Press Releases

May 18, 2023

Sacramento, Calif. – On May 18, 2023, Senator Lena Gonzalez’s (D-Long Beach) SB 556, The Oil and Gas Pollution Accountability Act, to hold oil and gas companies accountable for the health harms they cause in communities, was held in the Senate Appropriations Committee, meaning the bill will not be advancing through the legislative process this year. Under SB 556, oil and gas companies would have been presumptively liable for causing cancer, asthma, preterm and high-risk births for people living within 3,200 feet of an oil well. 

April 19, 2023

Sacramento, Calif. – On April 19, 2023, Senator Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach) legislative colleagues, unions, workers, public health advocates, and community members came together to champion SB 616 Paid Sick Days for All Working Californians ahead of the bill’s hearing in the Senate Labor, Public Employment & Retirement Committee. In 2014 legislation was enacted to require employers to provide three paid sick days to employees who work 30 or more days within a year from the commencement of employment. SB 616 would increase the amount of paid sick leave required even further, from three days to seven. The bill passed the committee with a 4-1 vote.

February 16, 2023

Sacramento, Calif. – On February 16, 2023, Senator Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach) introduced Senate Bill 674 The Refinery Air Pollution Transparency and Reduction Act, to strengthen the state’s refinery fence-line monitoring program. The bill would help protect the health of communities living near refineries by establishing standard fence-line air monitoring requirements, including quarterly emissions reports and root cause analyses of any threshold exceedances. SB 674 would also expand the definition of refineries to include biofuel refineries and auxiliary facilities. 

February 15, 2023

Sacramento, Calif. – Today, February 15, 2023, Senator Lena A. Gonzalez (D-Long Beach) was joined by the California Labor Federation in announcing Senate Bill 616 which would expand California’s landmark paid sick leave law to ensure all working Californians in the public and private sector can use seven days of paid sick leave each year.

 

February 14, 2023

Sacramento, Calif. – On February 14, 2023, Senate Transportation Committee Chair Senator Lena Gonzalez (D - Long Beach) teamed up with the Los Angeles CleanTech Incubator (LACI) to introduce the EVs for All Act, a new bill that would fill a critical transportation gap for residents of public housing throughout California while expanding access to zero emission vehicles to more low-income Californians.

January 10, 2023

Senator Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach) released the following statement on the 2023-24 state budget proposal released by Governor Gavin Newsom today:

"I appreciate the Governor's commitment to building a resilient budget that maintains investments in key priorities and I look forward to working together with his administration and my colleagues in the State Legislature on how we can develop a comprehensive and balanced budget that promotes California’s values and goals.

October 22, 2022

Long Beach, Calif. – On October 22, 2022 Senator Lena A. Gonzalez (D-Long Beach) presented $1.2 million in funds for the revitalization of the Wrigley Greenbelt. The funds will help renovate greenspace to improve air quality and better serve local residents as a place for recreation, exercise and more.

October 18, 2022

Signal Hill, Calif. – On October 18, 2022 Senator Lena A. Gonzalez (D-Long Beach) presented $5 million in state funds for the renovation and redesign of the Signal Hill outdoor amphitheater. This key infrastructure project will support local artists and provide thousands of local residents with a community hub for art activities, cultural resources, and entertainment.

October 12, 2022

Maywood, Calif. – On October 12, 2022 Senator Lena A. Gonzalez (D-Long Beach) and Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) presented $3 million in state funds for the renovation of Maywood Riverfront Park. The funding will help transform the park to better serve local residents as a place for recreation, exercise, community gatherings, cultural events and more.

September 16, 2022

Sacramento, Calif. – On September 16, 2022, Senator Lena A. Gonzalez (D-Long Beach), Senator Monique Limón (D-Santa Barbara) and community advocates released the following statement following Governor Gavin Newsom signing SB 1137 into law, which creates a minimum setback of 3,200-feet between sensitive receptors, such as a residence, school, childcare facility, playground, hospital, or nursing home and a new or reworked oil and gas production well.