Sen. Dodd: Unclaimed Property + Earthquake Safety + Community College Month
A Message from Senator Bill Dodd
Dear Neighbor,
During the month of April, I hope you’ll have a chance to get out and enjoy our beautiful district. Spring is in the air and recent rains have left verdant landscapes dotted with bright wildflowers.
In the Capitol, I am working on a number of proposals to improve life for all Californians, including my AI Accountability Act and bills to prevent elder financial abuse, among others.
As always, I am standing by to help. Please visit my website to find contact information for my office nearest you.
In this Issue:
- Donate Life — Organ Donations Save Lives!
- Earthquake Safety — Be Prepared
- Unclaimed Property — California May Owe You Money
- Community College Month
Sincerely,
Senator Bill Dodd, District 3
Donate Life – Organ Donations Save Lives!
I'd like to thank everyone who has registered as an organ donor. If you have not yet signed up as a donor, please consider doing so now, as we kick off national Donate Life Month.
One person's organ donations can save up to eight lives. Cornea donations can restore sight to two people. And tissue donations can heal many others.
The need is urgent:
- CA ranks first among all states with approximately 23,000 men, women and children on the organ transplant waiting list.
- Of those on the transplant list in CA, 85% are in need of a life-saving kidney.
- On average, 22 people die each day in the U.S. (about 7,600 each year) because the organ they needed did not come available for transplant in time.
You can help in the fight to give more people on the waiting list hope that they too will get their second chance at life. I hope you'll consider giving the gift of life by becoming an organ donor.
Learn more or add your name to the state's donor registry by visiting the Donate Life California website.
Earthquake Safety: April is Earthquake Preparedness Month
Earthquakes are common in California. Surprisingly, many Californians don't consider themselves at risk unless they live on or near the line of a well-known fault, such as the San Andreas or Hayward Fault. However, the Napa Earthquake just 20 months ago was a clear reminder that we need to take simple steps to protect ourselves.
I want to make sure you and your loved ones don't get caught unprepared for the next big quake. For tips on how to prepare for an earthquake, click here.
Unclaimed Property – California May Owe You Money
The State of California is trying to return $8 billion to its rightful owners. Is some of it yours?
California’s Unclaimed Property Law requires “holders” such as corporations, business associations, financial institutions, and insurance companies to annually report and deliver property to the State Controller’s Office after there has been no customer contact for three years.
Often the owner forgets that the account exists, moves and does not leave a forwarding address, or the forwarding order expires. In some cases, the owner dies and the heirs have no knowledge of the property.
To find potential money, visit the State Controller’s Office and search the Unclaimed Property Database for money that the state may owe you!
When filing a claim form, you will need the following documentation:
- A copy of current photo identification for each claimant
- A copy of a Social Security card or a tax identification number for each claimant
- Verification of reported address if different from current address
- Specific documentation relating to the type of property, such as original passbook, cashier’s check, stock certificate, etc.
In recognition of the importance of California’s community college system in providing higher education to Californians while improving social and economic mobility, I’m designating April as Community College Month in California.
Our community colleges have world-class faculty and staff, dedicated to educating students and helping them succeed. They provide life-changing opportunities at an incredible value, ensuring all Californians can build better futures for themselves and their families.
The California Community College system is the largest system of higher education in the nation, with 116 colleges across 73 community college districts, serving more than 2 million students annually. Each year, community colleges transfer nearly 80,000 students to the University of California and California State University systems while providing hundreds of thousands more with a skills-based, career education needed to secure good-paying jobs.
California’s community colleges are at the forefront in combating income inequality and are trailblazers in supporting social and economic mobility. Seventy percent of California community colleges students are people of diverse ethnic backgrounds. Campuses serve as an onramp to bachelor’s, master’s and higher-level degrees, including nursing degrees. At the same time, they offer supports for adult students who have to work to support their families. Without community colleges, many students would not be able to access higher education at all.
We are fortunate to have great community colleges in Senate District 3. They are Diablo Valley College, Napa Valley College, Santa Rosa Junior College, Sacramento City College Davis Center, Solano Community College and Woodland Community College. Kudos all around.