Dear Friend,
As the legislative session came to a close at the end of August, I'm proud of what we accomplished. This year, I authored legislation that's rooted in tackling the most pressing issues, from food insecurity and access to safe drinking water to environmental protections, LGBTQ+ rights and housing affordability. My bills are now off to the Governor's desk.
2024 Bills That Passed the Legislature
AB 2503 streamlines train electrification projects by enabling transit agencies to more rapidly electrify their fleets, improve rail service, and cut emissions. The bill exempts zero-emission railway projects on existing rails from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
AB 3031 establishes the LGBTQ+ Commission to advise the Legislature and Governor on policies affecting the LGBTQ+ community.
AB 2454 ensures access to safe drinking water in disadvantaged communities. The bill requires owners of domestic wells serving rental properties to participate in free water testing programs.
AB 3229 aims to tackle food insecurity with a long-term solution by evaluating how to transition the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Pilot Project into a permanent program.
AB 2304 closes a loophole related to disclosure when tenants are party to a civil eviction process. It ensures that mobile home tenants are not unfairly penalized on rental applications if they have won their civil eviction cases.
AB 2346 provides additional compliance options for local governments to meet the state's organic waste procurement requirements.
AB 3291 ensures that youth and young adults with developmental disabilities who are cared for at home receive the necessary support through caregiver succession planning.
In the meantime, two of my bills have already been signed by the Governor in July.
AB 2367 raises awareness of state special schools that serve students with disabilities by allowing for highway destination signs to be created for these schools, including the California School for the Deaf-Fremont.
AB 2325 improves the Bay Area Rapid Transit's (BART) financial management structure by consolidating financial responsibilities to a Chief Financial Officer.
$10 Million Budget Win To Tackle Food Insecurity
I'm very excited to secure $10 million to revive a CalFresh pilot project that benefited tens of thousands of families. The CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Pilot Project ended in April due to the lack of funding, but the new state dollars will help restart this important program.
Here's more from FOX40 News about the program.
Parents, seniors, and working families depended on the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable Pilot for extra food benefits. Through the program, CalFresh recipients earned up to $60 a month in additional CalFresh benefits when they bought fresh fruits and vegetables at a participating retailer. Since launching in 2023, it provided $10.5 million in rebates to 93,000 CalFresh households. Despite the deficit challenge, the state's budget prioritizes people by protecting funding for social safety net programs like the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable Pilot.
House Resolution 112 - Filipino American History Month
I'm proud to introduce House Resolution 112 to recognize Filipino Americans and their influence on shaping the social, cultural and economic fabric of our state and country. The resolution, which passed the State Assembly, celebrates Filipino Americans' accomplishments by recognizing October as Filipino American History Month.
It was my pleasure to host the Filipino American History Month reception with the community organization LEAD Filipino, and welcome Filipino American advocates, leaders and community organizations to the State Assembly!
BAPS Day
Congratulations to BAPS's 50th anniversary in August of their first temple's opening in North America! I was honored to recognize BAPS at the State Assembly for BAPS Day, and thank you for inviting me to your celebrations at the Milpitas temple.
National Night Out
I had the pleasure of taking part at the annual National Night Out neighborhood block parties in San Jose, Milpitas, Newark and Fremont! It was great seeing neighbors, friends and first responders!
Scams targeting older adults cause billions in losses every year. Last year alone, the FBI received complaints of scams and fraud from more than 101,000 victims aged 60 and over. The best thing that we can do to protect ourselves is to do our research, and make sure that we have the right and best information at hand.
During my Senior Scam Stopper Seminar, experts from federal, state and local agencies provided tips on how seniors can protect themselves from fraud relating to home repair, telephone calls, finances, identify theft, auto repair and more.
A special thank you to our speakers from the Bureau of Household Goods and Services, Contractors State License Board, Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, Department of Insurance, San Jose Police Department - Financial Crimes Unit and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
I hope that everyone who joined us found the event to be informative, and you can view our panelists' presentations here.
Wrinkle Creams for Preteens Sound Safety Alarm - Wall Street Journal
Kids don't need anti-aging products. These products can be damaging to children's skin, as the Wall Street Journal reports. However, there's a growing phenomenon of "Sephora kids" who are influenced by social media to buy anti-aging products with powerful ingredients. It's an alarming trend. Anti-aging products pose short- and long-term risks for kids.
I introduced a bill to ban the sale of anti-aging products to kids 12 and under. During a hearing of the bill earlier this year, Scarlett, who recently turned 11, shared her personal story on the harms of anti-aging products. She began experiencing skin reactions like burns and bumps after using products advertised as anti-wrinkling and brightening.
"I didn't want to get wrinkles and look old," Scarlett told the Associated Press "If I had known my life would be so affected by this, I never would have put these things on my face."
Even though my legislation stalled this year, I remain committed to protecting children from the unnecessary harms of anti-aging products. Check out my explainer with Dermatologist Dr. Brooke Jeffy about the potential risks of anti-aging products.
CalKIDS is a state program that makes it easier for Californians to save for college. Through the program, newborns and eligible low-income public school students may receive up to $1,500 to help start their savings for higher education and career training. Visit calkids.org for more information.
Yours in Service,
Alex Lee
Assemblymember, 24th District
