Press Releases

March 29, 2017

Sacramento –  Yesterday, the Senate Human Services Committee passed SB219, authored by Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) - the LGBT Senior Long-Term Care Bill of Rights for seniors in long term care facilities - despite attacks from anti-LGBT hate groups and the conservative media. The vote was 3-1 in committee, with Senators Steve Glazer (D-Orinda) and Josh Newman (D-Fullerton) joining Senator Wiener in support.

March 28, 2017

Sacramento – Today the Senate Public Safety voted in favor of a bill authored by Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) and Assemblymember Todd Gloria (D-San Diego) that will modernize laws that criminalize and stigmatize people living with HIV.  Senate Bill 239 would amend California’s HIV criminalization laws, enacted in the 1980s and ‘90s at a time of fear and ignorance about HIV and its transmission, to make them consistent with laws involving other serious communicable diseases.

March 28, 2017

Sacramento –  Today the Senate Governmental Organization Committee approved Senate Bill 384, a bill authored by Senator Scott Wiener to allow – but not require – local communities to extend alcohol service to as late as 4 AM. The LOCAL Act, which stands for Let Our Communities Adjust Late Night, now moves to the Senate Appropriations Committee. The committee's action today represents the first time a committee of the California Legislature has ever approved this bill.

March 27, 2017

Sacramento –  Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) will have nine bills in Senate Committee hearings on Tuesday (3/28) and Wednesday (3/29). These bills include efforts to allow cities to extend alcohol service hours to 4 AM, to modernize HIV criminalization laws, to protect California waterways from tar sands oil spills, and to require presidential candidates to release federal tax returns to appear on the California ballot.

March 23, 2017

Today the California State Senate passed a resolution authored by Senators Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) and Bill Dodd (D-Napa) calling for the United States Congress to form a bipartisan, independent commission to investigate any connections between President Donald Trump and Russia. This includes appointing a special prosecutor to investigate any connection between President Trump’s administration, presidential campaign, or his business empire, and the Russian government or related business interests. SR 23 also calls for President Trump to release his tax returns in order to demonstrate he is free from any potential conflicts of interest related to the Russian government, American foreign policy interests, or economic policy prerogatives.

March 9, 2017

Today Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) announced growing bipartisan support for the LOCAL Act – which will allow (but not require) local communities to extend alcohol service hours in bars and restaurants up to 4 AM. Joining Senator Wiener as legislative co-authors are Assemblymember Matt Dababneh (D-Encino), Senator Joel Anderson (R-San Diego), Senator Ben Allen (D- Santa Monica), Assemblymember Jay Obernolte (R-Hesperia), and Assemblymember Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles).

March 8, 2017

Today the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee approved Senator Scott Wiener’s (D-San Francisco) Senate Bill 35 – which will create a streamlined approval process for housing when cities are not meeting the housing creation goals required by the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA). This will expedite the construction of affordable housing. At the hearing, representatives from affordable housing, renters, and business groups testified in support.

March 7, 2017

Sacramento –  Today the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee will vote on Senator Scott Wiener’s Senate Bill 35 – which will create 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. At the hearing, representatives from affordable housing developers, renter advocates, and business groups will testify in support.

WHEN:           Tuesday, March 6 at 1:30pm

March 7, 2017

Sacramento  Yesterday Senators Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) and Bill Dodd (D-Napa) introduced a resolution in the State Senate calling for Congress to form a bipartisan, independent commission to investigate any connections between President Donald Trump and Russia. This includes appointing a special prosecutor to investigate any connection between President Trump’s administration, presidential campaign, or his business empire, and the Russian government or related business interests.