Press Releases

December 06, 2023
Long Beach, Calif. – On December 6, 2023, Senator Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach) and Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal (D-Long Beach) presented $10 million in funds for the Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA) located in Long Beach. Since its establishment in 1996, the museum has served the Greater Los Angeles area to provide unique opportunities for educators, students, families and visitors of all ages to learn about modern and contemporary Latin American and Latino art. MOLAA provides a great variety of low-cost and free events and resources, including, educational programming, their Day of the Dead festival, tours of their collection and exhibitions, workshops for children and online tools for educators.
 
“As Vice Chair of the Latino Caucus, it is a great honor to support The Museum of Latin American Art in their mission to uplift the unique history and culture of Latino communities from across the globe and to celebrate the diversity of our state,” said Senator Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach). “For many years, MOLAA has provided valuable resources and opportunities for educators, artists and the public to learn and engage with Latino art, history and culture, and I look forward to seeing how their work and impact grows with this new funding, as they continue to serve our community.”
November 13, 2023

Sacramento, Calif. – Today Senator Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach), climate groups, and stakeholders responded to CalPERS’ new climate investments proposal presented during the Board’s November 13th, 2023 Investment Committee meeting. 

“It's encouraging to see CalPERS' take steps to shift away from dangerous fossil fuel investments that jeopardize the financial future of millions of California workers and contribute to the destruction of our planet,” said Senator Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach). “However, this proposal represents a fragmented approach that is insufficient. Disadvantaged communities across our state that have borne the brunt of fossil fuel pollution, battling every day with high rates of asthma, cancer, birth defects, and chronic illnesses, cannot afford to wait. We have the opportunity, responsibility, and capability to accelerate the transition to a cleaner, more sustainable economy in California now. We simply need to heed the call of the CalPERS members who have already called for divestment, as it's the pivotal solution we need, and the right thing to do.”  

October 16, 2023

Long Beach, Calif. – On October 16, 2023 Senator Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach) presented $2 Million in funds during Monday Matters at MacArthur Park in the City of Long Beach, a bi-monthly resource fair where volunteers help provide food, water, clothes, and other essential supplies to unhoused neighbors. Of the funds awarded, $1.25 million will be utilized to enhance the capacity of service providers to assist individuals at risk of or currently experiencing homelessness. The remaining sum of $750,000 will be directed towards enhancing the city’s Reentry Services Program. 

October 07, 2023

Sacramento, Calif. – On October 7, 2023 legislation jointly-authored by Senator Lena A. Gonzalez (D-Long Beach) and Assembly Majority Leader Emeritus Eloise Gomez Reyes (D-Colton) to revitalize the Clean Transportation Program (CTP) was signed into law by Governor Newsom. 

July 18, 2023

Long Beach, Calif. – On Tuesday, July 18, 2023, Senator Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach) announced $23 Million in funds dedicated to projects throughout the Long Beach and Southeast Los Angeles region to help address some of the most pressing needs in the community and advance social, educational and economic opportunities through the arts. The projects receiving funding will provide a wide array of benefits to community members including recreational activities for seniors, historic preservation, arts programming for local artists and youth, supportive services for those experiencing homelessness or at risk of being homeless, and much more. 

“It brings me great joy to announce these local investments for our community,” said Senator Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach). “The funds build on the progress we’ve made through responsible budgeting to advance a better quality of life for all Californians and ensure that we provide the services and resources needed most here in the Long Beach and Southeast Los Angeles region. I look forward to seeing the transformative impact that these projects will have in the near future, and I thank all of our local groups and government leadership who helped advocate for these funds for Senate District 33.”

 

July 10, 2023

Sacramento, Calif. – On Monday, July 10, 2023, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation that will enhance California’s job training pipeline, community benefits, and jobs standards in state and federal infrastructure programs. The Governor was joined by the joint authors of Senate Bill (SB) 150: Senator Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach), Senator Dave Cortese (D-San Jose), Senator Maria Elena Durazo (D-Los Angeles), Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles), and Assemblymember Luz Rivas (D-San Fernando Valley).

“California is maximizing state and federal dollars to build the climate-ready and robust infrastructure we need to protect and prepare our communities for the future. As we build this infrastructure, California is going above and beyond federal job standards to ensure that historically disadvantaged communities can benefit from these projects,” said Senator Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach). “SB 150, which was signed into law today, will ensure equitable access to career opportunities and good-paying jobs for our workers in the green economy now and for years to come. I am thankful to Governor Newsom for signing the bill and to my colleagues in the Legislature for supporting the measure. I am proud of the step our state has taken today to strengthen our commitment to our working families, and I look forward to seeing the positive impact this will have for communities across the state.”

June 29, 2023

Sacramento – California Senators Durazo (SD 26), Smallwood-Cuevas (SD 28), Gonzalez (SD 33), and Cortese (SD 15), and Assembly Member Luz Rivas (AD 43) introduced Senate Bill 150 to enhance California’s training pipeline, community benefits, and quality jobs standards for billions of dollars of federal infrastructure construction and manufacturing investments.

June 28, 2023

Sacramento, Calif. – Senator Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach) released the following statement regarding The Fossil Fuel Divestment Act (SB 252) becoming a two-year bill: 

“I am disappointed that the Chair of the Assembly Public Employment and Retirement Committee has decided not to set my SB 252 The Fossil Fuel Divestment Act for a hearing this year. The bill is very much still alive, and I look forward to continuing to work with the Chair and our coalition of labor unions and youth climate supporters to have a public hearing on the bill early next year.”

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.