Almanac News: The fate of a state bill that would require police departments throughout California to remove encryption from their radio communications remained uncertain Wednesday after the Assembly Appropriations Committee deferred a decision on the contentious proposal. Senate Bill 1000, authored by state Sen. Josh Becker, was one of dozens of legislative proposals that the powerful committee placed in its "suspense file," a list of bills that are projected to have a financial impact and that will be evaluated later in the legislative process.
In the News
PCE: Peninsula Clean Energy has been recognized for its fifth anniversary of providing clean, affordable electricity to all of San Mateo County and its sixth year since its 2016 inception. A California state legislature resolution honoring Peninsula Clean Energy’s fifth anniversary was signed by four members of the San Mateo County state delegation: Senator Josh Becker (D-Peninsula), Assembly Speaker Pro Tempore Kevin Mullin (D-San Mateo), Assemblymember Marc Berman (D-Palo Alto) and Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco).
Ed 100: Senator Josh Becker represents the area of California best known as the Silicon Valley. He is a new member of the Senate, now in the second year of his first term. Prior to his service in the legislature he was a tech entrepreneur. We invited Senator Becker to speak to California students at this summer’s Ed100 Academy for Student Leaders. Many of the students at the conference are ambitious young people with an interest in leadership.
Citizen Blog: As law enforcement begins to remove their radio channels from public access and encrypt them, we believe that SB1000 authored by Senator Josh Becker provides a model that will establish California as a first in the nation leader on how to protect our first responders and tactical information while ensuring responsible transparency in order to keep Californians informed and safe. We strongly urge the California legislature to join us in supporting passage of SB1000.
Mercury News: With gas prices hitting record highs, the effects of climate change ever more present, Russia making almost $1 billion a day from gas and oil while invading its neighbor, and air pollution killing 10 million people a year worldwide, including nearly 9,000 Californians, the need to transition from fossil fuels has never been greater. I believe we are at a unique point in time to make a clean energy transformation. Let’s make sure we harness our collective will to take full advantage of this unique opportunity.
Half Moon Bay Review: [Senator] Becker began with a synopsis of the issues he is trying to tackle with legislation in Sacramento. The daunting list includes climate change and reaching net zero greenhouse emissions by 2035, universal early childhood education, homelessness and mental health infrastructure, providing health care and other support for the farmworker community, and building broadband infrastructure that will serve areas like the Coastside. Those in attendance asked the senator questions on topics ranging from bike path infrastructure to public-private partnerships and breaking up PG&E.
Mercury News: On Monday, dozens of workers holding picket signs and shouting slogans like “enough is enough” and “4% won’t pay the rent” gathered at Dove Beeger Park in front of Sequoia Hospital alongside sympathetic elected officials like state Senator Josh Becker...
San Jose Spotlight: On June 15, state Sen. Josh Becker wrote a letter urging Palo Alto to look into wage theft claims janitors recently filed against their employer, SWA, for contracted work performed for Palo Alto. Becker noted property service industries tend to have track records of high turnover, poor quality of service and wage theft—and that these issues are particularly prevalent in the janitorial industry where exploitation, sexual harassment and violations of wage and hour laws are commonplace. He concludes by encouraging the city to find solutions to prevent these abuses and states it is critical for local governments to adopt a higher level of standards for these subcontracted services.