Senator Josh Becker’s March ’22 Newsletter

Introducing My 2022 Legislative Package

For the last several months, my team and I have been hard at work developing a legislative package representative of our district and values. Last month I was proud to announce bills to:

• Provide free meals to our youngest learners in child care (SB 1481);
• Address health disparities for those in need of prescription medications (SB 1346); and
• Support San Mateo Community College District students with more robust financial aid – this bill recently passed the Senate Education Committee with bipartisan support (SB 893).

And last week, I introduced bills to:

• Strengthen consumer privacy protections and toughen penalties for data brokers who harvest our personal information and defy the law (SB 1059);
• Help unlock funding for affordable housing creation by eliminating onerous misdirected penalties against affordable housing developers (SB 1094); and
• Have California lead the way in reaching net-zero in its own operations 10 years ahead of the state’s 2045 net-zero greenhouse gas emissions goal (SB 1203).

Altogether, this package is meant to maintain and further improve the quality of life on the Peninsula and for all Californians.

You can read about all of my legislation here.

State of the State Recap

Earlier this month, Governor Newsom delivered his fourth State of the State address.

I was pleased to hear the Governor stress the importance of a strong Climate policy by declaring clean energy as “this generation’s economic opportunity.” He also rightly emphasized that we cannot repeat the mistakes of the past and must fight polluters, not embrace them.

I am eager to work with Governor Newsom and my colleagues in the Legislature to tackle homelessness, ensure that those most in need of care and treatment do not languish on our streets, and help California continue to lead with smart Climate policy.

Presiding Over the Senate

This month I presided over the Senate for the first time. I am very honored to have this opportunity and thank Pro Tem Atkins for the privilege. To get prepared, I spent the week before reading up on the Mason's Manual of Legislative Procedure. I faced some light razzing from my colleagues and, needless to say, was very glad to have a professional parliamentarian at my side!

ADA Litigation Abuse Roundtable

Recently, we have seen a growing and alarming number of costly lawsuits during the COVID-19 pandemic brought on small businesses from the same San Diego based law firm. Often these suits were brought simply due to business owner's desire to offer outdoor dining and services to their community members, both for those with and without disabilities.

In response, my team convened a roundtable group of Bay Area leaders, Chamber of Commerce, and business owners from our district to share their experiences with ADA/Unruh Act lawsuits and how we might mitigate them. By gathering examples, we have a much better understanding of the magnitude of this issue and how it has impacted the businesses in our district and others.

Thank you to the community leaders who joined me for this important discussion:

Councilmember Marty Medina, San Bruno
Cheryl Angeles, San Mateo Chamber CEO
Mike Kharsa, owner/Grand Leader Market, San Bruno
Councilmember Eric Rodriguez, San Mateo
Mayor Lucas Ramirez, Mountain View

UC Berkeley Enrollment

Earlier this month we received troubling news that UC Berkeley would be forced to cap its enrollment due to a Supreme Court decision. Thankfully, we quickly worked to resolve the issue. I’m glad to report that we passed legislation to avoid enrollment cuts and the Governor signed it into law.

While CEQA, California’s premier environmental law, is an important tool for environmental protection, we must make sure it remains focused on its original aims and not a means to cap enrollment at our universities or prohibit the development of critically needed affordable housing. I am hopeful recent events may finally set the stage for that discussion.

Ukraine Divestment

The events unfolding in Ukraine are absolutely tragic. We must stand united with the people of Ukraine against Putin and his unprovoked aggression. I was proud to join my colleagues to coauthor the measure to bring the full weight of the 5th largest economy in the world against the Russian government.

Our bill will require all California agencies to divest from all Russian assets. It is estimated that this action will cover over $1B in assets. As a state, it is our responsibility to use our enormous economic power to usher in debilitating economic consequences on Russia’s leaders for this horrific and bloody war.

Environmental Scorecards

I was proud to receive top marks from both the California Environmental Voters and California Environmental Justice Alliance! Solving the climate crisis demands bold action NOW – I was proud to stand with these two organizations during my first year in the Legislature.

I’ll keep fighting for bold climate action to accelerate the transition to a clean-energy future for all.

District Update

SMC & SCC mask update

As of this month, both San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties have lifted their indoor mask mandates. This is possible because of our counties’ high vaccination rates and resulting low hospitalizations. This important step towards normalcy serves to underscore the importance of getting fully vaccinated.

• COVID-19 Vaccination Resources
  While the numbers for COVID infections trends downward, it is still very important to get vaccinated and boosted for your safety. Find out where to get your free vaccination here.
• Second Set of Free COVID Tests Available Now!
  President Biden announced that American households can now order a second set of COVID tests via USPS. Go to CovidTests.gov to order yours!

It’s Tax Season! Watch My Virtual Town Hall

Thanks to all those who joined our Tax Town Hall on Thursday, February 24. Did you miss the event? Don’t worry, you can watch it on our website. You can also find resources and links shared by our panelists – Internal Revenue Service, the Franchise Tax Board, and United Way Bay Area – to help you get your questions answered.

Woman of the Year: Emily Ann Ramos

I want to introduce my 2022 Woman of the Year, Emily Ann Ramos. In her role at SV@Home she works with policymakers to develop protection and preservation‐related policies to help vulnerable tenants, low‐income families and people at risk of becoming homeless.

She is also the consummate volunteer, showing up at every meeting and helping seemingly every good cause. In addition, Ms. Ramos is a member of Mountain View's Rental Housing Committee, where she helps develop rent stabilization policy and advises the community on tenant and landlord programs. She also serves as a member of the board of directors for the Community Services Agency of Mountain View, Los Altos and Los Altos Hills, and she is a member of the League of Women Voters Los Altos - Mountain View Area’s Housing Committee.

Her work will shape the Peninsula for generations to come, and I am so pleased to honor her this year.

Community Resources
 

• Mortgage Assistance
  The California Mortgage Relief Program will provide one-time payments to qualified homeowners who have fallen behind on their housing payments due to COVID-19 related hardship. Homeowners can check their eligibility and apply online at CaMortgageRelief.org.

Seeking Summer Interns!

Do you know a young person interested in learning more about state government and policy? We are accepting applications for our summer internship program in both our district and Capitol offices. Learn more here.

As always, we are here to assist you. Please contact me at Senator.Becker@senate.ca.gov or by calling my District Office at 650-212-3313, if you have any questions or concerns.