District Report - August 2021
Dear Neighbor,
After more than a year of remote learning, students return to school this month amid renewed health warnings caused by the surging delta variant. Be safe. Wear masks on campuses and get vaccinated.
Our state is ablaze with wildfires once again. The Legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom are investing more than ever to ensure adequate prevention and response. My own bill package, which includes several emergency measures, is advancing to the governor’s desk and will aid our state in reducing the wildfire threat.
Climate change and environmental stewardship play big roles in the problem. I invite you to join the conversation about these important issues as well as the drought at my next virtual town on Sept. 21. Among my panelists will be Wade Crowfoot, secretary of the California Natural Resources Agency.
In this Issue:
- Wildfire Safety & Preparedness
- COVID-19 Update
- Small Businesses of the Year
- Legislative Update
- In the News
Please feel free to reach out to me with your suggestions or concerns. 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. Also, follow me on Facebook and Twitter.
Sincerely,
Bill Dodd
Senator, 3rd District
Wildfire & Safety Preparedness
We know the geography, weather patterns and number of communities bordering wildlands in California make us vulnerable to devastating wildfire. As catastrophic wildfires continue to increase each year in California, make sure to protect yourself and your family.
Cal Fire, our statewide firefighting agency, urges everyone to be familiar with its Ready, Set, Go! guidelines:
Be ready: Create and maintain defensible space and harden your home against flying embers.
Get set: Prepare your family and home ahead of time for the possibility of having to evacuate. Ensure you have a plan of what to take and where to go – evacuation plans will be different this year due to COVID-19. Ask friends or relatives outside your area if you would be able to stay with them, should the need arise. If you do need to evacuate and plan to stay with friends or relatives, ask first if they have symptoms of COVID-19 or have people in their home at higher risk for serious illness. If that is the case, make other arrangements. Check with hotels, motels and campgrounds to learn if they are open. Also get set by learning about your community’s response plan for each disaster and determine if these plans have been adapted because of COVID-19.
Go: When wildfire strikes, go early for your safety. Take the evacuation steps necessary to give your family and home the best chance of surviving a wildfire.
More information: https://www.readyforwildfire.org/
COVID-19 Update
With a surge in new coronavirus infections connected to the delta variant, California public health officials are enacting new precautions. Beginning Sept. 20, proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test is being required for indoor events of 1,000 or more people. This new measure will help encourage more vaccinations and increase safety at events while ensuring businesses can thrive.
Previously, verification of being vaccinated or a pre-entry negative test was necessary where there are 5,000 or more persons for an indoor event. Dr. Tomás J. Aragón, CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer, said the delta variant has proven to be highly transmissible, making it easier to spread in large crowds where people are near each other for long periods of time. By requiring individuals to be vaccinated, or test negative for COVID-19 at large events, we are decreasing the risk of infection, hospitalization and death.
In addition to dropping the threshold from 5,000 to 1,000 individuals, self-attestation to verify a person’s vaccination status will no longer be accepted. The changes will remain in effect until Nov. 1, 2021.
More information: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/OPA/Pages/NR21-256.aspx
Small Businesses of the Year
Our small businesses are vital to thriving communities. Each year I recognize those in each of the six counties of my district that have given back in significant ways.
Congratulations to this year’s honorees:
Napa County (overall): Napa Valley Jewelers and owners Kent and Terri Gardella
Contra Costa County: WiseGirl Ristorante Italiano & Cocktails of Pleasant Hill owned by Angela Warren
Sacramento County: Giusti’s Place of Walnut Grove and owner Mark Morais
Solano County: Vacaville’s Wrench Works, co-owned by Christian Ellingson and Luke Nagai
Sonoma County: Refill Madness Sonoma and owner Jana Wang
Yolo County: Steady Eddy’s Coffee House in Winters owned by Jamell and Carla Wroten
Legislative Update
As the Legislature reconvenes this month, I’m proud of the bill package my team and I have developed. All have been approved by the Senate and are making their way to the Assembly floor before going to Gov. Gavin Newsom for a signature.
I will continue to push forward strong public policy that will leave our state a better place for future generations.
This year’s highlights:
SB 99 Community Energy Resilience Act
With wildfires and power outages are becoming our unfortunate reality, we must find a way to help California reduce its reliance on carbon-emitting generators. Because the environment is taking a huge hit. My Senate Bill 99 establishes the Community Energy Resilience Act. It will assist with the planning of clean-energy micro-grids with a priority on low-income communities. The bill will accelerate development of alternate power sources so everyone can keep their lights on — regardless of their income level or economic status.
SB 109 Wildfire R&D Office
The escalating frequency and devastation caused by wildfires demands that we seek out emerging technology to address this urgent threat. That’s why I’ve written SB 109, which creates the Office of Wildfire Technology Research and Development. My proposal will help develop advancements and tap innovation from the public and private sectors. It will allow us to work smarter to protect life and property.
SB 222 Water Rate Assistance
Rising water rates coupled with pandemic job losses threaten to cut off many California families from an essential service — water. A State Water Resources Control Board survey found water debt in California climbed to about $1 billion. No one should be denied access, regardless of their income level or economic status. My bill, SB 222, ensures low-income customers get the help they need to keep the tap open. It establishes a water assistance fund for tens of thousands of people experiencing economic hardship.
SB 332 Controlled Burns
We know controlled burning is one of the best ways to reduce combustible fuels in our tinder-dry forests. My bill, SB 332, will expand our use of this proven tool and make our state safer as we face ever-worsening conditions caused by drought and climate change. To do that, we must raise the legal standard for seeking state suppression costs, requiring a showing of gross negligence rather than simple negligence.
SB 389 To-Go Cocktails
The restaurant industry was hit hard by the pandemic. Allowing them to sell carry-out cocktails has been a lifeline. We must continue to allow them to do that to ensure a full economic recovery. SB 389 will help preserve jobs and get our economy back on track. It allows restaurants to sell to-go alcoholic beverages with food orders. The provision would sunset after five years. Also, SB 389 requires third-party delivery drivers to obtain a permit from the Department of Alcohol and Beverage Control to ensure alcohol is not sold to minors.
SB 494 Police Reform
People deserve to be treated fairly and humanely by police officers and should not fear having their rights trampled. My bill, SB 494, would ensure officers are properly trained and the public isn’t subjected to demeaning or coercive tactics that can result in false confessions. The bill will require the California Commission on Police Officer Standards to integrate science-based methods to ensure justice is carried out.
SB 556 Broadband
The pandemic showed us the value of the internet for remote work and school. It also demonstrated that not everyone has equal access to the internet. My bill, SB 556, will help solve that problem by accelerating the expansion of broadband networks. Simply put, it will instrumental in helping us bridge the digital divide.
In the News
Here is some of the latest news coverage in the district 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.