SACRAMENTO
McGuire’s Sexual Harassment Disclosure Act to stop abuse on college campuses clears Senate, heads to Assembly
Senate Majority Leader Mike McGuire’s California College Sexual Harassment Disclosure Act (SB 791) passed the Senate, and is headed to the State Assembly. The legislation is a massive step forward and will help ensure perpetrators are effectively removed from the Golden State’s college system.
Between 2017 and 2021, 54 employees at CSU campuses were found to have committed violations of sexual misconduct and discrimination. The violations included requests for sex, unwanted touching and aggressive verbal harassment.
“The Sexual Harassment Disclosure Act is all about shining the light on dark and dangerous behavior, holding perpetrators accountable and ensuring the cycle of harassment and abuse on California’s college campuses is stopped in its tracks,” Senator McGuire said. “That’s why we’ve introduced the Sexual Harassment Disclosure Act, which will ensure hiring committees stop the cycle of harassment and protect students and staff.”
The legislation will require applicants for administrative or academic positions disclose any final administrative or judicial decision determining they (the applicant) committed sexual harassment. That information would then be turned over to a hiring committee at a California community college and or Cal State University, ensuring the cycle of harassment and abuse can be stopped in its tracks.
While Title IX protections exist to protect students, faculty and staff, bad actors have been able to escape the consequences of their actions by moving from one campus to the next.
“Here in California, we’re supposed to defend victims, advance a no-tolerance approach to harassment and hold aggressors accountable. But in too many cases over the past decades on CSU campuses, it’s been the exact opposite. A culture of looking the other way, victim shaming and attempting to cover up violations have been commonplace. SB 791 is an important step to ending the abuse,” McGuire added.
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CLEARLAKE
City’s dream project passes major hurdles, challenges ahead
The city of Clearlake’s new recreation complex, one of the city’s boldest, most exciting projects in decades, is steadily becoming a reality. Earlier this year, the state of California provided $2 million in government funding to the Burns Valley Sports Complex and Recreation Center which helped bring our total contributions to just over $11 million.
On April 25, the Planning Commission approved the project. Since then, the Koi Nation of Northern California filed an appeal on May 4 and the City Council held a special meeting on June 7 to take up the appeal. During the meeting, the City and KOI Nation struck an agreement in principle about tribal monitoring during construction. The KOI Nation requested, and the City Council agreed, to continue the item to the June 15 City Council meeting to finalize the agreement before then.
The City Council will determine how to approach the appeal this week and will reopen the hearing. Please review the meeting details and join us via Zoom or in person.
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CLEARLAKE
Grant funds for 18th Ave improvements
The City received $500,000 from the state Department of Transportation to extend and upgrade 18th Avenue. This augments the $3.5 million already raised by the City. The project includes installing and improving water and sewer facilities and adding electrical lighting from State Route 53 to Old Hwy. More info coming soon
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CLEARLAKE
Big News from Tribal Health
Last month, the Lake County Tribal Health Consortium celebrated the opening of its new state-of-the-art Southshore Clinic. Not only will the facility employ about 60 people, it also brings much-needed medical care to everyone from children to seniors in a community with serious health outcomes. Tribal Health’s new 25,000-square-foot outpatient clinic, located at 14440 Olympic Drive, is open to everyone.
The city of Clearlake and Tribal Health have a strong working relationship which helped bring the project to fruition. At the opening, Tribal Health contributed $150,000 to the Burns Valley Sports Complex.
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