In the News | Page 2 | Senator Bill Dodd

California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018

Tuesday, August 14, 2018

By Bill Dodd

(Sonoma County Gazette, August 3, 2018)

At a time when the federal government is rolling back protections, we are moving forward here in California.

On so many fronts – from safeguarding the environment to helping undocumented immigrants – we lead the nation, setting standards for things like stewardship and human rights that we hope other states will follow.

Protecting Data is a Must

Saturday, August 4, 2018

By Bill Dodd

(The Davis Enterprise, 8-1-18)

Protecting consumer personal and financial information is not only the responsible thing to do. It’s good business.

Last week, Facebook found out the hard way that to act otherwise can affect the bottom line. It suffered the largest drop in Wall Street history, losing $120 billion in stock value, on projections of slower user growth tied to the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

Clearly, being reckless with data can have disastrous effects. And consumers are demanding better safeguards.

Fixing the problems that cause wildfires

Tuesday, July 31, 2018

By Bill Dodd

(The Press Democrat, 6-17-18)

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. That’s especially true in light of last year’s fire season, which underscored the need to think innovatively and proactively about fire prevention. Policymakers have a moral imperative to act – we cannot sit idly by and wait for the next disaster. That is why my partners in the Legislature and I are working to help victims and communities recover, while also taking steps to prevent fires, implement best practices and reduce harm.

California must do more to protect the public from wildfires

Tuesday, July 31, 2018

By Bill Dodd

(San Francisco Chronicle, 7-27-18)

A committee of California lawmakers this week took the first step toward addressing one of the biggest problems facing our state — the stunning rise in devastating wildfires.

In the first in a series of hearings expected to play out over the next month, members of the bipartisan Senate-Assembly conference committee in Sacramento heard from experts on a range of issues — from the role of electric utilities and climate change, to what might be done to prevent future fires to finding a way to make needed investments.

Residents and victims will come first in wildfire plan, not utilities

Monday, July 30, 2018

By Bill Dodd

(Sacramento Bee, 7-24-18)

We all agree something must be done to address the alarming rise in wildfires. That is why Gov. Jerry Brown and legislative leaders are convening a Senate-Assembly conference committee to come up with a plan. The first hearing is Wednesday in Sacramento.

As co-chairman of the committee, I want to make my priorities crystal clear. First and foremost, we must fight for those devastated in the 2017 fires and to prevent utilities from sparking future wildfires and claiming new victims.

Bill Dodd: We must protect ratepayers and keep communities safe

Monday, July 30, 2018

By Bill Dodd

(Napa Valley Register, 7-25-18)

Bill Dodd and Jim Wunderman: We can better deal with drought with more data

Monday, April 18, 2016

When Californians want to buy a car, data on fuel efficiency, safety, performance and virtually every factoid imaginable are just a quick online search away. However, California’s water managers have to do extensive research just to piece together the basic facts.

By making California’s existing water data open, transparent and publicly accessible, we could significantly improve our drought resilience. The problem isn’t a lack of information so much as a lack of accessible, user-friendly data.

Investing in our Future: Closing the Word Gap

Saturday, March 19, 2016

By Assemblymember Bill Dodd

This month marks the start of Spring, which embodies new growth and presents us with an excellent opportunity to reflect on our growth as a community. Over the last year, we’ve been able to make meaningful progress in California in a number of areas, including creating some of the toughest equal pay laws in the country and supporting education, but there is still much work to be done. As I look ahead, I see closing the word gap as one of our greatest challenges and greatest opportunities.

My New Year’s Resolution: Recycling Food Waste

Friday, January 1, 2016

By Assemblyman Bill Dodd

As we embark on a new year, it’s a great time to reflect on our accomplishments over the last 12 months and also set goals for the upcoming year. In 2015 we made some meaningful progress on critical issues from investing in education, to strengthening our economy, to protecting our environment. However, there is still much to do, and one area of critical importance is reducing and diverting food waste from our landfills.

Meeting water needs will take more than El Niño

Thursday, December 3, 2015

Winter is coming, and some experts are saying this year's El Niño could be one of the most powerful on record. After four long years of drought, increased rainfall this winter is certainly a welcome relief. As the saying goes, "when it rains, it pours," and we must ensure we are prepared for flooding and mudslides. At the same time, it is absolutely crucial in this wetter year that we continue to focus on water conservation and plan for the long term.