Dear Friend,
It's been a very "buzzy" spring in the Legislature. During the brief spring recess, we held our first hybrid (both online and in-person) event: our Senior Scam Stopper Seminar to teach residents how to protect themselves from common scams. If you missed the event, you can watch the recording, review the slides, or share with friends.
We're closing in on the deadline for bills to be heard in policy committees and our innovative bills are making history and moving along through the Legislative session. Learn more about them below!
Legislative Update
- AB 1819 - Stop Foreign Influence in California Elections Act
- The bill passed out of the Elections Committee and is now headed to the Appropriations Committee! This bill prohibits foreign influenced corporations from contributing to candidates, parties, or committees (including super PACs) in order to protect the integrity of California's self-governance.
- AB 2053 - California Social Housing Act
- Our bill passed out of the Housing Committee and is now headed to the Appropriations Committee! The California Housing Authority (CHA) would produce and preserve Social Housing: homes that are union built, sustainable, collectively owned, affordable for all income levels, and are financially self-sustaining.
- AB 2206 - Bill to Facilitate "Cashing Out" on True Cost of Parking
- Our bill passed out of the Transportation Committee and is headed to the floor! The bill helps facilitate the Parking Cash Out (PCO) program so that those who do not drive are able to get the full benefits of the program. The program was enacted in 1992 to offer a cash allowance in lieu of a parking space to promote alternative forms of transportation including walking, biking, and taking public transit.
- AB 2382 - Tackling the Harmful Effects of Artificial Light at Night
- The bill passed out of the Business & Professions Committee with bipartisan support and is headed to the Appropriations Committee! Light pollution can have detrimental impacts on our ecosystems, particularly for birds who migrate at night. AB 2382 limits outdoor night lighting on state buildings by requiring external shields to redirect light, be equipped with either an automatic or shutoff device, or be motion-activated.
- AB 2606 - Banning the Inhumane Practice of Cat Declawing
- The bill passed out of the Business & Professions Committee and is headed to the Appropriations Committee! Declawing is a surgical procedure in which the animal's toes are amputated at the last joint. It is estimated that 23 million domestic cats (over 20% of all owned cats) are declawed in the United States.
- AB 2721 - BAAQMD Transportation Reimbursement Program
- Our bill passed the full Assembly floor and is now in the Senate! The bill changes the amount Board Members serving on the Bay Area Air Quality Management District can be reimbursed per meeting and starts an active transportation reimbursement program to encourage other forms of transportation.
- AB 2949 - Providing Relief to our Veterans
- The bill passed out of the Transportation Committee as well as the Military and Veterans Committee with bipartisan support and co-authorship! This bill would exempt vehicles registered to a veteran displaying a specialized veterans license plate from having to pay tolls. Having to cross toll bridges to and from medical appointments can add up and can be quite costly for necessary care for injuries.
Celebrating Earth Day
This past Earth Day, we commenced a new project: to plant 1,000 new trees in Northern San Jose. Trees provide numerous of benefits, from cooling our cities to carbon sequestration and natural beauty. We have a lot of work ahead, but I'm glad I helped plant the first 20!
Finally, I took part in the groundbreaking of an amazing climate resiliency project, the South San Francisco Bay Shoreline Project. With the collaboration of Valley Water, local governments, federal investments, and State Legislative support, we are going to be able to provide 100-year flood protection for the Alviso area, an area historically prone to flooding.
Yours in Service,
Alex Lee
Assemblymember, 25th District
