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Dear Friend and Neighbor,
The changing of the seasons means something different to each of us. For some, like my daughter Cecily, the start of fall marks the beginning of a new school year (for school in general actually, having just started kindergarten, something about which she couldn’t be prouder and reminds me constantly). For me and other members of the California Legislature, autumn represents the end of this year’s legislative session. For others, the season denotes neither a beginning nor an end, but an in-between--a prelude to Halloween, and then to the countdown to the holidays and the new year. No matter your orientation, autumn brings with it the overarching theme of change, and asks all of us to reflect on our surroundings and appreciate the enduring facets of our lives.
One of the great paradoxes of life is that, despite its inherently transient nature, it often delivers to us the weight of eternity. On the morning of August 25th, our office--and the communities we so proudly serve--suffered the tragic loss of our dear friend, comrade, and Chief of Staff Marc Hanson. For Marc to be taken from us so suddenly, so heart-wrenchingly sadly, so young and in the midst of a well-lived life, presents a pain and a puzzle that defies both explanation and comprehension.
It’s a given that the paths of most of our lives don’t often intersect with people who are genuinely exceptional--who bring fellowship and joy and purpose to everything they do. Marc was one of those truly remarkable people: deeply committed to public service and blessed with an array of interests and gifts and a passion for living even as he continually worked to improve the lives of others. Having moved up to Sacramento from Southern California to assume his duties as Chief of Staff, Marc was busy doing work that he loved, while also basking in his joy of family, illuminated by a devotion to his wife Shaina and their two sons, Jasper and Enzo, a love which glowed for all to see when they were together.
We should all be so energetic, so curious, so compassionate, so loyal and so quintessentially decent as Marc, and we’re all just a little bit better for knowing him. His memory will be treasured and he will be forever missed.
On the morning of September 10th, the California State Legislature paused on the last day of its 2021-2022 legislative session to memorialize Marc. If you would like to view a video recording of the remarks made by me and other members of the State Senate, you can click here.
Due to COVID-19 protocols still in place, my district office in Fullerton remains closed to the public for in-person service. However, please know that you are always welcome to contact my staff at 714-525-2342 or https://sd29.senate.ca.gov/contact regarding any issues that you’re experiencing with state agencies or programs. My team and I will be happy to assist you in English, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese or Spanish.
All the best to you and your loved ones,
Josh Newman
Senator, 29th District
Marking the End of the 2021-2022 Legislative Session
This legislative year, the California State Legislature had a constitutional deadline for adjournment on September 10, 2021. What does this mean? Once the legislative session is adjourned, no more bills may be heard or voted on until the Legislature reconvenes in January of next year.
Throughout the final weeks of the legislative session, my staff and I worked tirelessly to review hundreds of bills (if you recall from my last Capitol update, the California Legislature introduced more than 2,500 bills) and advance legislation that I authored to represent the best interests of the 29thSenate District.
As of this writing, one of my bills already has been signed into law, and five other bills are on the Governor’s desk awaiting signature:
Securing Funding for Our Community
The final 2021-2022 state budget represents bold and fiscally responsible investments in communities across California. It includes additional financial assistance for small businesses and industries recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as landmark investments in wildfire protection, renewable energy, education and other priorities. These investments will help facilitate California’s recovery from the issues that we face today, while strengthening our resiliency for the future.
I’m proud to have secured over $86 million in the state budget for programs that will benefit communities in the 29th Senate District, including:
- $29.5 million for the preservation of West Coyote Hills.
- $17.9 million for the modernization and expansion of the ALERTWildfire Fire Camera Mapping System.
- $7.8 million for the North Orange County Public Safety Collaborative (formerly known as the North Orange County Public Safety Task Force) to devise better plans and approaches for addressing the root causes of homelessness, youth violence, and post-incarceration re-entry. Now in its 5th year, this year’s funding will allow the Collaborative to expand to include all 13 cities in the North Orange County Service Provision Area, as well as align the efforts of public safety agencies with community-based organizations with expertise and a proven commitment to meeting the needs of their residents dealing with these critical issues.
- $2.75 million to complete the Hunt Library Revitalization Project in the city of Fullerton.
- $350,000 for the West Covina Fire Department for the purchase of a much-needed additional fire truck, which will allow the city to better meet its emergency needs.
- $80,000 for the Tres Hermanos Conservation Authority to perform wildfire prevention work in the city of Chino Hills.
- $2 million for a coordinated data-sharing platform to share information across Orange County’s five different systems of care and programs, including health care, behavioral health and housing.
As I always like to remind you, your voice and your input, which are so important to me as your representative, guide me in my efforts to shape priorities and policies in Sacramento. As my staff and I gear up for the next legislative session, please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office if you have any questions or would like to leave a comment about legislation--we are here to assist you.
2021 Small Business of the Year
As you may know, small businesses make up the vast majority of Golden State businesses, while employing nearly half of the state’s workforce. California’s robust economy is being powered by the entrepreneurial spirit of 4.2 million small businesses employing 7.3 million workers. Even in the midst of a pandemic creating economic uncertainty and supply chain disruptions worldwide, small businesses remain the backbone of California’s economy.
To recognize the vital services and opportunities small businesses represent, each year the California State Legislature, in conjunction with the California Small Business Association, celebrates “California Small Business Day.” As part of this year’s proceedings on August 18th, every member of the California Legislature got to recognize an exceptional small business in their district. For the 29thSenate District’s “Small Business of the Year,” it was my pleasure and privilege to honor Andrew Arredondo of Full Intensity Training Brea (FIT Brea).
From the beginning of his fitness career, Andrew Arredondo had dreams of opening his own training facility. Since opening FIT Brea in 2013, Andrew has been managing a space that radiates positivity for individuals working to improve their physical and mental wellbeing. As FIT Brea’s owner and head fitness coach, Andrew emphasizes a training philosophy that uses comprehensive knowledge of the body to provide safe but challenging and motivational programs that address individual health and fitness goals.
Small business owners like Andrew contribute to the economic diversity and quality of life in our district and throughout California, and I’m honored to represent FIT Brea along with an array of other wonderful small businesses that allow the 29th Senate District thrive. Congratulations again to Andrew for his recognition.
Mid-Autumn Festival 2021
The Mid-Autumn Festival, signifying the end of the autumn harvest, is traditionally celebrated by many East Asian communities on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar. This year, the Festival fell on September 21st, and our district team celebrated (just a tad early) by partnering on a successful event in Stanton Park on September 18th with Stanton City Councilmember Alyce Van, Julie Diep of OC Autism, and Katie Kalvoda of the Vietnamese American Community Development Fund to distribute out coloring books, mooncakes, lanterns and other supplies to local families. Over the course of a beautiful Saturday afternoon, we served more than 600 mooncakes to local residents and donated goodie bags to DeMille Elementary School, the first Vietnamese/English bilingual school in the state.
Thank you also to the city of Stanton, Boy Scout Venturing Crew 680, Girl Scout Troop 5194 and other dedicated volunteers that day who helped make our Mid-Autumn Festival celebration a success! And a round of applause to my staffer Scott, who covers the city of Stanton and who worked tirelessly to coordinate this event.
Our most recent “Citizen of the Month” is Dr. Priya J. Shah, an energetic and inspiring advocate for LBGTQ+ youth in public and private schools in Orange County.
Dr. Shah has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to addressing critical issues pertaining to the inclusion and protection of gender identity, transgender rights and representation of LGBTQ+ individuals in social, academic and literary discourse. In particular, Dr. Shah places importance on transgender theory and activism, queer theory, and colonial and postcolonial issues. Through her instruction and mentorship at UC Irvine and Cal State Fullerton, where she teaches a variety of Gender Studies courses, Dr. Shah has helped to catalyze and empower the local LGBTQ+ community in its ongoing fight for social justice.
At the core of Dr. Shah’s teaching and advocacy is the belief that receiving support and guidance during an impressionable, transitional period like adolescence or young adulthood is essential to building the strength and resilience that are critical to positive social and emotional development. Through Dr. Shah’s leadership and activism, we are seeing a transformative effect--that of empathy and allyship--in our surrounding communities. On behalf of California’s 29th Senate District, I’ve very proud to have this opportunity to honor Dr. Shah’s contributions.
Do you have a neighbor, colleague, family member, or friend who makes a positive impact in our community? If so, I'd love to hear more about their work. Each month, I'll be honoring constituents in the 29th District who are doing extraordinary work. You may submit your nominations here: https://tinyurl.com/g5oq7fqb
Our latest Restaurant of the Month adventure takes us to the city of Walnut, where Chef Ken Hasegawa of Ramen KEN is ladling out flavorful ramen dishes topped with an array of vegetables, nori, eggs and slices of chashu.
Chef Hasegawa was inspired to open his own ramen shop after moving to the United States. As a ramen chef trained in Japan, his dishes reflect the passion he brings to his culinary craft: his ramen broth takes a laborious 40 hours to prepare, and he serves geographic specialties like white miso (fermented soybean paste) ramen from Hokkaido, champon (Chinese-inspired noodles) from Nagasaki, and tsukemen (dipping noodles) served hot or cold. With the impressive variety of ingredients, garnishes, and toppings available at Ramen KEN, every bowl of ramen is made especially for you.
My staffer Evan, who presented Chef Hasegawa with a certificate, was able to sample Ramen KEN’s menu and heartily recommends the red miso ramen. Please stop by 358 N Lemon Ave in Walnut and let us know if you agree with Evan or have a new favorite of your own!
Do you have a favorite locally-owned restaurant in the 29th Senate District? We'd love to hear about it. Submit your nomination for Restaurant of the Month here: https://forms.gle/Xpvguqgafi4R3Jv27
Public Benefit Programs
On September 4, 2021, most federal unemployment benefits expired, including:
- Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA).
- Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC).
- Pandemic Additional Compensation (PAC), also known as Federal Pandemic Unemployment. Compensation (FPUC) supplement.
- Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation (MEUC).
While these benefits have expired, the American Rescue Plan and California Comeback Plan have expanded other vital benefits to assist eligible California families. These benefits include:
- Up to $234 per person per month in food assistance through CalFresh, whether or not a person is working.
- Rental and utility assistance through Housing Is Key.
- Free or low-cost health insurance through Covered California or Medi-Cal.
- Californians who received unemployment insurance in 2021 may be eligible for Covered California’s best coverage for $1 per month.
- Cash aid and services for families with children through the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program.
- Golden State Stimulus payments for millions of qualified residents who file taxes, even if not required.
- Filing taxes may also qualify you for the child tax credit under the American Rescue Plan.
Both UI Online, where claimants certify for benefits, and EDD’s Additional Resources page have information on how to apply for these vital benefits. EDD also provides job resources to assist claimants to find jobs and receive job training. These resources include CalJOBS, California’s largest no-cost virtual job center, with more than a million job listings from over 30,000 private job boards and recruitment sites, corporations, educational institutions, local, state and federal agencies, healthcare organizations and many more public, private and nonprofit employers.
My office continues to work with EDD liaisons to assist constituents who are having trouble with receiving their unemployment insurance benefits. Please do not hesitate to contact my office at 714-525-2342 or https://sd29.senate.ca.gov/contact. We will do our best to help resolve any issues you are experiencing with EDD.
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