Senator Josh Becker’s September ’22 Newsletter

2022 Legislative Session Wrap-Up, First Take

What I hear from you is you want me to tackle big problems like the climate crisis, homelessness, education and public safety. This year we have done that and more! I’m thrilled to report that early yesterday morning, my colleagues and I closed on the books on one of the more productive legislative sessions in recent memory.

We took action in all those areas. Stay tuned for more details! And on climate, just last year we were unable to pass bills on carbon neutrality or fracking. What a difference a year makes! Yesterday we dramatically expanded our climate goals, are stopping new oil drilling by schools and hospitals, and are taking major steps to speed our transition to a clean energy future.

With strong votes of support from colleagues in both houses, 12 out of 12 of my bills were sent to Governor Newsom for consideration. Of those, more than 50% were bipartisan.

I’m also proud that Senate Pro Tem Toni Atkins and the Climate Working Group included three of my bills – Senate Bill 1203, SB 1158 and SB 887 – among the 12 that made up the group’s Climate Package.

A list of all legislation by bill number is below, but I wanted to provide a snapshot of a few of them. In future newsletters I will share other notable legislation from myself and colleagues:

Climate Action – State of California Net Zero Operations: Senate Bill 1203 speeds our transition and sets a target for all state agencies to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2035. The bill allows our state to lead by example towards a clean energy future.

Social Justice – Keep Families Connected Act: SB 1008 makes phone calls free for people incarcerated in California prisons and detained youths. The bill eliminates the burdensome fees that drove 1 in 3 families who tried to keep in contact with incarcerated love ones into debt, according to a study. Those fees, predominantly shouldered by families of color led by women, fuels a $1.4 billion industry for the firms that provide prison telecom services in the U.S.

Economic Equity – California Employee Ownership Act: SB 1407 establishes a dedicated hub to help businesses transition to employee ownership. Employee ownership and co-op business models bring huge benefits to its workers, all the while sustaining the business for the long haul. The average employee nearing retirement in an employee-owned company has $147,000 in their retirement account, which is transformative, especially for low-income and workers of color.

Education – San Mateo County Community College District Pilot Program: SB 893 enables SMCCCD to expand aid to underrepresented and marginalized community members in San Mateo County without incurring more costs to the state. The bill allows the district to use their existing local revenues for fee waivers, which in turn would reduce the total cost of attendance for students eligible for the pilot program.

The deadline for Governor Newsom to sign or veto bills is September 30. I look forward to having an update for you on the outcome of my bills.

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.