As a mother, the safety and wellbeing of my child is my top priority, which is why what I learned in a conversation I had last year shocked me into action. Did you know that right now it is totally and completely legal to include a particularly toxic group of chemicals in products meant for […]
Climate Change and Wildfires This month we’ve set another record in California, one we never wanted to reach. According to California Dept. of Forestry and Fire Protection – CAL FIRE– since the beginning of the year until the time I penned this editorial, California wildfires have burned over 3.2 million acres (as we go to […]
Unemployment, Financial Shortfalls Plague State We have now entered the sixth month of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has hugely impacted our society and lives; it also altered our work in the legislature. COVID-19 disrupted the halls of Sacramento when several of my colleagues contracted the illness. In response, the Capitol was shut down […]
Our state has a reputation. As the “Golden State,” California is known for its sunny weather, beaches, deserts, forests, mountains and abundant natural resources. However, that same diverse climate and rugged beauty also has a tendency to turn on us. All California residents must live with the question of when, not if, the next natural […]
It is strange to think how much has changed over the last three months, with the COVID-19 crisis having worked its way into every aspect of our daily lives. Since the onset of the pandemic, I’ve spent every day connecting with advocates, colleagues at every level of government, healthcare professionals and my constituents. A recent […]
News From Sacramento » Laura FRIEDMAN March 2020 The moment we are in is unprecedented. With residents self-isolating, schools closed, events canceled, businesses empty and stores out of common household goods, we are in uncharted territory. There is a lot of uncertainty, which can be frightening and confusing. I want to take a few […]
New Year, New Budget, New Priorities January 2020 Just six days after we rang in both a new year and a new decade, we returned to the hustle and bustle of Sacramento getting right to work on the year ahead. One of the first orders of business was the state’s 2020-21 annual budget. […]
Update from the State Capitol For many of us, this holiday season will be filled with fun and quality time with our friends, family and neighbors. Against the backdrop of festive decorations and fattening food, many of us will have a break from the hustle and bustle of the year to enjoy and reflect on […]
Tackling the Issue of Homelessness Homelessness. It is one of our state’s greatest challenges. Every night, over 130,000 Californians sleep on our streets. Homelessness has become a full-on crisis, one that has rightfully been the focus of policy discussions throughout the state. In response, we’ve put unprecedented resources and energy towards finding real and […]
By Laura FRIEDMAN Sunday evening, with the stroke of his pen, Governor Gavin Newsom put the final close on the 2019 Legislative Session by either signing or vetoing the remaining bills that sat on his desk. With the deadline now behind us, I would like to take a moment to fill you in on some […]