SACRAMENTO
Senate Majority Leader Mike McGuire’s statement on historic passage of critical housing bills
Senate Majority Leader Mike McGuire released the following statement after the historic vote on two massive housing bills that will boost California’s housing supply and help tackle one of the state’s most serious challenges.
Negotiations on the housing package were led by Senate Majority Leader Mike McGuire, who was instrumental in efforts to arrive at a compromise that will ultimately open the door to thousands of new housing units in California. Both SB 6, the Middle-Class Housing Act and AB 2011, the Affordable Housing and High Road Jobs Act, were approved today by the State Senate and Assembly, and after both houses vote on concurrence, they will be sent to the Governor for his signature.
“The housing crisis is one of the greatest in our state’s history. SB 6 and AB 2011 represent the bold and decisive action this state and our communities need,” McGuire said. “The passage of these two critical bills represents a one-two punch that will expedite the buildout of thousands of homes in all corners of the Golden State in the years to come. We are all grateful for the tenacious work of Pro Tem Atkins and Speaker Rendon along with Senator Caballero and Assemblywoman Wicks on this critical issue – we wouldn’t be here without their leadership.”
SB 6 will expedite the creation of housing in existing and underutilized commercial and retail space, and help make homeownership more attainable for middle class and working families. AB 2011 will significantly accelerate production of affordable and mixed-income housing along transit-friendly commercial corridors.
—Submitted
SACRAMENTO
Abortion package gets amended
From CalMatters health reporter Kristen Hwang: Democratic legislators and Newsom may have spent much of the past eight months describing California as a “reproductive rights safe haven,” but they waited until the final 72 hours of the legislative session to take action on many of the bills behind that headline. As the effects of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade continue to ripple across the country, lawmakers moved to address some of the shifts in last-minute amendments:
The centerpiece of Democratic lawmakers’ package of abortion bills, which would create “The Abortion Practical Support Fund” to provide financial assistance for needy patients, made it through the Assembly with amendments increasing oversight of how the money is doled out. The amendments also propose opening the $20 million allocated for the fund to out-of-state residents.
Although California has moved to prevent law enforcement and medical personnel from handing over patient information to states that have outlawed or restricted abortion, a Nebraska case involving Facebook messages has ignited a flurry of digital privacy concerns. Last week, lawmakers introduced amendments to block California-based social media and tech companies from handing over abortion-related data or records.
And, although the security of abortion records has dominated the conversation, lawmakers also slipped in privacy protections for transgender children who receive gender-affirming health care.
—Emily Hoeven, CALMatters
