Dear Friends,
I would like to thank you all for your continued support throughout the years. When I first ran to represent our district in the California State Assembly, I promised you all that I would bring our voice to the legislature. Though there is still more work to be done, I am proud of what we have accomplished in the past four years. With the help of my team, many of my bills were able to be signed by the Governor and have an immediate impact on the benefit of our district. These include bills like AB 685, which requires employers to provide a notice within one business day to employees who have been exposed to COVID-19 at their worksite and report to the California Department of Public Health if an outbreak occurs.
In Sacramento, we have finished finalizing our 2021 bill package for the legislative year after consulting with stakeholders and advocates from all over the 47th District and the state. If you or someone you know has input on how to help out in our district, please feel free to contact my office through my website. As I have said before, my priorities are the needs of our district. Some of the bills in the package are listed below:
- AB-47 Services for Children & Families Separated at the Border: This bill would create a unified response to connect families affected by family separation with needed resources to overcome the effects and trauma caused by separation.
- AB-92 Affordable Child Care Act of 2021: This bill will create an equitable sliding scale for family fees that will alleviate the burden on working families struggling to pay for child care and early childhood education services.
- AB-393 Integrating California’s Child Care System: AB 393 supports the transfer of child care and development programs from the California Department of Education (CDE) to the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) to create a more equitable and integrated child care and social safety net system for families, children, and providers.
- AB-412 California Commission on Human Rights: This bill would create a new state commission to oversee the status and of human rights in California and provide policy recommendations.
- AB-438 Worker Protections for All School Employees: AB 438 would standardize layoff notice practices so that classified employees, such as custodians and food workers, have the same notice and hearing protections as teachers and certified employees.
- AB-469 Increasing Access to Financial Aid: AB 469 requires Local Educational Agencies (LEA’s) to ensure that high school seniors complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the California Dream Act Application (CADAA).
- AB-654 COVID-19: exposure: notification: AB 654 is intent clean up to AB 685. This bill would require the State Department of Public Health to make workplace and industry information received from local public health departments available on its internet website in a manner that allows the public to track the number of COVID-19 cases and outbreaks by both workplace and industry.
- AB-849 Skilled nursing facilities: intermediate care facilities: liability: This bill amends the language of the CA Health and Safety Code, clarifying the penalties and fines for violations in the Long Term Care Act. When a lawsuit is brought against the facility for violating health and safety standards, the facility will be held liable to the plaintiff for up to $500 per violation per day, as well as attorney and court fees.
- AB-900 Charitable trusts: AB 900 would require a charitable trustee to provide notice to the Attorney General when the charitable trustee proposes to sell, transfer, lease, convey or exchange substantially all charitable assets owned by the trust.
- AB-1072 Small Businesses: Would require the Office of Small Business Advocate within the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development to provide technical assistance to small businesses who would like to get certified and be eligible to apply for state contracts. This will provide small businesses with the information they need to apply for state contracts.
- AB-1461 Benefits for U-Visas, T-Visas and Asylum Applicants: AB 1461 would allow applicants for U-Visas to obtain benefits upon filing their application. This allows people to access crucial benefits sooner.
- AB-1547 Good Neighbor Policy: Requires responsible environmental standards to mitigate the impact of warehouse developments on schools, residential neighborhoods and the surrounding environment.
New role for Assemblymember Reyes
As some of know, I recently became the first Latina Assembly Majority Leader and I am grateful for the opportunity to have this leadership position. With this position, I represent the Speaker on the Floor, expedite Assembly Floor proceedings through parliamentary procedures such as motions and points of order, and promote harmony among the membership.
With this position, I will be able to bring additional resources and more attention to our community in a way I couldn’t before - always centering inclusion and equity. I now will be able to better fight to fix some of the issues in our community like the quality of our air, small business economic relief and economic stimulus for our community. I am blessed to have been appointed to this new position and I will continue to work for the betterment of our community and our state.
Important News in the 47th District
After many years of planning and considerations, the Mt. Vernon Bridge has closed and will remain so until late 2023. During this time, the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA), BNSF Railway, and Caltrans will disassemble the bridge and in its place construct a new bridge with the expectation that construction will conclude in March 2024. Fortunately, SBTCA officials have promised that the new bridge will capture the history of our beloved Mt. Vernon Bridge.
District information on things done this year
January 6: Virtual Town Hall with Small Business Majority
Where I met with the Small Business Majority in order to provide an overview of the CA Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program. This included going over the eligibility requirements, the application, and the documents required. During the town hall, federal updates for small business owners provided.
January 18: MLK Food Drive
I worked with the Sahaba Initiative, CAIR, and other volunteers at the Arroyo Valley High School for a food giveaway. The group distributed 1,500 boxes of food for families via a contactless drive-thru. People who received food also were given hygiene kits, blankets, and face masks to help with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
February 25: COVID-19 Vaccine Town Hall
I partnered with Senator Connie M. Leyva and Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr. to discuss the COVID-19 vaccine in San Bernardino County. Our guests included County of San Bernardino Department of Public Health Director, Corwin Porter; Assistant Director, Josh Dugas; and Arrowhead Regional Medical Center Chief Operating Officer, Andrew Goldfrach.
March 20: Food Distribution Drive-Thru at San Manuel Stadium
I joined the Community Action Partnership of San Bernardino County, Feeding America Riverside & San Bernardino County, Supervisor Joe Baca Jr., Inland Empire 66ers Baseball, and the County of San Bernardino Department of Public Health to distribute food to those in need in the community. Over 1,000 food boxes were distributed.
March 26: Candlelight Vigil for COVID-19 Victims
I partnered with the City of San Bernardino to virtually honor and remember all the victims of the COVID-19 pandemic within the 47th Assembly District.
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