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California Legislature’s Special Session on Transportation and Infrastructure Offers Opportunity to Improve Economy and Environment with Investment in Transit

San Francisco, CA—Assemblymembers David Chiu and Kevin Mullin today joined a coalition of Bay Area transit agency officials and community and labor leaders to call for increased state transit funding to reduce traffic congestion and improve California’s economy and environment. The coalition voiced support for a package of transit funding bills introduced in the ongoing Special Session on Transportation and Infrastructure that would direct an additional $600 million annually toward maintaining and expanding California’s public transportation systems, which account for more than 1.4 billion passenger trips annually.

When Governor Jerry Brown convened the Special Session, he identified a $59 billion funding shortage over the next 10 years for the basic maintenance of state highways and bridges, and local governments have estimated that a $78 billion need exists for local roads over the same time period. The state’s transit funding backlog in the decade ahead is similarly daunting: $72 billion in maintenance and expansion needs, according to a study commissioned by the California Transit Association.

AB 418 allows survivors to end a residential lease in order to move to safe housing without economic ramifications

SACRAMENTO, CA - Governor Jerry Brown late yesterday signed Assemblymember David Chiu's AB 418, a bill that makes permanent existing state law that allows a survivor of domestic violence to terminate a residential lease in order to move to safer housing. The bill also decreases the survivor's remaining rent obligation from 30 days to 14 days.

Assemblymember Chiu's AB 959 Would Help Ensure LGBT Communities Count

Sacramento, CA - The Senate Committee on Governmental Organization yesterday voted with bi-partisan support to pass Assemblymember David Chiu's (D - San Francisco) Assembly Bill 959, a bill that would help ensure California Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) individuals are recognized and supported by health and human service state agencies.

“Today America moves closer to the fulfillment of our founding ideals. But fundamentally, today’s ruling is not about ideals. It’s about the millions of Americans who now have the right to love and marry whomever they want. The United States Supreme Court decision declaring marriage equality the law of the land is a tremendous civil rights victory for our LGBT community, for San Francisco, and for our country. So many people have fought for decades for this day and they all deserve our deepest appreciation. There’s still more work to do to ensure that everyone can live and love safely and without prejudice – but today is a day of celebration of just how far we have come.”

Assemblymember David Chiu (D – San Francisco) is the Assistant Speaker Pro Tempore of the California State Assembly and represents the 17th Assembly District, which encompasses the eastern portion of San Francisco and the historic LGBT neighborhoods in the City.

SACRAMENTO - The California State Assembly today voted 72-0 to pass Assembly Bill 35, which is jointly authored by Assemblymember David Chiu (D-San Francisco) and Speaker Toni Atkins (D-San Diego). The bill increases the amount of state low income housing tax credits by $300 million and will also leverage an estimated $600 million in federal funds that would otherwise not come to California.

AB 35 is part of a package of bills offered by Assembly Democrats to build more affordable housing in California.

Fixing California’s housing crisis also means better outcomes for health, education and public safety, and it also helps businesses recruit and retain employees, said Speaker Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego). “By expanding the low income housing tax credit, AB 35 will generate more investment in housing, and it’s a key part of the multi-pronged approach we should be taking.”

Assemblymember Chiu’s AB 959 Would Help Ensure LGBT Communities Count

Sacramento, CA – Assemblymember David Chiu’s Assembly Bill 959, a bill that would help ensure California public policy meets the needs of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) communities, was passed by the Assembly today.

“The action taken by the Assembly today moves California one step closer to regaining its place as a leader in advancing LGBT civil rights,” said Assemblymember David Chiu. “It is time for California to start counting our LGBT communities so we can better address health and well-being disparities that these individuals are experiencing every day.”

(Sacramento, CA) – Alongside women’s healthcare providers and religious leaders, Assemblymembers David Chiu (D – San Francisco) and Autumn R. Burke (D – Inglewood) today urged lawmakers to support AB 775, the Reproductive Freedom, Accountability, Comprehensive Care and Transparency (FACT) Act.

The Reproductive FACT Act requires licensed facilities that provide family planning and pregnancy-related services to inform patients about available assistance for affordable contraception, abortion, and prenatal care, including how to obtain that assistance. Facilities that offer similar services but do not have a medical license must disclose that they are not licensed facilities and do not have a licensed provider on staff. This bill is co-sponsored by Attorney General Kamala Harris, NARAL Pro-Choice California, and Black Women for Wellness.