Community Resources and Legislative Updates
Dear Neighbor,
This newsletter contains a legislative update and important community resources including summer food assistance for children.
Fire Survivors Come to Sacramento
I was honored to stand with the Dena Rise Up coalition during their recent press conference and lobby day in Sacramento. Thank you to the dozens of Eaton Fire survivors who raised their voices to call for greater funding in the state budget and for passage of important reform legislation, including my SB 878, the Insurance Payment Accountability Act, that will hold the insurance industry accountable. SB 878 will make insurance companies pay financial penalties for missing claim decisions and payment deadlines. I’m inspired by this incredible survivor-led movement and will do all I can to bring about an equitable recovery.
County Takes Action to Help Altadena Tenants
The tenants at 403 Figueroa Drive in Altadena are beginning to see progress after experiencing unacceptable living conditions. The progress reflects the power of tenants coming together and advocating for safe housing they deserve. I am grateful to Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger for taking immediate action after receiving my letter asking for County intervention. For some time, the tenants have endured mold, leaking water pipes, water-damaged ceilings and patio floors, exposed electrical wires, holes in ceilings, damaged cabinets, and rodent infestations. During my visit to the apartments, I was stunned by the conditions and began working in partnership with tenants to elevate their voices and ensure their concerns were heard. After conducting a formal inspection, the County is taking the following actions: The Board of Supervisors approved an emergency motion directing the Department of Public Health to "issue corrective orders and violations for all applicable health and safety infractions." The County will also initiate additional inspections of other properties owned by this landlord. While more work remains, it is encouraging to see meaningful steps being taken to address these longstanding health and safety issues.
I was honored to recognize the independent news outlet, LA Taco, with the Latino Spirit Award for Achievement in Journalism and Media. LA Taco has been on the front lines covering the cruel ICE raids taking place in our communities. Representing LA Taco was Memo Torres, a journalist who is also the Director of Engagement. LA Taco has been serving the community with vital information while holding the federal administration accountable. Read more at: https://latinocaucus.legislature.ca.gov/honoree/2026/la-taco
Resources
Child Food Assistance with SUN Bucks: The state is launching SUN Bucks for Summer 2026, providing eligible families with $120 per child in food benefits to combat food insecurity while children are on summer break and without access to free school meals. Get more information at https://cdss.ca.gov/sun-bucks
The California LGBTQ Foundation is accepting applications for the 2026 Scholarship Program. Applications are now open and due by June 30, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Students enrolled full time in an accredited California college or trade school can apply for an annual scholarship. Get more information at: https://calgbtfoundation.org/scholarship
Legislation Updates
We passed the critical May 29th House of Origin deadline for legislation to pass at the Capitol. My legislative package aims to protect millions of Californians. Collectively, my bills address different issues and threats facing wildfire survivors, students, immigrant communities, social media users, and many others. I am proud to advance this diverse legislative package which puts forward a range of solutions to strengthen transparency and accountability for utility actions impacting rate payers, protect vulnerable communities, and confront the federal government’s ever-expanding overreach that infringes on our constitutional rights.
Here’s a list of my legislation that passed the Senate and now moves into the Assembly for consideration.
SB 877, The Fair Claims Practices and Transparency Act, passed with bipartisan support. This legislation responds to the insurance industry's impact on our community following the Eaton Fire by requiring insurance companies to disclose all loss estimate materials and any revisions to policyholders to ensure homeowners can understand how their policy payout was calculated. This bill is sponsored by Consumer Watchdog and Every Fire Survivor's Network.
SB 878, The Insurance Payment Accountability Act, would strengthen existing prompt-payment insurance laws by attaching financial penalties for missed claim decisions and payment deadlines, require insurers to identify disputed items in writing, and mandate timely payment on all undisputed amounts, even when other portions of a claim remain unresolved. This bill is sponsored by Consumer Watchdog, Every Fire Survivor's Network, and the State Insurance Commissioner.
SB 957, The SHIELD Act, would strengthen user data protections by requiring social media companies to notify users when the federal government seeks their personal information through an administrative subpoena. This bill ensures users have time to respond or challenge the subpoena, requires companies to disclose what information was shared, and establishes reporting requirements to the California Attorney General's office.
SB 995, The Masuma Khan Justice Act, would establish a statewide inspection and compliance framework for large involuntary residential facilities including privately operated detention facilities. People held in these privately operated facilities are suffering and, in some cases, are being treated inhumanely. An unprecedented number of people died in detention in 2025, and that number could be surpassed in 2026. This bill has gained bipartisan support and is sponsored by the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights Los Angeles (CHIRLA), Public Counsel, and the South Asian Network.
SB 1083, passed with bipartisan support. This legislation builds on Senator Pérez’s Safe Learning Environments Act (SB 848) which was enacted into law last year and established a statewide data system to track egregious misconduct by school employees. This legislation strengthens investigation and reporting requirements, creates appropriate vetting standards for independent contractors who work with students, and establishes a review process for classified employees who are added to the statewide data system for investigations involving egregious misconduct. This bill is sponsored by the California School Employees Association (CSEA), American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) California, and the California Federation of Teachers (CFT).
SB 1090, The Keep Altadena Land in Altadena Hands Act, would impose a five-year prohibition on an individual or entity that owns 75 or more single-family properties from making unsolicited offers to purchase property in an area affected by a fire where an emergency was declared.
SB 1098, The Protect Ratepayers from Utility Overspending Act, establishes safeguards for ratepayers by setting guidelines for the use of memorandum and balancing accounts by investor-owned utilities (IOUs) and requires that any costs approved for recovery through rates be set below the IOU's current authorized rate of return. This bill is sponsored by The Utility Reform Network (TURN).
SB 1103, The Responsible Enterprise and Public Accounting of Immigration Raids (REPAIR) Act, would require large home improvement retailers to publicly report immigration enforcement activity occurring on their premises and to disclose their policies on surveillance data-sharing practices and employee interactions with federal immigration authorities. The bill also requires companies provide the State Attorney General with documentation related to such activity upon receipt of an administrative subpoena. This bill is sponsored by the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON).
SB 1105, The Protect California Rights Act, responds to actions by the current federal administration that have resulted in discriminatory and retaliatory measures targeting communities of color and immigrant communities. This bill prohibits state and local law enforcement from participating in federal operations that violate state laws, including state protections against racial/identity profiling, and the criminalization of protected speech. This bill is sponsored by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) California Action and the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA).
SB 1417, The Mutual Water Company Rate Disclosure and Fair Notice Act, requires mutual water companies to comply with specified notice and public meeting requirements before increasing rates. The bill also requires these entities to provide company records upon request by an eligible person and reinforces existing law stating that a mutual water company may not hold a shareholder’s tenant directly responsible for water service.
Constituent Services
Thank you to all of my constituents! I am here to serve you. If you need assistance with state government matters, please contact my office or visit my Senate website at: sd25.senate.ca.gov.
Please reach out if I can be of help.