Dear Neighbor,

Are you familiar with the term AANHPI? AANHPI is an acronym for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander. This May is AANHPI Heritage Month and Team Gonzalez is celebrating by uplifting the voices and contributions of AANHPI residents. Know someone from the AANHPI community doing great work in Senate District 33? Make sure to nominate them to be recognized by our office this month!  

At the Capitol, my bill SB 972 passed Senate Health Committee and SB1382 Equity in Clean Cars 4 All passed Senate Governance and Finance Committee. Recently, the Senate released a plan for 2022 budget priorities and the Governor presented his May Revise. Next week, bills are headed to suspense and we will find out which bills make it out of the Appropriations Committee to go up for a vote on the floor!

In the District, I joined local reproductive rights advocates at a Roe v. Wade rally and held a press conference following news reports detailing an initial draft U.S. Supreme Court majority opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade and end federal constitutional protections for the right to abortion.

Aid is still available through the Long Beach Recovery Act Nonprofit Relief Grant Program for small nonprofits in Long Beach that have experienced financial hardship due to COVID-19, LA County is hiring election workers to help during this 2022 primary election, NALEO will be hosting a citizenship workshop, state and federal partner agencies will be hosting a free Small Business Webinar and the Minerva Scholarship and California Latino Legislative Caucus Foundation Scholarship are still taking applications!  

Lastly, please take some time to complete our new poll: What would you like to see in LA County’s Revitalization Plan for the LA River?

AANHPI Heritage Month

• Last year was tough for our AANHPI friends and neighbors with anti-Asian hate crimes up by 339%. This is NOT reflective of our values as a state and country. That is why this Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month we must rise together to celebrate AANHPI community and uplift their voices and recognize their contributions to our country and local neighborhoods. If you know someone from the AANHPI community that has demonstrated commitment and dedication to Senate District 33 through significant and direct volunteer service, make sure to nominate them to be recognized by our office! Submit your nomination here. Nominations will be accepted through May 24, 2022.

News from the Capitol  

• On April 20, my bills SB 972 and SB 1382 passed key committees and are one step closer to the finish line! SB 972 will help create a more equitable food economy that enhances health and food safety and includes street food vendors and SB 1382 will address existing inequity in access to zero-emission and hybrid vehicles, especially in emissions overburdened communities.
• Recently, Senate Leadership announced the second phase of the Senate’s “Putting Wealth to Work” budget proposal for 2022 which would continue to prioritize a more equitable economy to benefit struggling and middle-class families and build historic levels of reserves.
• Governor Gavin Newsom also released his revised 2022-23 state budget proposal (May Revise) you can read all about it here.
• Next week, Senate Appropriations Committee suspense file hearings will take place for any bill that has an annual cost of $50,000 or more to the General Fund or $150,000 or more to a special fund. The vast majority of bills end up being referred to the Appropriations Committee suspense file. The committee determines which bills can and cannot be afforded by the state based on the latest available revenue figures. Bills that are advanced off the suspense file will move forward in the legislative process, and bills deemed too expensive will be held on suspense, meaning the measure will not continue through the legislative process. Learn more about suspense week here! 

In the District

• Following news reports detailing an initial draft U.S. Supreme Court majority opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade and end federal constitutional protections for the right to abortion, I joined local reproductive rights advocates at a Roe v. Wade rally and held a Reproductive Rights press conference in Long Beach. Read about our press conference here or watch the full event online here. The harm that overturning Roe v. Wade will cause cannot be overstated. At its core, the criminalization of abortion care is the undoing of decades of progress in access to healthcare and reproductive freedom, and I remain firmly committed to standing up for these fundamental rights for all Californians.
• Team Gonzalez finished strong this past Earth Month with celebrations all across the District. We hosted a clean-up and resource fair in Cudahy, planted trees in North and West Long Beach, and learned about sustainable practices for growing organic, healthy, local produce at The Growing Experience Urban Farm in Carmelitos.
• I also had the opportunity to speak with about a dozen of my local Senate District 33 new car dealers at a roundtable about expanding access to zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) to more residents. It was motivating to see their commitment to ensuring everyone has an opportunity to get into a clean car in California and I am excited to continue my work in advancing equity in access to ZEVs.
• My office presented a certificate of recognition to Long Beach Airport and celebrated the grand opening of their new state-of-the-art Ticketing Lobby, a new facility built to enhance the experience of travelers with sustainability in mind.
• We also had the honor of attending the Greater Huntington Park Area Chamber of Commerce’s first Annual Health, Business, and Community Partnership Initiative luncheon. We provided a certificate to Community Hospital of Huntington Park CEO Matt Whaley who talked about building partnerships with community organizations to host health fairs and provide more health resources in Southeast LA.

Long Beach Recovery Act Nonprofit Relief Grant Program

• Long Beach Nonprofits now have until June 15th to apply for the LB Recovery Act Nonprofit Relief Grant, and until July 15 to receive their business license and still be eligible for grant awards! Eligible nonprofits can apply to receive working capital from $5,000 up to $25,000 to help pay for a variety of business expenses. For more information visit http://longbeach.gov/smallbizgrants. 

Become an Election Worker

• LA County is looking for poll workers this Election Year. It's Election Workers that make the difference! Help your community and get paid to work at a Vote Center in the 2022 Primary Election. Apply at http://LAVOTE.GOV/ElectionWorker.

NALEO Citizenship Workshop

• NALEO Educational Fund will be hosting an in-person citizenship workshop where they will be assisting community members in filling out their citizenship applications completely free. Volunteers and immigration attorneys are donating their time to help the community in taking the next step in becoming U.S. citizens at this free event for the community. The event will take place Saturday, June 11, 2022 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at East Los Angeles Community College. To register please call 888-839-8682. 

FREE Small Business Webinar

• Join the State Controller’s Office, the California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and the CalAsian Chamber of Commerce for a FREE Small Business Webinar on May 18, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. Learn more about programs available to you, including small business resources and assistance through the CA Hispanic Small Business Development Centers! Representatives will also take questions from the audience and answer them live at the event. Please click here to register in advance for this webinar.   

Reminder: Minerva and California Latino Legislative Caucus Scholarships Available!

• Looking for help with college costs? Check out the Minerva Scholarship program and the California Latino Legislative Caucus Foundation Scholarship program. Both scholarships are still taking applications, but hurry, deadlines are approaching fast!

New Poll: LA County’s Master Plan to Revitalize the LA River

Los Angeles County is updating the LA River Master Plan, a comprehensive approach covering all 51 miles of the LA River. The effort was launched to update the original 1996 Master Plan, synthesizing more recent ideas for portions of the River and bringing a comprehensive vision to the transformation of the LA River. What would you like to see in LA County’s plan to revitalize the LA River? Share your thoughts here.

Top Social Media Posts

Check out my top social media posts below! Remember to follow me @SenGonzalez33 on FB and Twitter for legislative updates, resources, events and much more!

As always, if you need any other information or assistance, please contact my office at (562) 256-7921 or send us a message here. Happy AANHPI Heritage Month!

Sincerely,

Lena Gonzalez
33rd State Senate District