Look West: How California Is Leading The Nation

Assemblymember Sabrina CervantesMajority Leader Eloise Gomez ReyesAssemblymember Dawn AddisAssemblymember Gail PellerinAssemblymember Sharon Quirk-SilvaAssemblymember Blanca PachecoCA Museum CEO Amanda MeekerCalifornia Assembly Democrats Assemblymember Sabrina Cervantes Eloise Gomez Reyes Dawn Addis Gail Pellerin Sharon Quirk-Silva Blanca Pacheco Legislative Womens Caucus Legislature 

Assembly Democrats have been working to improve the lives of all Californians with laws that took effect earlier this year and new proposals that keep fighting the good fight going forward. Successes include increased protection for reproductive rights, policies allowing more affordable housing, bereavement leave, eliminating the "Pink Tax" and ending citations for safe jaywalking. In 2023, Assembly Democrats are working to assist the unhoused, deal with climate change, protect workers, and much more…For the Benefit of All.

Several records fell when the incoming class of Assemblymembers were sworn into office this month. Women outnumbered men in the 2023/24 class. The total percentage of women in the Legislature reached a new high. LGBTQ+ representation also set a new high mark. Sixteen of the new Members have joined the Assembly Democratic Caucus. They come from all over California with incredibly diverse backgrounds. In this two part episode of Look West you’ll get to meet them all. In Part 1 you’ll meet Juan Carrillo, Blanca Pacheco, Josh Lowenthal, Diane Papan, Gregg Hart, Avelino Valencia, Esmeralda Soria and Stephanie Nguyen. In Part 2 you’ll meet Dr. Jasmeet Bains, Rick Chavez Zbur, Pilar Schiavo, Dawn Addis, Dr. Corey Jackson, Gail Pellerin, Liz Ortega and Damon Connolly.

Several records fell when the incoming class of Assemblymembers were sworn into office this month. Women outnumbered men in the 2023/24 class. The total percentage of women in the Legislature reached a new high. LGBTQ+ representation also set a new high mark. Sixteen of the new Members have joined the Assembly Democratic Caucus. They come from all over California with incredibly diverse backgrounds. In this two part episode of Look West you’ll get to meet them all.  In Part 1 you’ll meet Juan Carrillo, Blanca Pacheco, Josh Lowenthal, Diane Papan, Gregg Hart, Avelino Valencia, Esmeralda Soria and Stephanie Nguyen. In Part 2 you’ll meet Dr. Jasmeet Bains, Rick Chavez Zbur, Pilar Schiavo, Dawn Addis, Dr. Corey Jackson, Gail Pellerin, Liz Ortega and Damon Connolly.

Studies clearly show climate change will require California to reinvent the state’s transportation systems and infrastructure. And, that means how you get from one place to another will change dramatically in the not-so-distant future. In this episode of Look West we’ll take a trip into California’s transportation future with two of the driving forces in the State Legislature, Transportation Committee Chair Laura Friedman and Electric Vehicle legislation author Assemblymember Phil Ting.

Getting single use plastics out of the pollution pipeline has been one of the most contentious issues in the State Capitol for decades. Now, thanks to efforts by Assemblymember Luz Rivas, State Senator Ben Allen, the Natural Resources Committee and a host of others, groundbreaking legislation has put California on path to pull plastics from the trash bin. In this episode of Look West Assemblymember Rivas, Elizabeth MacMillan and Matthew Montgomery take us in the room where the negotiations took place to craft this new law that California needs.

For the first time in California’s history there is a Native American Legislative Caucus in the California State Legislature. Led by Assemblymember James Ramos, the first California Native American to be elected to the State Legislature, the Caucus will focus on educating all of California about the state’s First People and advocating for the advancement of California’s native tribes.

MICRA, the Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act, was put in place in 1975. Since then, stakeholders have been battling over its cap on noneconomic damages for medical malpractice. Assembly Majority Leader Eloise Gomez Reyes brought the stakeholders together with AB 35, ending the decades long fight. Reyes sat down with Lisa Maas, Executive Director of Californians Allied for Patient Protection, and Craig Peters, President of the Consumer Attorneys of California to talk about the significant compromise that ended the MICRA war.

On October 12th, 2001 a new law was signed and, over the next 21 years, the lives of hundreds of thousands of people were changed for the better. AB 540 was the official title and it became shorthand for allowing undocumented students to pay in state tuition. The signing of AB 540, by then Governor Gray Davis, eliminated a huge financial roadblock. This is the story of AB 540 and why it’s just as important today as it was 21 years ago.

Assembly Democrats have been working with state and local health experts since the very beginning of the coronavirus pandemic to keep Californians informed and safe. The pandemic has NOT ended but COVID is not the same as it was when it first appeared more than two years ago. In this episode of Look West we get the latest information from Assembly Health Committee Chair Jim Wood, UCSF Doctor Robert Wachter and UCLA School of Public Health Dr. Shira Shafir.

While voters rights are being battered in some states California continues to work to expand and improve the voting experience. From increasing outreach, especially to young voters, to mail-in ballots and recall reforms, Assembly Democrats are insuring your votes are easy to cast and accurately counted. Assembly Elections Committee Chairman Isaac Bryan sits down with Secretary of State Dr. Shirley Weber and Assemblymember Marc Berman to discuss the state of democracy in California.

Pets are people too. At least, that’s how many families feel about them. And while most pet pawrents love their furry friends as if they were human, not all know how to properly care for them. Assemblymember Miguel Santiago wants to change that. His bill, The Dog and Cat Bill of Rights, would inform dog and cat owners on the rights, needs and wants of their pet. We visited the Assemblymember’s Pet Wellness Fair in Los Angeles to talk to him, volunteering organizations about their pets and proper animal care and pet pawrents about their love for their furry family members. 

The California State Assembly Democratic Caucus has welcomed two new Members. David Alvarez and Tina McKinnor took the oath of office just recently in front of a large crowd of family and friends in the State Capitol. Assemblymember Alvarez now represents San Diego’s 80th District and Tina McKinnor is now the Assemblymember for the 62nd District in Los Angeles.

In this episode, Assemblymember Anthony Rendon talks with Look West about the legislative efforts to mitigate the drought and about what Californians can do in their everyday lives to help conserve water. This is an episode in our ongoing California Water series, in which we explore some of the many complexities of this vital resource. From water accessibility, to climate change and urban and rural perspectives, we continue to highlight the many layers beneath the surface.

Gun violence is rampant in many places in the United States, even in California. Recent mass shootings have sent an emotional wave of sorrow and pain throughout the country. In the wake of the recent gun violence, Assembly Democrats are continuing to fight back against the gun violence with eight pieces of legislation – just this year alone. Assemblymembers Mike Gipson, Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, Phil Ting, Kevin McCarty, Buffy Wicks, Steve Bennett, Brian Maienschein and Jesse Gabriel authored the legislation. In this episode will hear from them and others as the Assembly held an emotional discussion on the day after the Texas School shooting.

Roe v. Wade guaranteed every woman the right to an abortion. On May 3, 2022, a leak of the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade shattered the nation. Protests erupted to fight for reproductive rights while states moved to either protect or destroy abortion access once the official decision is released. California, long an abortion sanctuary, is stepping up to provide low-income, vulnerable and out of state communities with abortion access. Today, we are joined by California Legislative Women’s Caucus Chair, Assemblymember Cristina Garcia, Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan and Planned Parenthood of California President Jodi Hicks to discuss California’s legislation and resources for this fight.

May is AAPI Heritage month and this year its also the first anniversary of the AAPI Equity Fund – which was created to assist Community Based Organizations fight back against a rising tide of anti-AAPI hate crimes. Assemblymember Phil Ting – who led the effort to create the AAPI Equity Fund – explains why the State Legislature approved the funds, how the money is being spent and what more needs to be done. Plus - Manjusha P. Kulkarni, Executive Director of the AAPI Equity Alliance, tells us about the CBOs working to stop AAPI hate.

The CA Assembly Democratic Caucus continues to grow and change. Three new Members have joined the Caucus recently. Today we’ll get a chance to meet new Assemblymember Lori Wilson, who was the first black female to serve as a Mayor in Solano County. Assemblymember Matt Haney, a former county supervisor from SF and mental health advocate. And Assemblymember Mike Fong from the San Gabriel Valley, who spent most of the last decade working for community college students as a Trustee in the L.A. Community College District.

More than two years ago California designated itself a sanctuary for reproductive rights with the passage of a resolution written by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks. She and Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan and Planned Parenthood’s Stacy Cross met to discuss the reason such a designation was needed. Their conversation about the possibility Roe V Wade would be overturned appears to have been right on point. Virtually everything they said two years ago seems to be coming true. Let’s listen in again.

California is home to the largest concentration of Ukrainians in the United States. Many, like Ukrainian-American House founder Vlad Skots, still have family in Ukraine. In this episode of Look West Skots tells us what its like to have bombs falling on your homeland. And, Assemblymember Steve Bennett says the courage of the Ukrainian people is an inspiration to everyone who loves democracy. He explains what actions the State Assembly has taken to support the Ukrainian people.