District Report – February 2023

A Message from Senator Bill Dodd

Dear Neighbor,

February is Black History Month when we celebrate the history and contributions of African Americans. It is also a time to recognize what still needs to be done in the continuing struggle for civil rights.

Please join me March 21 for my next virtual town hall on the emergence of artificial intelligence. Machine learning poses many challenges including threats to our privacy and algorithmic discrimination.

As always, my office is available to help you with a state agency or answer any questions you might have. You can contact me by visiting my website.

In this Issue:

Sincerely,

Dodd signature

Senator, 3rd District

Free Tax Help/Earned Income Tax Credit

Tax Day, April 18, is fast approaching. You may qualify for tax credits or free tax preparation through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program, which is supported by the Franchise Tax Board.

You may qualify for tax credits. California’s Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) program will benefit millions of low income working families and can result in thousands of dollars for qualifying families. Each year millions of dollars in tax credits go unclaimed, so see if you’re eligible.

For a list of upcoming workshops, please click here. I urge you to call the contact numbers listed to verify your eligibility, make appointments, and to learn what documentation may be required.


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Black History Month

Black History Month Poster

We celebrate Black History Month amid a series of firsts – our country has elected its first African American vice president and we now have the first Black secretary of defense. In California, the first African American secretary of state recently took office. More and more, the diversity of our nation is reflected in our leadership.

I am pleased to see this, just as I was proud five years ago to join my colleagues in the Legislative Black Caucus to vote for Senate Resolution 70, recognizing February as Black History Month.

The first observances go back to 1926, when Dr. Carter G. Woodson established a one-week reflection on African American history. Fifty years later, the United States adopted it as a monthlong event.

Today, Black History Month is observed all over America, as schools, churches and communities honor the countless contributions that African Americans have made to our society.

We’ve made much progress in raising awareness of the issue of equity and discrimination but there is still so much work to do.

I encourage you to join me in reflecting on the immense contributions African Americans have made to our nation and to dedicate ourselves to continuing the fight for civil rights, equal opportunity and prosperity that so many African Americans have fought for over the centuries. You can learn more about African American history here.

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Work for Warriors Helps Employers and Veterans

Work for warriors

California’s Work for Warriors program matches employers with highly trained veterans who are ready to leave the military for civilian life. For more on how we can help serve those who have served us or how veterans can connect with job resources, click here.

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My Legislation

I have been at work in the Capitol this month. The following are highlights of my legislative package:

Senate Bill 61: Requires University of California campuses to expedite the return of Native American remains and other artifacts held in collections.

SB 74: Bans the downloading and use of high-risk apps such as TikTok on state-owned phones and other state devices.

SB 278: Holds financial institutions accountable for transactions that lead to financial elder fraud.

SB 296: Places limits on the use of video obtained by inward-facing vehicle cameras installed by manufacturers.

SB 313: AI privacy and protection bill that requires disclosures when a person is interacting with a machine instead of a human in doing business with state government, among other things.

SB 478: Prohibits advertising, displaying or offering prices for goods or services that do not include all mandatory fees or charges.

SB 808: Improves transparency, accountability and oversight to the resolution of sexual harassment and violence cases on California State University campuses.

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In the News

Here are some of the latest news stories that may be of interest to you. As always, please contact my office if you have any questions about state policy or want to express your position or ideas for legislation.

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