October 2021 Newsletter

Dear Neighbor,

I hope this letter finds you in good health and spirits as we head into the fall season. It has been a productive last couple of months in Sacramento as my fellow State Senators and I have continued working to help families safely move forward through the pandemic while our State continues the process of keeping businesses safely open, just as students begin returning to school and university for in-person classes.

My Capitol office team and I have been busy working to deliver more supportive resources and budget wins for our district. From increased funding for the County Veteran Service officers who help our military veterans troubleshoot or access their benefits, to equipment and building upgrade finances for the City of La Habra Heights Fire Department: wherever I can, I will support those in our community who are doing their best to serve and protect us.

My district office team and I have been busy reconnecting with our regional partners. From laptop giveaways to students in advance of the new school year, to community bike rides displaying new activity and transportation spaces, to ribbon cutting ceremonies welcoming new entrepreneurial enterprises to our cities: we are out there and excited about seeing everyone wherever we can be of service.

Over the last month, Los Angeles County Public Health has begun ordering that masks be worn again by everyone in Los Angeles County 2 years of age and older in response to increased community transmission of the Delta variant of Covid-19. They issued the directive with a reminder to get your vaccine dose(s) immediately. I share the Department’s concerns and continue to encourage everyone to practice safe physical distancing where necessary, and vaccinate immediately.

As always, I stand ready to help you resolve any issues you may have with any state agencies, and encourage you to please reach out to either my Capitol or District offices for assistance at (562) 406-1001 or visit https://sd32.senate.ca.gov/.

God bless,

Senator Bob Archuleta
Thirty-Second Senate District

Budget Wins for Public Health, Veterans, and Public Safety

I shared with you previously how privileged I am to have worked with my colleagues to deliver something for everyone in our community on projects ranging from $4.5 million for a clinical trial network of blood cancer experts across UC cancer centers to $1.1 million for the city of La Habra Heights Fire Department to upgrade their equipment and facilities. The full text of my press release and listing of budget wins for our district can be found here.

Seven Bills Sent to the Governor’s Desk

This year, I sent seven bills to the Governor’s desk for his signature, in addition to more budget wins for the district, specifically:

• $1,000,000 in funding for Smith Park Aquatic Center in Pico Rivera for emergency repairs
• $5.019,000 in funding for Parnell Park in Whittier for improvements and renovations to the park’s facilities
• $1,075,000 in funding for La Habra Heights Fire Department for a new fire engine and building upgrades

I am committed to improving the quality of life and public safety of all the communities in my district. I worked on bills that delivered something for everyone: funding for organizations that support military veterans, a statewide study on hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle infrastructure to meet our zero emission targets, and safer protocols for waste haulers to reduce accidental fires that cause wildfires and contribute to climate change.

The seven bills I sent to the Governor’s desk this year for his signature were:

• SB 244 – Requires Cal Fire in consultation with relevant state agencies, the waste industry, and local governments to develop protocols for the proper management of the disposal of lithium-ion batteries, including safe handling, detection, and the suppression of fires originating from discarded lithium-ion batteries to follow to prevent fiery waste loads from lithium batteries that lead to wildfires.
• SB 268 - Authorizes establishment of the Lower San Gabriel River Recreation and Park District and make changes to the initial board of directors for the Lower Los Angeles River Recreation and Park District.
• SB 392 - Will improve accessibility to important documents and reduce delivery costs by requiring homeowner associations (HOAs) to communicate with homeowners via email, unless a resident chooses to receive communications via another method, such as traditional mail.
• SB 484 – Protects consumers while allowing them to choose a licensed plumbing contractor to conduct a sewer lateral inspection and make any needed repairs, even if the plumber’s company has performed a home inspection on the same property.
• SB 614 – Makes necessary revisions to ensure the CA Military Department Foundation (CMDF) can expend donated funds for Servicemembers and supports the CMDF in collaborating with like-minded organizations to ensure that Servicemember needs are met. (signed into law by Governor Newsom)
• SB 643 – Requires the California Energy Commission, in consultation with the California Air Resources Board and the Public Utilities Commission, to prepare a statewide assessment of the fuel cell electric vehicle fueling infrastructure and fuel production needed to support the adoption of zero-emission trucks, buses, and off-road vehicles.
• SB 800: Improves oversight of real estate and real estate appraiser professionals, while expediting applications for honorably discharged military service members and military spouses with qualifying education, training or credentialing experience. (signed into law by Governor Newsom)

As our communities strive to safely reopen and make the long term planning that is necessary to operate efficiently, I will be there to support them in any way possible. I will be their partner and advocate by continuing to work on common sense legislation. Moreover, I will continue to deliver budget wins to support the immediate and long term funding that our communities rightfully deserve.

Overview of the State and the Progress of the Hydrogen Industry

I was privileged recently to chair the first meeting of the Senate Select Committee on Hydrogen Energy to provide an overview of the State and the progress of the hydrogen industry as California continues making use of emerging energy technology to help the State meet its clean energy goals.

Hydrogen energy will be an important part of our clean energy future, and exciting new technologies in that sector will pave the way for zero emissions vehicles and transportation in California. I look forward to working with my colleagues, industry experts and the transportation industry to learn how we can incorporate hydrogen fuel cell technology into our zero-emission plans in sectors ranging from personal transportation vehicles to heavy-duty vehicles such as public transit and freight trucks. To watch video footage of the Committee’s first meeting, please check the California State Senate’s media archive at https://www.senate.ca.gov/media/senate-hydrogen-energy-committee-20210727/video

In the district, my team and I are hard at work reminding everyone to vaccinate as soon as soon as possible. As vaccines are now more readily available, it is incumbent upon all of us to do our part and visit a drive thru location or the nearest pharmacy as soon as we are able to do so.

Twentieth Anniversary of September 11, 2001

This year, our nation marked the twentieth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the Twin Towers in New York, the Pentagon, and the lives lost from the plane diverted by brave passengers into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Those of us alive when the attacks took place remember where we were the moment we learned of the immense loss of life that had befallen our nation. We also remember the images of brave first responders and New Yorkers running towards the site of the attacks in order to save lives.

We will never forget those whom we lost on that fateful day. We must strive to keep their memory alive, and be supportive of their loved ones as they keep their legacies alive.

I visited Rose Hills Cemetery that morning where they solemnly acknowledged the events of that fateful day twenty years ago with a flag display, numbering in the thousands, in remembrance of those who lost their lives. I also visited the US Marine Corps Reserve Training center in Pico Rivera to spend lunch with the brave men and women there who have committed their lives to our nation’s freedom by enlisting in our armed forces. Their commitment is something for all of us to be proud of every day.

Whittier Chamber Luncheon

I joined the Whittier Chamber of Commerce and local community partners bright and early for a breakfast mixer, hosted by Rose Hills.

It was a privilege to share a morning with so many of our community’s partners and advocates to discuss with them the budget and legislative work my office is doing in Sacramento on their behalf, and to hear from them about their ongoing efforts to support our local economy.

Bardwell Hall at Biola University Re-Dedication

I joined the community and Biola University leaders in the City of La Mirada for the re-dedication of Bardwell Hall at Biola University. We are excited about the new academic opportunities for their arts and visual graphics department instructors and students made possible by this re-dedicated and re-imagined facility, and look forward to the generations of students from the local community who will benefit from this investment.

Community Celebration with La Habra Heights Fire Department

We had a great turnout in La Habra Heights with the La Habra Heights Fire Department celebrating their new fire engine and new apparatus headquarters alongside the rest of the community, and Assemblymember Lisa Calderon.

Our community is eternally grateful to the firefighters for their ongoing commitment to our city’s public safety. They truly are heroes for the work they do to keep us all safe, every single day.

It was an honor and a privilege to share with the community that in this year’s state budget, I was able to secure $1,075,000 for the fire department in order to make these necessary upgrades to their public safety equipment and facilities. 

I look forward to continue supporting our first responders wherever possible because of the important work that they do to save lives while fighting fires in our community.   

Community Celebration for Parnell Park in Whittier

In October, we will be celebrating a major budget win for our region at an upcoming community celebration to announce $5,019,000 in funding for Parnell Park in the City of Whittier for improvements and renovations that will upgrade the park’s facilities, and enhance the community’s ability to enjoy this vital open space resource for generations to come. The event will take place at 15390 Lambert Rd. Whittier, CA 90604 on Friday, October 15, 2021 at 9:30 AM.

I am excited to see a much-loved part of our community receive funding that will enhance the quality of life for everyone who visits and lives near Parnell Park. This park is a rarity for offering something for all of our community members: a petting zoo in an urban setting that brings farm animals to children for hands on learning, a community and senior center for event hosting opportunities, and athletic facilities for basketball and tennis next to playgrounds and picnic tables.

Parnell Park is located within the City of Whittier at 15390 Lambert Road, at the intersection of Scott Avenue and Lambert Road, and is within walking distance of hundreds of homes, thousands of residents, a middle school and two elementary schools, meaning this budget win will be felt in many households for generations to come.

I am excited to see this park receiving improvements that generations of Whittier families will appreciate, and look forward to working for more budget wins for our community.

My staff is available and committed to helping you resolve any issues you have with any state agencies. We will contact a state agency on your behalf to see if we can help get your questions answered or matter resolved.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, my staff has helped hundreds of people in our community with EDD claim issues, ensuring they received their benefits. Whether you have an issue related to this year’s tax season for which you need to speak with the Franchise Tax Bureau, or your professional license with the Department of Consumer Affairs is pending and you are not sure when it will be renewed, we can help if you give us a call at (562) 406-1001. You can also find answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) at https://bit.ly/3ikvzm6

Sincerely,

Senator Bob Archuleta
Thirty-Second Senate District