EVENT REMINDER!

Assembly Member Saldaña hosts Home Ownership and Home Mortgage Resource Fair this Thursday

Assembly Member Lori Saldaña will host a free Consumer Home Ownership and Mortgage Resource Fair from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday April 24th at the Caltrans Building, 4050 Taylor Street in Old Town. 

Representatives from several state and private agencies will be on hand to provide information on buying and keeping a home in the current housing crisis. Participants will include CalVet Home Loans, California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA), the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development  (HUD) and San Diego Home Loan Education and Counseling. 

To RSVP or for more information, please call (619) 645-3090.

*** March 13, 2008 - Informational Hearing***
Click here to listen to the hearing.

Cleaning Up E-Waste

(Sacramento) – One of the newest and most toxic items in the garbage stream heading into the nation’s landfills is e-waste. The hazardous materials in computer parts, cell phones and other electronic devices have the potential to become a toxic nightmare. California Assembly Democrats are taking action now to reduce the impact of e-waste. As we learn in this Assembly Web Report, Assembly Member Lori Saldaña has authored legislation to phase out the use of hazardous materials in all consumer electronics sold in California by the year 2010.

Removing Educational Barriers for Children of Military Families

(Sacramento) – Children of military families confront a number of disadvantages in school because of frequent relocation and transfers between districts and states with differing eligibility, qraduation and testing requirements. Moving up to seven times in the course of their academic career, these students can lose course credits and face postponed graduation and other academic challenges.

California State Assemblymember Lori Saldaña has written legislation to break down barriers to education for the children of military families. As we learn in this Assembly Web Report Saldaña’s AB 1809 will ratify a compact with other states that makes it easier for the students, and their student records, to move from one school to another without losing ground.

Click to Visit

AB 218 (Saldaña) – Electronic Waste 

Would require electronic devices sold in California to be free of hazardous materials, including lead, mercury and cadmium. These pose a serious health hazard to employees recycling businesses and to the general public as the materials aggregate in landfills and seep into ground water and soil

Status: Passed from Assembly to Senate Committee on Environmental Quality

AB 2112 (Saldaña) –Energy Self-Sufficient Residential Buildings

This bill would require the use of energy efficient construction methods and distributed energy to achieve energy self-sufficiency in new residential construction by 2020.

Status: Introduced

AB 2003 (Saldaña) – Climate Protection and Energy Efficiency Bond Act of 2008

Creates the Climate Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund to expand energy conservation and efficiency, and the development and use of solar, wind, geothermal energy and fuel cells and other energy generating technologies and will increase energy efficiency in low income communities buildings and state facilities 

Status: Introduced

AB 1832 Tidelands Statutes (Saldaña) –

Would repeal statutes that have been used to convey constitutionally protected waterfront public properties to private developers.

Status:  Asm. Natural Resources Committee

Going Green! Assembly Democrats Push “Green” Legislation Package

(Sacramento) – Assembly Democrats have introduced a package of legislation designed to improve the state’s environment while at the same time boosting the growing market for “green-collar” jobs. As we learn in this Assembly Web Report, Democrats in the California Assembly want California to again lead the nation – this time by getting out in front with a comprehensive strategy to spur green business and advance green collar jobs for Californians in everything from high tech work in the lab, to installing one of our million solar roofs to weatherizing homes and businesses. 

California’s Budget Challenge: Establish priorities and explore streamlining before making drastic cuts

By Assembly Member Lori Saldaña

Earlier this month, the Governor unveiled his solution to the state’s $14.5 billion budget crisis – a draconian 10 percent across-the-board cuts to most services provided by the state.

His proposal includes drastic cuts in public safety, the potential release of thousands of prisoners, the closure of 48 state parks and cuts to lifeguard staff at local state beaches.

The budget crisis is dire, but the pain of these heavy-handed and ill-considered cuts will definitely not be felt equitably.

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