In My Own Words

Protecting Our Veterans from Insurance Scams

May 03, 2012

It is hard to believe that some insurance companies and agents would purposefully take advantage of older military veterans for monetary gain. Unfortunately, that is just what is occurring in community centers, nursing homes and assisted living facilities across the state when senior vets are talked into "quick overhauls" of their finances that sometimes have disastrous results. In an effort to put a stop to this exploitation of our seniors, I have authored SB 1170, which protects veterans from insurance scams.

Protecting Consumers from Abusive Debt Collectors

February 21, 2012

A friend and colleague of mine recently received an unexpected call from his employer notifying him that his wages would be garnished. Apparently, a judgment had been issued on an outstanding debt of several thousand dollars, and as a result, the courts had approved the wage garnishment. The only problem was that my friend had no outstanding debts, nor was he notified of any lawsuit. It turns out that the unpaid bill actually belonged to another man with a similar name and a different address.

ALERT: Bay Bridge Westbound Deck Closed President's Day Weekend

February 16, 2012

Dear Friends,

I would like to remind you about the upcoming Bay Bridge closure. The westbound deck of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge leading into San Francisco will be closed on President's Day Weekend due to construction. The bridge will close at 8 p.m. on Friday, February 17 and is scheduled to reopen at 5 a.m. on Tuesday, February 21.

Keeping illegally possessed guns off our streets is critical to public safety

October 01, 2011

One of the most important measures we can take to protect public safety is to keep firearms out of the hands of people who are prohibited from owning them due to criminal activity or mental illness. Unfortunately, there are more than 18,000 convicted felons and mentally ill persons in California who illegally possess their firearms, and this list grows by about 15 to 20 people each day. In the Bay Area alone, more than 2,500 people who once made legal purchases of guns now own them illegally due to subsequent issues that disqualify them from possessing weapons.

Small businesses are vital to the health of our economy

September 01, 2011

In these uncertain fiscal times, one thing we can count on is small business, which is key to our economic growth and stability. Like most of America, California is reliant upon its small businesses to supply a lion's share of its economic production and the new jobs needed to get residents back to work.

Clean, Safely-Delivered Energy Should be California’s Top Priority

August 01, 2011

One of the biggest challenges we face in securing a sustainable future is finding alternative sources of energy that are affordable, environmentally friendly and safe to deliver to consumers. With an energy industry that is driven by fossil fuel, this is not an easy task to accomplish. But as utility rates continue to increase, so does the public’s awareness of where we get our energy.

You, and Your Smart Phone, Have a Right to Privacy

July 01, 2011

If you like to attend political rallies, parades, protests or sit-ins, you might consider leaving your cell phone at home in the unlikely event arrests are made. A recent California Supreme Court decision allows police to rummage through all of the private information on your smart phone as part of an arrest, including your text messages and e-mails. This warrantless search is now legal in California, regardless of whether the information on the phone is relevant to the arrest or if criminal charges are ever filed.

Industrial Hemp - A Golden Opportunity for California Business

May 13, 2011
If you like shopping at your local natural foods or specialty grocery store, you've probably noticed the growing popularity of hemp as an ingredient in food and skin care products. Hemp seed, which is high in protein and essential fatty acids, is found in everything from bread, energy bars and waffles to coffee and protein powder. Thanks to its natural antioxidants and moisturizing oil, hemp is also a common ingredient in soaps, shampoos and lotions.

Infusing Business Regulations with Common Sense

March 22, 2011
Innovation has always been a hallmark of California. Our state is the birthplace of many new ideas, and we often set the trends in food, fashion, entertainment and public policy. Unfortunately, small businesses, which are the engine of much of our state's innovation, face challenges that sometimes make it difficult to survive in a down economy.

We saw this scenario play out recently in San Francisco when restaurants and bars were suddenly informed that they could no longer sell their own flavored or infused alcoholic beverages.

It Gets Better

January 14, 2011
In recent months, there has been growing attention given to the issue of bullying, following a rash of suicides by young people who were victims of harassment by their peers. In light of these tragic incidents, it is time for us to take a new look at how youth struggle when they become targets of verbal, emotional or physical harassment on school grounds or on the Internet.

In school surveys, nearly half of all high school students say they have been bullied in the past year.