Dear Neighbor,

Happy Pride Month! As we head into summer, there is so much to look forward to, from Pride and Juneteenth celebrations to movies in the park, Independence Day gatherings, and more. To help you and your family enjoy the season, I want to share important updates on SUN Bucks summer food benefits, extreme heat resources, and fireworks safety.

We are also at the halfway point in the legislative year, and I have the latest updates on my bills now heading to the Assembly for consideration. I’m also sharing my feature in CSULB’s Dreams Made Here series, where I reflect on my experience as a student at The Beach and the path that led me to serve as a State Senator. From legislative progress to helpful district resources, my office remains committed to keeping our communities informed, prepared, and supported throughout the summer.
 

In the News: CSULB Dreams Made Here Series

I was recently interviewed for CSULB’s Dreams Made Here series, where I shared more about my experience as a student at The Beach and the path that led me to serve as a State Senator. The piece reflects on the people, challenges, and opportunities that helped shape my journey in public service. You can read the full article on LB News.

Updates on My 2026 Legislation

We’re halfway through our Legislative year! Nine of my bills have passed the State Senate and will now move to the Assembly to be heard in policy committees. Here’s the latest highlights:

• Restricting the Use of Military-Style Weapons in Our Communities (SB 937): will place new restrictions on law enforcement's use of less-lethal weapons for crowd control and immigration enforcement, specifically flashbang and explosive breaching charges. Last year, in Huntington Park, border patrol agents used a high-power explosive breaching charge to blow the door and windows off a home where a mother and her two small children were inside. This type of policing does not belong in our communities. Status: Referred to Assembly Public Safety committee. Watch my Senate floor presentation to learn how SB 937 will help protect families and officers in the field.
   
• Long Beach PCH Speed Safety Act (SB 1279): will expand the State’s existing speed camera pilot program to a portion of the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) running through the City of Long Beach to reduce traffic-related accidents and fatalities. Status: Referred to Assembly Committees on Transportation and Privacy & Consumer Protection. Watch my remarks about how this bill can make PCH safer for drivers, pedestrians, and families.
   
• Protecting Refinery Workers’ Safety (SB 966): will turn existing refinery safety regulations into state law to ensure refinery workers have a voice in safety and operational decisions. Refinery workers are on the front lines of workplace hazards – and their input is critical to preventing refinery disasters that endanger our communities and destabilize the supply of gas. Status: Referred to Assembly Committee on Labor and Employment. Watch my Senate Floor comments on strengthening safety protections for refinery workers via SB 966.
   
• Preventing Deceptive AI Health Ads (SB 1146): will require health-related advertisements that use AI-generated or AI-altered images, audio, or video of a person to clearly disclose that the content was created or modified using artificial intelligence. The bill aims to protect consumers from misleading health and wellness advertising by increasing transparency around the use of AI in promotional materials. Status: Referred to Assembly Committees on Privacy & Consumer Protection and Judiciary. Watch my remarks to learn about how we can prevent deceptive AI Health Ads via SB 1146.
   
• CalFresh Support During Federal Shutdowns (SB 1077): will require the California Department of Social Services to develop the infrastructure to issue emergency state-funded benefits during federal shutdowns and create an emergency communications plan to provide information rapidly to CalFresh recipients, local agencies, and stakeholders. Status: Referred to Assembly Committee on Human Services. Watch my remarks on how we can prepare California for federal shutdowns impacting CalFresh via SB 1077.

For more legislative updates on all my bills, visit: sd33.senate.ca.gov/legislation

SUN Bucks Program

When school is out for summer break, California’s SUN Bucks program helps fight childhood hunger by providing $120 in food benefits per child to eligible families. This program is a lifeline for families who rely on school meals during the year. Getting and using SUN Bucks does not affect a family’s immigration status. Children who get SUN Bucks can still participate in other food assistance programs, like CalFresh and Summer Meal Programs. For automatically enrolled children, cards began arriving in late May. Families who do not automatically receive benefits may still qualify by submitting a school meal application or Universal Benefits Application through their child’s school by the August 31 deadline. Visit the CDSS SUN Bucks webpage for more information.  

Summer Heat Safety

As temperatures rise, there are several tools and resources available to help residents stay safe, cool, and informed during extreme heat. The California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) CalHeatScore tool provides daily heat risk ratings by ZIP code, making it easier to understand the heat danger in your area and plan ahead for high-heat days. Check your local heat risk through CalHeatScore or find a cooling center near you on the LA County Heat & Cooling Centers page.

Celebrate Safely 

As we prepare to celebrate America’s 250th Birthday, safety must remain a top priority. Fireworks can cause serious injuries, fires, and property damage when they are not used responsibly. To help keep our communities safe, please review fireworks safety information, local regulations, and emergency preparedness resources on our Fireworks Events & Resources page. By celebrating responsibly, we can protect our environment, neighborhoods, first responders, and families while enjoying a safe and festive summer season.

Water for LA Tool

Los Angeles County has launched a new online Water for LA tool to help residents better understand where their water comes from and how local water systems operate. The site brings together information on drinking water standards, watershed health, infrastructure investments, pollution prevention efforts, and other important system updates. It also allows you to enter your address to identify your local water and utility providers—helping increase transparency, especially for households served by mutual water companies and smaller systems that are often harder to track. Find your water provider, here.

Summer Events & More Resources 

Visit our resource corner for information on free summer events, World Cup viewing opportunities, grants and more.

As always, if you need any other information or assistance, don't hesitate to get in touch with my office at (562) 256-7921 or send us a message here.

Sincerely, 

Lena Gonzalez
33rd State Senate District