March 2019 District Report

A Message from Bill Dodd

Dear Neighbor,

Spring is around the corner. Longer, sunnier days are ahead!

At the Capitol, we continue to make progress on legislation to improve wildfire safety, reduce college student food insecurity and protect water resources.

March is Women’s History Month, a time to reflect on the immense contributions women have and continue to make to our nation. It’s also Problem Gambling Awareness Month. Problem gambling is not only an addiction, but it’s also a serious public health concern.

Find out more in this report along with information about tax preparation help and upcoming community events.

In this Issue:

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.

Sincerely,

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Bill Dodd
Senator, 3rd District

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Legislative Update

While California has made meaningful progress in a number of areas over the last several years, there is still much work to be done in a number of critical areas. My 2019 legislative package -- which includes bills to encourage people to maintain defensible spaces around their homes, to keep working students from going hungry and to protect our Delta – have all cleared their first committee hurdles. My Wildfire Warning Center bill is next up. It will establish a network of fire weather tracking devices to help firefighters prepare for and respond to the kind of infernos that have devastated our state. Another bill that would allow the state to buy disaster insurance to protect against millions in unexpected firefighting expenses is also due up in its first policy committee.

SB 173: College Student Food Insecurity -- Increases student access to Cal Fresh benefits. Improves the application process.
SB 190: Defensible Space -- Increases awareness and compliance of requirement to create a 100-foot vegetation buffer around homes.
SB 204: WaterFix Oversight – Improves reporting requirements for any work on the Twin Tunnels project in the Delta.
SB 209: Wildfire Warning Center – Develops statewide fire-weather forecasting center.
SB 290: Disaster Insurance – Authorizes state officials to negotiate for insurance against unexpected disaster costs.

As always, please contact my office if you have any questions about state policy or if you want to express your position or ideas for legislation.

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Women’s History Month

Women’s History Month

March is National Women’s History Month, an ideal time for us to collectively acknowledge and celebrate the contributions of women in shaping our nation. National Women’s History Month has its roots in our Senate District, dating back to 1978 when the principal groups that make up the National Women’s History Project began working with the Sonoma County Commission on the Status of Women.

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Free Tax Help/Earned Income Tax Credit

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

You may qualify for tax credits. The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) program will benefit millions of low income working families and can result in thousands of dollars for qualifying families. I helped champion the creation of California's EITC, which provides even more money to working 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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Upcoming Community Events

Upcoming Community Events

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In the News

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