Summertime Updates and Activities
Dear Neighbors,
Summer is here and so much is going on!
- District Events -
Our Summer Reading Challenge is underway. I invite all TK-8 students across Senate District (SD) 25 to participate and develop a lifelong love for reading. If students read 10 books between July 1st and September 1st, they can receive a Certificate of Recognition for participating. Summer Reading Logs are available here. To submit reading logs, parents can email a picture to Xalma.Palomino@sen.ca.gov (Subject: Summer Reading Challenge) or drop them off in person at 215 N. Marengo Ave. Suite 380, Pasadena, CA 91101 between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Back to School season is here. Join us for a free backpack giveaway at the Rose Bowl Stadium on Sunday, August 2nd 10 a.m.–3 p.m.
- Legislation Updates -
State Budget Passed
The Senate worked closely with our colleagues in the Assembly and with Governor Newsom to deliver this responsible, balanced spending plan.
The new state budget provides:
- Record-level Prop 98 school funding to support our students’ success
- Funding for universal school meals so children will be prepared to learn
- Record funding for Special Education
- Continued investments in the Middle Class Scholarship
- Critical expansion of funding to support new immigrant students
- Expanded paid pregnancy leave for K-14 school employees
This state budget also maintains large fiscal reserves, while supporting the wide range of critical services Californians rely upon.
Response to the Eaton Fire
Our SB 1090 is receiving strong bipartisan support. This community-driven legislation puts the needs of Eaton Fire survivors first by establishing a temporary moratorium for Altadena on existing state law that allow for increased residential density. Intended to expand housing opportunities statewide, Altadena residents have expressed concern that, in the aftermath of the Eaton Fire, the laws are being used by real estate speculators to acquire fire-damaged properties to pursue higher-density development at a scale that would overwhelm the community’s infrastructure. A similar moratorium already protects survivors of the Palisades Fire through an executive order issued by Governor Newsom. However, the order applies only to areas designated as High Fire Hazard Severity Zones which does not include large portions of Altadena. Altadena residents simply want equitable treatment in their recovery. I’m grateful to my colleagues for their bipartisan support of SB 1090 that will stabilize our community during the recovery process.
Holding Utilities Accountable
We also continue to advance, SB 742, The Wildfire & Emergency Management Act, that would require the removal of abandoned or decommissioned powerlines, like the one suspected of igniting the Eaton Fire. This is my second attempt at passing legislation to remove these dangerous structures and prevent more deadly disasters. SB 742 would also require electrical utilities to collaborate with regional emergency operation centers to ensure effective communication with local and public safety partners during a crisis.
SB 1417, The Mutual Water Company Rate Disclosure and Fair Notice Act, requires mutual water companies, including those serving Altadena, 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.
Holding Insurance Companies Accountable
My SB 877, The Fair Claims Practices and Transparency Act, would respond to the insurance industry’s impact on our community following the Eaton Fire by requiring insurers 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.
My 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 and 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 1098, The Protect Ratepayers from Utility Overspending Act, would establish safeguards for ratepayers by setting guidelines on the use of memorandum and balancing accounts by investor-owned utilities (IOUs) and require 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).
Protections Against Federal Overreach
SB 957, The SHIELD Act, would strengthen user data protections by requiring social media companies to notify a user when the federal government seeks their personal information through an administrative subpoena. This bill ensures that users have time to respond or challenge the subpoena, requires companies to disclose what information was shared, and establishes reporting requirements to the 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 numerous documented 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 is sponsored by the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA), Public Counsel, and the South Asian Network.
SB 1103, The Responsible Enterprise and Public Accounting of Immigration Raids (REPAIR) Act, requires large 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 ensures state and local law enforcement do not participate in federal operations that violate state laws, including protections against racial profiling, targeting constitutionally protected speech, and other conduct that would violate civil rights protections. This bill is sponsored by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) California Action and the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA).
- Resources -
FEMA Assistance Extension
FEMA has approved an extension of critical disaster assistance for Los Angeles fire survivors, allowing homeowners to continue receiving housing support through July 2027 as they rebuild. I’m grateful for FEMA’s assistance extension. For the many fire survivors who remain displaced and continue to struggle throughout their recovery process, the additional financial assistance is a major step towards helping survivors while reconstruction and long-term recovery continue.
Scholarship Opportunity
The San Gabriel Valley Legislative Caucus Foundation will award one-time scholarships in the amount of $1,000 to selected local college students. All completed applications are due August 7th by 5 p.m. Learn more and apply at this link.
- Constituent Services -
Like the summer sun, my team and I are at full strength and intensity! We are ready to serve you. If you need assistance with state government services, please contact my office or visit my Senate website at: sd25.senate.ca.gov.