September 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 passed a state budget that delivered multiple budget wins and funding for our communities, and I was able to send eight bills to the Governor’s desk.

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

Chair, Senate Military and Veterans Affairs Committee
Chair, Senate Select Committee Hydrogen Energy

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.

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 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 manage – instead of only dispose of – illegal fireworks.

SB 950 – Vet Cal Fresh: Requires the State Department of Social Services to submit a request to the United States Department of Agriculture to exclude the basic allowance for housing for members of a uniformed service from countable income in the calculation of CalFresh eligibility.

SB 954 – Operating Engineers Database: Requires the Department of Industrial Relations to establish a database of electronic-Certified Payroll Records that is accessible to both multi-employer Taft-Hartley trust funds (29 U.S.C. Sec. 186(c)(5)) and joint labor-management committees established pursuant to the federal Labor Management Cooperation Act of 1978 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 175a).

SB 984 – CALANGUS – Military Leave: Allows state employees who are members of the National Guard to use military leave if called to active military duty and active emergency military duty for the first thirty calendar days of such active service.

SB 1076 – Lead Paint Conformity: Requires, among other things, the State Department of Public Health, to conform California’s program regulating lead-related construction work to the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting Rule.

SB 1111 – Best Safety Act: Requires a person or entity who sells or provides a trash receptacle or storage container that meets certain size criteria to mark the receptacle or container with a reflective marking on each side to improve nighttime visibility, enabling more reaction time and safer roads for drivers and cyclists at night.

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 and allows for denials of those permits based only on health or safety impacts.

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 while protecting consumers and payers.

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

Assistance with State Agencies

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/ 

Senator Archuleta pictured above with community partners and leaders celebrating the $8.5 million secured in the state’s budget to fund all necessary repairs at Smith Park Aquatic Center in the City of Pico Rivera.