SACRAMENTO, CA – In response to federal legislation that would prohibit state and local governments from enforcing any AI laws for a period of ten years, Senator Josh Becker (D-Menlo Park) issued a statement expressing disappointment and concern over mounting efforts to preempt California’s emerging artificial intelligence (AI) regulations with watered-down federal legislation.
Press Releases
SACRAMENTO, CA — Senate Bill 457, a targeted measure to strengthen California’s housing laws and prevent misuse of the Builder’s Remedy, did not advance out of the Senate Housing Committee this week, despite growing concerns about speculative projects bypassing local planning.
SACRAMENTO, CA — Today, the Senate Committee on Environmental Quality advanced SB 318, a bill aimed at improving air quality in California. SB 318 modernizes the state’s air permitting processes to ensure industrial facilities adopt the cleanest and most advanced technologies available to reduce air pollution and toxic air contaminants, which hurt public health.
SACRAMENTO, CA – Senator Josh Becker’s (D-Menlo Park) legislation to combat California’s homelessness crisis, SB 606, has passed the Senate Committee on Human Services, marking a key milestone in its path through the Legislature.
SACRAMENTO, CA — Today, the Senate Committee on Energy, Utilities and Communications voted unanimously with a 17-0 vote to approve SB 540, moving California forward towards optimizing its energy markets, increasing grid reliability, reducing costs for ratepayers, and accelerating the transition to a clean energy future.
SACRAMENTO, CA – In an effort to reduce housing costs, encourage sustainable growth, and support California’s climate goals, Senator Josh Becker (D-Menlo Park) has introduced SB 358, legislation that will incentivize transit-oriented development by reducing vehicular traffic impact fees for housing near public transit.
SACRAMENTO, CA — In a major step toward ensuring California meets its net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions targets with scientific integrity, the Senate Committee on Environmental Quality approved SB 285, which establishes rigorous standards for carbon dioxide removal (CDR) and offsets used to balance out emissions. The bill ensures that carbon removal solutions are effective, durable, and aligned with climate science, preventing misleading claims about net-zero progress.
SACRAMENTO, CA — SB 457, a bill designed to prevent the misuse of the Builder’s Remedy while ensuring that cities in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties are treated fairly as they work to meet the state’s housing goals. The bill closes loopholes that allow speculative developers to bypass zoning laws while still providing strong incentives for cities to adopt compliant Housing Elements on time.