senate district 33 newsroom

press releases


Sen. Lena Gonzalez Becomes First Latina to Be Appointed Chair of the California State Senate Transportation Committee in Over 50 years

Sacramento, Calif. – On Monday December 14th, 2020 Senator Lena A. Gonzalez (D- Long Beach) was appointed Chair of the California State Senate Transportation Committee by Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego), becoming the first Latina in over 50 years to be appointed to this role in the California Senate. The Committee is comprised of 17 members and has jurisdiction over the California High-Speed Rail Authority, California Highway Patrol, California Transportation Commission, Department of Motor Vehicles, Department of Transportation (Caltrans), driver’s licenses, freight, regional transportation agencies, transit authorities, intercity rail, mobile sources of air pollution, fuels, rules of the road, state highways, local streets and roads, vehicles, aircraft, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, and vessels.

Sen. Gonzalez Introduces Broadband for All Act to Bridge the Digital Divide and Address Inequity Underlined by COVID-19: CA Low Income, Rural, Urban Families and Minorities Face Greater Challenges Accessing Education and Healthcare due to Lack of Internet

Sacramento, Calif. – Today, Senator Lena A. Gonzalez (D- Long Beach) introduced Senate Bill 4, the Broadband for All Act to help bridge the digital divide that has long resulted in deep inequity for California low income, rural, urban families and minorities throughout the state.

Sen. Gonzalez Holds Press Conference on Broadband for All Bill that Will Help Generate Upwards of $1 Billion in Funds to Deploy High-Tech Broadband Infrastructure to Bridge the Digital Divide

Sacramento, Calif. – Today, Senator Lena A. Gonzalez (D- Long Beach) will hold a virtual press conference at 10:00 a.m. to highlight “Broadband for All”, a bold legislative proposal she will be introducing on Monday, December 7th for the new 2020-2021 legislative session.

State Senate Holds Joint Oversight Hearing on COVID-19 in California State Prisons and ICE Transfers

Sacramento, Calif. - The Senate Special Committee on Pandemic Emergency Response and Senate Committee on Public Safety will hold a joint oversight hearing today Thursday, November 19, 2020 at 1:30 p.m. to further examine the state’s response to COVID-19 in state prisons.

Sen. Gonzalez and Sen. Connie M. Leyva Co-chair Joint Oversight Hearing on K-12 Distance Learning: How Students Across the State Are Being Served and Are Accessing Online Learning

Sacramento, Calif. - Senator Lena A. Gonzalez (D- Long Beach) chair of the Senate Special Committee on Pandemic Emergency Response and Senator Connie M. Leyva (D-Chino) chair of the Senate Education Committee will co-chair a joint oversight hearing on Monday, October 26, 2020 at 1:00pm.

Sen. Gonzalez Chairs First in a Series of Fall Oversight Hearings of the Special Committee on Pandemic Emergency Response

Sacramento, Calif.- Today, Senator Lena A. Gonzalez (D- Long Beach) will chair the first in a series of Senate oversight hearings by the Special Committee on Pandemic Emergency Response since the end of the California legislative session.

State Senator Lena Gonzalez Introduces Groundbreaking Legislation to Prevent Bias in Hiring, Level the Field for Qualified Applicants from All Backgrounds

LONG BEACH, Calif. – Today, California Senator Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach) was joined by several community organizations and social justice advocates at Centro CHA in Long Beach as she announced the introduction of Senate Bill (SB) 1241, the Talent Equity for Competitive Hiring Act.

Streamlining Services for Children and Pregnant Women Act Introduced to Increase Medi-Cal and WIC Enrollment

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Today, Senator Lena Gonzalez (D - Long Beach) announced SB 1073, the Streamlining Services for Children and Pregnant Women Act, which will fast-track enrollment for low-income pregnant women and children between Medi-Cal and the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). The bill is co-sponsored by The Children’s Partnership and the California WIC Association.