News

California public school funding is based on average daily attendance, reported three times a year by school districts. Under current law, if schools are forced to close because of a public safety power shutoff, they could lose part of their expected allocation. Senate Bill 884 changes that by authorizing the state to backfill average daily attendance money. Read the article,

“We appreciate the recognition as we organize a systematic approach to changing our city and county, one youth at a time, one family at a time and one community for all,” the Rev. Dante Quick, president of the New Dawn board and pastor of Friendship Missionary Baptist Church… Read the article,

…the act fully funds the Land and Water Conservation Fund at $900 million annually, an amount that’s rarely been reached since Congress established the fund in 1964. Local officials said money could potentially restore south county wetlands and enlarge local state parks. Read the article,

State Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa is marking the 30th anniversary of the landmark Americans With Disabilities Act, which prohibits discrimination based on disability and sets accessibility standards for public and commercial facilities. “This key piece of civil rights legislation tears down barriers for people with disabilities, whether they are in the workplace or the public sphere,” Sen. Dodd said. “It is a true milestone for those who had been shut out by discrimination and circumstances beyond their control. Now, with the coronavirus pandemic, it is especially important to ensure employment opportunities and access to vital services.” Read the article,

With peak wildfire season approaching, the Assembly transportation committee today passed legislation from State Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, that would help expedite and improve emergency evacuations by authorizing municipalities across the state to use European-style “hi-lo” sirens in patrol vehicles. Read the article,

In October, the nine-member California Legislative Delta Caucus sent a letter to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency chief Andrew Wheeler, urging him to reject a request from the Delta Conveyance Finance Authority for a $1.6 billion startup loan through the Water Infrastructure and Innovation Act. At a Nov. 15 meeting of the Delta Conveyance board, officials reported the EPA had decided not to grant the loan. Read the article, click here.            

If we don’t take a proactive approach to reform current practices, families across our state will remain vulnerable. Read the article, click here.

The California Consumer Privacy Act passed both sides of the statehouse and trumps a competing initiative planned for the November ballot. “Once again California is taking the lead in protecting consumers and holding bad actors accountable,” state Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, said in a statement.   Read the article, click here.