sex characteristics. Under SB 225, these surgeries will be prohibited when a child is under the age of six (except in the cases where it is medically necessary), allowing for parents to continue to learn with their child and child’s physician regarding the potential need for medical interventions.

January 21, 2021

SACRAMENTO - Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) has been named the Chair of the California Senate Mental Health Caucus, which focuses on improving California’s resources and care for mental health and substance use disorder. Senator Wiener was also named the California Marriage and Family Therapist’s “Legislator of the Year” for his work on Senate Bill 855, which was signed into law on January 1st.

January 21, 2021

SACRAMENTO – Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) introduced SB 234, the SUPPORT Act (Supporting Underserved Young People for Positive Resets and Transitions). SB 234 creates a $100 million forgivable loan program to fund new housing, or acquire existing housing, for transition age youth between ages 16 and 26. The housing will be targeted toward young people who are homeless, in or exiting foster care, or exiting the criminal justice system.

January 14, 2021

Sacramento - Today Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) introduced SB 210, the License Plate Privacy Act, which will prevent sensitive Automatic License Plate Reader (ALPR) data from being misused by law enforcement. The bill will be in print this evening and text of the legislation is available upon request.

January 14, 2021

Sacramento - Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) introduced SB 221, which would require health plans and insurers to provide patients with timely follow-up care for mental health issues and substance use disorders. California’s current law requires that Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) and insurers provide initial care for patients within ten business days following enrollment. But, under current interpretation of the law, health plans and insurers are not required to provide timely subsequent care for patients after an initial appointment.

January 14, 2021

Sacramento – Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) has introduced SB 110 to address the worsening methamphetamine addiction crisis facing our state. The 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.