Assembly Committee on Public Safety Hearing:
California’s First Gang Czar: A Legislative and Gubernatorial
Partnership to Combat Gang Violence
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0069
Tel: (916) 319-2069
Fax: (916) 319-2169
District Offices:
2400 E. Katella Avenue
Suite 640
Anaheim, CA 92806
Tel: (714) 939-8469
Fax: (714) 939-8986
Accomplishments
State Assemblyman Jose Solorio, one of the California State Legislature's most effective freshman lawmakers, has completed his first legislative session. During that time, he consistently provided leadership on key issues that matter most to the residents of Central Orange County: preventing gang violence, improving our schools, creating new jobs, and enhancing our transportation infrastructure. He also brought great pride to his constituents by participating as a member of the Assembly's Education, Transportation and Appropriations committees, and chairing the Assembly's Public Safety Committee.
As chair of the Public Safety Committee, Assemblyman Solorio authored important legislation to fight gangs and drugs, rehabilitate youth offenders, and protect the community from violent criminals. In his first few months in office, Assemblyman Solorio authored an historic, bipartisan $7.8 billion prison construction and reform bill that was signed into law. He also worked with Governor Schwarzenegger to launch a new statewide anti-gang strategy of suppression, prevention, intervention, and re-entry programs. As part of that strategy, he co-authored a bill that established the state's first anti-gang czar office.
In the California Legislature, Assemblyman Solorio also made education one of his top priorities. To keep college affordable, he authored a law that will reduce the skyrocketing prices of college textbooks. The bill requires that publishers, college bookstores and professors keep costs in check and disclose more information to students. He was particularly concerned with protecting the budget from major education cuts and helping children and adults learn English. For example. he successfully advocated for protecting the $50 million Community Based English Tutoring (CBET) Program, which provides adults with limited English proficiency with the language and tutoring skills needed to help their children through school.
Looking ahead, Assemblyman Solorio plans to continue to provide leadership on public safety, education and transportation issues. In addition, he plans on working in a bipartisan fashion on other critical issues such as water, healthcare and the California economy.
Legislative Success
First-session accomplishments include these several Solorio-authored bills signed into law. For more information on these laws, click the links below.
