August 2022 Newsletter from Senator Bob Archuleta

Dear Neighbor,

I hope this letter finds you in good health and spirits. It has been a pleasure serving as your State Senator on behalf of communities in Los Angeles and Orange County, and a productive last couple of months as my fellow State Senators and I work on the state budget, legislation and continued support for Californians.

My District office team and I have been keeping busy. From laptop giveaways and ribbon cutting ceremonies, to drive thru vaccine clinics and food banks in underserved regions: we are out there and doing our best to serve our communities. 

My Capitol office team and I have been busy working on budget wins for our district, and legislation making transportation better and healthier for our state’s families. From funding to help our military veterans, to funding for renewable hydrogen to increase air quality for our children: wherever I can, I will always advocate for the health and safety of our communities.

California’s 2022-23 state budget tackles the state’s most pressing challenges, including global inflation, affordable housing and homelessness, climate change, wildfire and drought mitigations, while also investing in education and prudently setting aside billions in reserves. The budget includes a $17 billion inflation relief package for Californians, small businesses and nonprofits. The Legislature prioritized putting money back into people’s pockets with $9.5 billion in direct tax refunds to millions of middle and working class families who are struggling with high inflation and soaring gas prices. Additionally, the Senate secured $87.75 million in dedicated funds for local community projects in the region.

Please continue to check the County of Los Angeles Public Health website for the latest Covid information and updated guidance, as well as vaccine administrating locations, by visiting http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov/

As always, I stand ready to serve you, and encourage you to contact my offices for assistance or with questions at (562) 406-1001 or visit https://sd32.senate.ca.gov/.

God bless,

Senator Bob Archuleta
Thirty-Second Senate District

2022 Legislative Budget Wins for the Community

The legislature passed, and the Governor signed into law, the 2022-23 state budget, which provides $9.5 billion in direct relief to the vast majority of people, meaning up to $1,050 in direct tax refunds to thousands of families in our region. In addition, the budget puts more money in our children’s classrooms by providing a 13% increase in ongoing discretionary funding to California schools.

I am excited for a number of budget wins that will improve the quality of life for our community, specifically:

• $8,500,000 to the City of Pico Rivera to complete the Smith Park Aquatics Center
• $2,100,000 to the City of Montebello for the Downtown Sewer Infrastructure Improvement Project
• $2,750,000 to the City of La Mirada to rebuild the Behringer Park Athletic Fields
• $8,500,000 for the City of Pico Rivera for the renovation of Rio Hondo Park
• $7,500,000 for the Port of Los Angeles for the AltaSea Center for Innovation and Hydrogen Research
• $2,100,000 to the City of Bellflower for the Bellflower Youth & Senior Center
• $500,000 to the Los Angeles Fire Department for two new heli-hydrant locations, which includes converting one Helispot located in the City of Diamond Bar to a Heli-Hydrant
• $500,000 to the City of Whittier for the Lighting Installation for the Murphy Ranch Little League
• $2,900,000 to the City of Lakewood for the Lakewood Equestrian Center improvement project
• $1,300,000 to the Puente Hills Habitat Preservation Authority to provide funding for ranger services for firefighting, law enforcement, outdoor education, and protection of the natural resources for trail visitors
• $3,000,000 to the City of Downey for the New Downey Family YMCA
• $200,000 to the City of Lakewood for the Lakewood Family YMCA Capital Improvements
• $522,000 for allocation to Rio Hondo College for affordable housing
• 16,000,000 for allocation to Cerritos College to support the construction of the student services building
• $600,000 to the Cerritos Community College District for the Student Transit Fare-less System Initiative
• $10,000,000 to the County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation to transform the Puente Hills Landfill into a regional park
• $3,800,000 to the Rivers and Mountains Conservancy for the walking trail along the San Gabriel River to the Pacific Ocean
• $15,000,000 for the Southeast Los Angeles Cultural Center Project

I remain committed to ensuring that the state’s budget delivers meaningful fiscal relief to working families, continued funding to address veteran mental health and suicide prevention, while also ensuring our children’s schools receive sufficient funding. I will be there to support our communities in any way possible by continuing to secure more budget wins for the immediate future and the long term funding our communities rightfully deserve. What I secured in the budget for our region will make a lasting impact for generations to come.

2022 Legislative Accomplishments

I am excited for a number of bills I am working on this year to improve public safety, support our military veterans, and to make transportation safer for our communities and the environment,

SB 1291 - Hydrogen Permitting
Requires local governments to expand their existing administrative approval process for the permitting of zero-emission vehicle infrastructure to include hydrogen-fueling infrastructure.

SB 277 – Fireworks: dangerous fireworks: seizure: management 
Provides the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection’s (CAL FIRE’s) Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) the authority to facilitate and manage the seizure of illegal fireworks – potential budget increase of 50%.

SB 1076 – Lead Paint Safety
Protects more children against lead poisoning by harmonizing state and federal training and certification requirements for lead safe work practices. 

SB 1357 – Property Tax Exemption for Disabled Vets
Provides a full property tax exemption for 100 percent disabled veteran homeowners to help those who are struggling with the high cost of living in California.

SB 1323 – Home Foreclosure
Protects homeowners going through a foreclosure by requiring the seizing bank to hire a realtor to sell the home at market value, instead of putting the home up for auction.

SB 1428 – Board of Psychology Tech
Creates a new category of registered mental health professional, psychological testing technicians, to meet the growing need for psychological and neuropsychological services.

Through my work on the Senate Select Committee on Hydrogen Energy, I am making transportation better, safer, and healthier for families by exploring zero-emission fuel, technology and infrastructure possibilities utilizing hydrogen energy to help California meet its emission targets.

As commercial freight and people pass through our region, the harmful emissions from their vehicles causes respiratory and environmental damages that stay in the region, compromising the health and safety of our communities.

By bringing manufacturers, industry, academics, and stakeholders together, the Senate Select Committee on Hydrogen Energy is providing a forum for innovation and advanced technology to deliver cleaner vehicles onto California roadways to reduce harmful emissions. 

For footage of the Senate Select Committee on Hydrogen Energy, please visit the California State Senate website at https://www.senate.ca.gov/media-archive/default?title=Hydrogen&startdate=&enddate=

In the district, my team and I are ready to help our community wherever there is a need. Whether it is personal protection equipment delivery to senior centers or communities in need, to coordinating with our local partners on drive-thru vaccine clinics, or laptop distribution efforts to students in need, we are here to serve. 

Please continue visiting the Los Angeles County Public Health website for the most up to date information on Covid 19.

http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/data/index.htm

A number of Hydrogen energy manufacturers, university and research professionals, as well as industry stakeholders developed a multi-site tour of locations for my staff and I to study the ways that hydrogen energy is helping California meet its emission targets.

From heavy industries like port operations and freight vehicles, to passenger vehicles and even homes, California is fortunate to be home to a number of hydrogen sites that are expanding opportunities for integrating this zero-emission technology into our state’s climate response plans.

The National Fuel Cell Research Center (NFCRC) at the University of California, Irvine, has been working since 1998 on the development and deployment of fuel cell technology and systems. Their familiarity with the market challenges of emerging technology has turned them into an education resource for stakeholders and policymakers.
 

In last year’s budget, I secured $1.5 million for the City of Pico Rivera to begin emergency repairs as part of a complete overhaul effort necessary for Smith Park 

Aquatic Center. In this year’s budget, I secured the additional $8.5 million in funding needed to complete all necessary repairs on this facility. This outdoor recreation gem in our community needs an overhaul of the boiler system that heats the pool’s waters, in addition to structural and aesthetic upgrades to keep the facility operational for generations to come.

During these past couple of years, we all found a renewed appreciation for our cherished recreational centers as they offered us an outdoor space to exercise and take a break from our homes during stressful times.

This is an important budget win for our community that will revitalize a vital community resource, especially during summer and I am excited to have secured additional funding in this year’s budget to fund all needed repairs.
 

I am happy to report that this year’s budget secured a number of funding wins that will deliver something for everyone in our community. I am excited about the funding to overhaul facilities like Smith Park Aquatic Center in Pico River and the Behringer Park Athletic Fields in the City of La Mirada. We need the funding for public safety upgrades for Los Angeles Fire Department’s heli-hydrant facilities to ensure our fire departments are ready to respond. The budget supports the local research into zero emissions technology conducted by the AltaSea Center for Innovation and Hydrogen Research to reduce harmful vehicle emissions and expand the state’s climate response portfolio.  

I will update you on implementing these funds in the months to come as I am out in the community celebrating the progress, upgrades and research made possible by this year’s budget wins!
 

Extreme fires are a growing threat to public health and safety, to homes, to air quality and climate goals, and to our forests. California is seeing fires that burn larger and hotter on average than ever before. One quarter of our state — more than 25 million acres — is now classified as under very high or extreme fire threat. And more than 25 percent of the state’s population lives in these high fire-risk areas. Smoke from extreme fires can occur with little warning, and travel long distances and into urban areas many miles from the flames, negatively impacting public health and degrading quality of life. Check with the California Ari Resources Board for more information by clicking here.

Expect more updates from me in next month’s newsletter.
 

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 Board, 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

Chair, Senate Military and Veterans Affairs Committee

Chair, Senate Select Committee Hydrogen Energy

Senator Bob Archuleta represents the 32nd Senate District, which includes portions of Los Angeles County and Orange County. He is Chair of the Senate Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs, Chair of the Select Committee on Hydrogen Energy, and member of the Senate Select Committee on California, Armenia and Artsakh Mutual Trade, Art and Cultural Exchange.

Website of Senator Bob Archuleta: https://sd32.senate.ca.gov/