This is the second issue of my new quarterly newsletter. Thanks for taking a look.

I’m keeping much of the format I’ve used for the last several years. I’ll still begin with a short greeting, then follow with a few update items.

What’s new is the way this newsletter is designed to interact with my redesigned website.

Rather than clog your mailbox with a giant message, I’m going to provide you an update on my efforts in the Capitol, then call your attention to some information on my website that you may find useful. That way, you can just click on the link and go to the site if you’re interested, rather than having to scroll through a long message.

This time, I’d like to call your attention to constituent services available through my district offices. You may not be aware of all the ways that an Assembly office can serve you. Take a look at the list on my site.

You will find addresses and phone numbers for my offices in Eureka, Santa Rosa and Ukiah on this newsletter, as well as on every page of my website. My fine staff members in those offices are there to help.

Once you’re on my website, look around. What else would you like to see on the site? I’d like to be as responsive as possible, and would love to hear from you.

If you have a comment or suggestions, send me a note.

Thank you,

Patty Berg
Assemblywoman, 1st District

A Message to Washington

As Chair of the Legislative Women’s Caucus, I recently participated in the Assembly’s annual lobbying trip to Washington D.C.  I told our congressional representatives that it’s time for California to receive its fair share from the federal government.  I also discussed a “working families” agenda that would benefit the lives of California women. The agenda included such issues as paid family leave, healthcare reforms and affordable child care. While there, I met with Senators Barbara Boxer, Dianne Feinstein, Ted Kennedy and Representatives Henry Waxman, Zoe Lofgren, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and many others. I also had the pleasure of meeting with chair of the Congressional Women’s Caucus, Representative Lois Capps making this the first time that the two women’s caucuses have ever interacted. I hope it will be the first of many such meetings.

Sonoma County Hospitals

Health care in California is anything but “healthy.”  And that, unfortunately, is especially true in our area. Sonoma County residents recently were stunned to learn Sutter Hospital plans to cease hospital operations by the end of the year, despite the fact it had contracts to provide service in the county through 2021.

Sutter is currently in negotiations with Memorial Hospital – owned by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange – to fulfill the remaining responsibility of its contract.  Sonoma County ultimately has the final say.  Problems abound with regard to women’s reproductive health, ER capacity and more. And if that wasn’t enough, Palm Drive Hospital in Sebastopol is once again having financial difficulties and has had to take some bold steps in hopes of staving off a closure there.

Solutions aren’t easy. But I believe many of these access problems could be solved by adopting a single-payer universal healthcare model like the one contained in Senate Bill 840, by Senator Sheila Kuehl, which I have co-authored.

Earth Day

On April 22, California again celebrated Earth Day. I encourage each of you to help our planet by reducing greenhouse gases that we release each day. We can slow climate change or global warming by doing a few simple things around the home. For instance, plant a tree. The tree will provide shade and coolness and reduce electricity costs.

Switch from standard light bulbs to energy-efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs. If each American changed one standard light bulb to compact fluorescent light bulbs in their house that would be the equivalent of taking the pollution of one million cars off the road. Imagine that! It is so simple, yet so important to the environment.

You can also carpool to work in an effort to reduce greenhouse gases. Those are just a few, I’m sure if we work together, we can come up with a lot of ways to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases.

North Coast Stand Down

The 2nd Annual North Coast Stand Down, at the Humboldt County Fairgrounds in Ferndale, will be held on June 8th through the 10th.  I am pleased to be a sponsor of this extraordinary event that connects our local veterans with services they need, from veterans benefits and employment services to haircuts.  Last year’s North Coast Stand Down assisted more than 180 veterans with much-needed services. I anticipate another successful event this year.  For more information, or to volunteer or register for the Stand Down, contact Nancy Starck in my Eureka District Office at (707) 445-7014. 

Bill Update

The Assembly Judiciary Committee late last month approved the California Compassionate Choices Act, which would give Californians the same rights enjoyed by Oregonians under that state’s Death with Dignity Act.

The California Compassionate Choices Act, AB 374, would allow terminally ill patients with six months or less to live, to ask for and get life-ending medication. The Assembly Speaker is a joint author of Assembly Bill 374 and more than two dozen other lawmakers have signed on as co-authors. I am hopeful that the bill will make it to the Governor’s desk.

AB 682, which would make HIV testing part of the routine blood work your doctor orders during a physical examination, passed the Health Committee. Since HIV testing currently requires special permission from the patient, many people are unaware that they are infected by this disease. I believe this bill will help slow the spread of HIV, while also giving people early warning of their health status and help them live longer lives. The bill was approved by the Assembly Health Committee.

To read a full list of my bills this year, go to the bill page on my website.

Open House

Thank you very much to all of you who came to my new office Open House in Ukiah on April 13. It was a pleasure to see old friends and make new ones during this event. We enjoyed lively conversations about policy issues under consideration in Sacramento.