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Dear Friend and Neighbor,
The past several weeks have been a sad and jarring time for our country, and I am hard-pressed to find the words that adequately describe the pain and tragedy of recent events. Here’s what we do know: it’s only five months into the year, and across the United States we have already experienced more than 252 mass shootings, including multiple mass shootings here in California, very close to home. We also know that America now has more guns than people. Finally, and perhaps most alarmingly, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, we know that guns are now the leading cause of death for children and teens.
From the grocery aisles of Buffalo to the church pews of Laguna Woods to the elementary classrooms of Ulvade, we’ve all been devastated by these unfathomable attacks. My heart goes out to all of the victims and their loved ones.
In the spirit of National Gun Violence Awareness Day on June 3rd, it’s beyond time to finally say, “enough is enough.” We should never allow this parade of tragedies to be normalized. We should be able to live our lives without fear of gun violence and the loss and pain it causes.
Although I’m frustrated with the federal government's persistent inability to take action on this critical issue, I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished here in California. I’m firmly committed to enacting comprehensive gun reform laws that will keep our families safe. In the Legislature there are several proposed pieces of legislation pending that will tighten our already strict gun laws, and I look forward to supporting them.
As always, if I can be of assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact my office at 714-525-2342 or online at https://sd29.senate.ca.gov/contact.
All my best,
Josh Newman
Senator, 29th District
14 Bills Pass out of the Senate
After a whirlwind week of voting on more than 350 bills as we approached the "House of Origin" deadline at the end of May, I’m pleased to report that 14 of my bills have moved on to the Assembly for legislative action in the other house. Over the next month, each piece of legislation will be heard in the relevant policy committee.
Here’s a recap of my bills that were passed on the Senate floor:
Another Historic Budget Surplus
With the June 15th deadline for approving the state budget coming up fast upon us, the Legislature only has a few more weeks to negotiate with stakeholders and parse out this unprecedented windfall.
California is enjoying another historic budget surplus of $97.5 billion.
In mid-May, the Governor presented the Legislature with his revised proposal of the state budget, based on the most recent tax revenue data. I was thrilled to see that the Governor's May proposal also included $67.5 million toward the construction of the CSU Fullerton Engineering and Computer Science Innovation Hub, which will provide state-of-the-art, hands-on facilities for student, faculty and community research. You may read more about this important investment in the OP-ED that I wrote for the OC Register a few months ago.
American Academy of Pediatrics Award
I was honored to be named “Legislator of the Year” by the American Academy of Pediatrics – California. Since I was elected to office in 2017, I have worked closely with AAP-CA on the issue of childhood drownings, which is the leading cause of accidental death among 1- to 4-year-olds and the second leading cause of accidental death among 5- to 9-year-olds. I am proud to now be working with AAP-CA on SB 855, which when passed will create a statewide childhood drowning data collection system as part of a three-year pilot program that will ultimately help inform prospective public policies designed to decrease instances of childhood drowning.
For a list of my full bill package for the year, you can also visit my website.
Honoring Memorial Day
On Memorial Day, my team and I had the pleasure of joining local leaders in the cities of La Palma, Buena Park and Anaheim to honor our fallen service members. May we never forget the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.
“Bans Off Abortion” Rally
On the heels of the leaked draft opinion indicating the U.S. Supreme Court’s intention to strike down the landmark 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision that guarantees the right to abortion services, I joined local advocates and rallied in support of abortion access. As you can see, my 6-year-old daughter Cecily joined me in the fight for every woman’s right to reproductive autonomy.
We cannot and will not stand idly by as women across America are stripped of their rights. We must protect the right to choose in California. I am working alongside my legislative colleagues to seek a state constitutional amendment to enshrine the right to choose in the state of California.
Buena Park Boys and Girls Club "Youth of the Year" Awards
On April 30th, Kasey and I had the pleasure of joining the Boys & Girls Club of Buena Park to recognize a superb group of young leaders who have demonstrated exceptional communication, goal-setting, and teamwork skills over the past year. They have proven themselves as worthy recipients of the Boys & Girls Club of Buena Park's “Youth of the Month” and "Youth of the Year" awards.
Ice Cream Truck Heads to Yorba Days
My team had a wonderful team passing out ice cream sandwiches and popsicles at yet another fun-filled community gala known as Yorba Days. This charming event brings together the community for a vendor fair, a 5k run and a car show. Thank you to Yorba Linda Chamber for including us in this very successful annual event!
Tour of Huntley College of Agriculture
Nathan and I hopped aboard the Cal Poly Pomona Bronco Express to visit Spadra Farm at the Huntley College of Agriculture at Cal Poly Pomona. This organic farm has been an integral part of the program's mission of hands-on, polytechnic learning since the 1950s, and remains a pillar for student cultivation, research and education.
Distributing COVID Tests Throughout SD-29
During the past month, my outstanding district team distributed more than 8,000 COVID tests to community groups all over our district. Despite all of our hopes, the pandemic is not yet over, and consistent and reliable testing continues to be essential as new variants and subvariants continue to arise. Special thanks to the County of San Bernardino for providing us with the tests!
My Office is at Your Service
Don’t forget, my district staff has your back! If you’re having trouble resolving an issue with any state agency, please call my office at 714-525-2342 and my staff and I will do everything in our power to help. We’ve helped constituents with nearly everything brought to us, including, but not limited to:
- Consumer complaints
- Department of Motor Vehicles
- Foreclosure prevention programs
- Medi-Cal and Covered California
- Professional conduct or licensing complaints
- State taxes
- Unemployment and disability insurance
- Veterans' benefits
To contact the member of my team with responsibility for your community, simply click on their name to send an email:
- Diamond Bar, Industry, Walnut, Rowland Heights, contact Brandon Wong
- Fullerton, La Habra, Stanton, contact Scott Do
- Anaheim, Chino Hills, Placentia, contact Nathan Bass
- Buena Park, Brea, Yorba Linda, contact Kasey Condon
- Cypress, La Palma, West Covina, contact Elizabeth Lavezzari
What’s better than a delicious cup of coffee? Coffee with a purpose, that’s what!
In May, I was very proud to recognize local business ABLE Coffee Roasters as the 29th Senate District's "Restaurant of the Month" for its admirable commitment to providing employment opportunities for people with disabilities, as well as a passion for serving independently sourced organic coffee.
Through custom-tailored training and programs, ABLE Coffee Roasters instills confidence, skills and competency in their workers, enabling personal and professional development while creating a welcoming and inclusive environment in the communities they serve.
Thank you to ABLE coffee, and especially to its managing partners, Adeel Asif and Anthony Palmeri, for your very positive contributions to the community, and of course, your excellent coffee!
Asian American Heritage Month is celebrated each May in California. As it came to a close, I had the privilege of honoring one of the outstanding AAPI leaders in our community, Soo Kang, as my May "Citizen of the Month."
For the past four years, I’ve had the pleasure of working with Soo as she has led the very successful North Orange County Public Safety Collaborative. We are fortunate to have Soo as a leader here in Orange County, and as a mentor and advocate for some of the most vulnerable people in our community.
Soo has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the prevention of youth violence, decreasing recidivism and focused outreach and intervention for people experiencing homelessness. As the Collaborative’s executive director, she has provided leadership and guidance to the 13 cities and more than 40 organizations that are now part of the Collaborative. The Collaborative’s positive impact on our community is a testament to Soo’s character and dedication. We’re lucky to have her serving us.
Submit your nominations for Citizen of the Month: https://airtable.com/shruzKflt1TVWpJVU and Restaurant of the Month: https://airtable.com/shreBlAwjd2SPFIJs
And I’m lucky to have the privilege of serving you. As always, please let me or my office know if we can be of service. Below is a list of resources that may be helpful to you and your family:
Visit State Parks for FREE
In partnership with the California State Library system, California state parks are allowing holders of public library cards to check out vehicle day-use passes for over 200 participating state parks. The California State Library Parks Pass is valid for the entry of one passenger vehicle with a capacity of nine people or less or one highway-licensed motorcycle.
View an interactive map of California’s public libraries and nearby participating state parks.
California Mortgage Relief Program
If you’re a homeowner who is behind on your mortgage payments, you may qualify for a new state assistance program designed to provide relief to people who have been adversely affected economically by the pandemic. Under the program, California homeowners may apply to the California Mortgage Relief Program to pay for overdue housing payments of up to $80,000 per household.
Interested homeowners may visit CaMortgageRelief.org to check eligibility and apply.
Calling for Nominations for CalEnergy’s Hall of Fame
Do you know an avid energy advocate? Consider nominating them for the 3rd annual CalEnergy Hall of Fame awards! The California Energy Commission will recognize the champions working to secure California’s clean energy future in December. Nominate someone by July 1st here.
#CaliforniansForAll College Corps
If you want to develop essential skills that benefit you as both a student and a mentor while helping to pay for your education, #CaliforniansForAll College Corps is for you!
The #CaliforniansForAll College Corps will help create debt-free pathways to college while engaging students across the state in solving problems in their communities.
For more information and to apply, visit: http://bit.ly/C4ACollegeCorps.
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