District Report - June 2021

A Message from Bill Dodd

Dear Neighbor,

June marks the beginning of summer, and I hope your family has a chance to get out and enjoy our beautiful state. With a majority of people now vaccinated against the coronavirus and most activities open, it promises to be a fantastic season.

In the Legislature, I am pursuing a number of improvements to essentials such as wildfire protection, drinking water access and expansion of broadband internet service. Also, we are working with the governor on a historic relief package to help families and small businesses as we recover from the pandemic.

This summer I will be continuing to meet with you, virtually, through monthly town hall meetings that you can watch online. At my next town hall on July 13, I will be talking to educators about reopening schools and the continuing role of remote learning.

Listen to my June town hall on mental health and the pandemic here.

In this Issue:

As always, my office is available to help you with a state agency or to answer any questions. You can contact me by visiting my website at https://sd03.senate.ca.gov/Sincerely,

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Bill Dodd
Senator, 3rd District

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Fire Safety & Preparedness

Our region has been hit hard by wildfires. Over the past few years, we have seen thousands of homes burn, hundreds of thousands of acres scorched and the tragic loss of life.

As we approach the start of fire season, it's important we take steps to prevent fires and to protect your home and family:

  • Defensible space
  • Making your home more fire resistant
  • Emergency plans and evacuation kits
  • Fire prevention though safe equipment use
  • And more

Ensuring fire victims recover and that our state is better prepared to prevent and respond to future wildfires is a top priority for me. For information on how to protect your home from wildfires, please visit my website.

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Elder Abuse Prevention

Elder abuse is a growing problem in our country, with 6 million cases reported annually. More than 10 percent of those cases are in California. New evidence points to an increase in elder abuse during the coronavirus pandemic.

Abuse against seniors and disabled adults in general can be physical, emotional, financial or medical, restricting their ability to protect themselves, to report to authorities or to testify against perpetrators. The situation is worsened by the fact that one in eight people over 65 have Alzheimer's disease, making them more vulnerable. One in two people with dementia experience some form of abuse. Abuse of developmentally disabled adults is also staggering.

This is why I wrote legislation this year designating the month of June as Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse Awareness month. With 10,000 people turning 65 every day in our country, it is more important than ever to understand the problem, learn the signs and work on prevention.

To find out more about this crisis, visit https://bit.ly/2U53i7Y or go to my website.

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Water Saving Tips

California and most of the western states are in the grips of a serious drought. The governor has declared a drought emergency in the majority of our 58 counties. With reservoirs and agricultural supplies running low – and wildfire season on the horizon -- we must all work together to protect our environment, public health and our economy – all of which depend on clean, sustainable water supplies.

This year I’ve authored two water-related bills. One would expedite improvements to the state’s water delivery system and the other would help people who have fallen behind on their water bills. Both have been approved by the Senate and are now under consideration in the Assembly.

In the past, I wrote bills to increase water storage and efficiency. However, making it through this drought and preparing for future dry spells will take residents across our state working to conserve water.

Many of our local cities and water districts offer financial assistance for retrofitting water fixtures or offer incentives for saving water. Please check with your water provider to inquire about the programs available to you. For detailed water conservation tips, visit https://saveourwater.com/ or https://water.ca.gov/Programs/Water-Use-And-Efficiency

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Celebrating Juneteenth, Working for Change

June 19 marked the day 156 years ago when Union soldiers landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the Civil War had ended and enslaved people were free. That was 2-1/2 years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. I find that delay as disturbing as ever.

What strikes me is that more than a century later, we still have much to do to ensure equality, justice, fair treatment and shared prosperity for African Americans. We need real systemic change at the federal, state and local level.

That’s why I’m supporting proposals to address inequalities, including in policing. I’ve introduced a bill this year to help train law enforcement officers in their criminal investigations and public interactions, ensuring they uphold civil rights and treat people with dignity and respect.

We all know words are cold comfort. We need these changes to become law.

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Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument Anniversary

This 330,780-acre monument spanning parts of Lake, Mendocino, Napa and Yolo counties was created by a proclamation from President Barack Obama issued July 10, 2015. It came after a campaign by the Legislature and a coalition of counties, cities and tribal groups in the region.

I joined our congressional representatives in the Oval Office for the signing. It was a moment I will never forget.

The monument is a haven for recreational activity due to its proximity to the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento. First exercised by President Teddy Roosevelt in 1906, the authority of the Antiquities Act has been used by 16 presidents to protect areas of unique significance to our national heritage. President Obama is responsible for 19 of those designations. In 2015, Berryessa Snow Mountain joined the ranks of such celebrated American landmarks as the Grand Canyon, the Statue of Liberty, and Muir Woods.

 Berryessa Snow Mountain includes three separate wilderness areas: Snow Mountain, Cache Creek and Cedar Roughs. It also protects one wild and scenic river -- Cache Creek -- and five areas of critical environmental concern.

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In the News

While California has made meaningful progress in a number of areas over the last year, there is still much work to be done in a number of critical areas. This year I’m advancing important legislation to protect people from wildfires and to raise much-needed revenue for our state by legalizing sports betting. This month we passed critical votes for several of our bills.

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