Amid political promises of mass deportation under the incoming Trump administration, Senate Majority Leader Lena Gonzalez introduced legislation Monday that will prevent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from entering school campuses.
Sacramento, Calif.- Yesterday, the California State Assembly inexplicably placed SB 1130, the “Broadband for All” bill, on its inactive file, killing the bill with no notice or explanation to the more than 50 organizations that support the measure, including rural and urban organizations, AARP, League of Cities and various small and large school districts. “During this crisis, children are sitting outside Taco Bell so they can access the Internet to do their homework, but the Assembly chose to kill SB 1130, the only viable solution in the state legislature to help close the digital divide and provide reliable broadband infrastructure for California students, parents, educators, and first responders in our communities,” Sen. Gonzalez (D-Long Beach) said.
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.
BY ERNESTO FALCON
The California Legislature finished the 2020 session without doing anything to address broadband access in response to the pandemic. While the California Senate sent much-needed legislation to the Assembly, it was not allowed to move forward from there. That meant no help for the more than 1 million students lacking sufficient Internet access to engage in remote education, or for the countless other Californians relying on their home access to engage in remote work. This year, Senator Lena Gonzalez, the original author of EFF’s sponsored legislation S.B. 1130 to convert the California Internet infrastructure program, is back with a new bill to take action this year, after close work with many of her colleagues.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
