Press Release

SACRAMENTO – Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, issued the following statement today in response to the release of a draft report from the Commission on Catastrophic Costs and Recovery outlining its recommendations for solving California’s wildfire crisis.

SACRAMENTO – Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, announced today that his legislation to enhance conservation on California’s more than 76,000 farms and ranches by offering incentives and technical assistance to those that adopt practices to help wildlife and the environment has cleared the Senate.

SACRAMENTO – Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, announced today that his legislation to reduce the cost of road projects that use federal transportation funds, allowing more improvements with the same amount of money, cleared Senate with unanimous support.

“My bill would streamline an often duplicative and bureaucratic process, making every transportation dollar count,” Sen. Dodd said. “We can use that savings to expand both the number and quality of projects, providing Californians with the good roads they deserve.”

SACRAMENTO – Legislation from Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara and Treasurer Fiona Ma that would protect state coffers from unexpected disaster expenses has cleared the Senate. Senate Bill 290 authorizes the governor to take out an insurance policy that pays off when California is hit with response costs such as in the case of the recent wildfires.

SACRAMENTO – The Senate today approved a pair of wildfire safety bills from Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, that will help prevent and prepare for future blazes by encouraging people to clear brush around homes and by creating an early warning system to tell Californians when conditions are ripe for fires.

SACRAMENTO – Legislation from Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, that would allow senior and low-income people with disabilities to transition from skilled nursing facilities to in-home care, all while saving taxpayer dollars, cleared the Senate today by unanimous vote.

SACRAMENTO – Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, and Assemblyman Adam Gray, D-Merced, will host a joint legislative hearing of the Senate and Assembly Governmental Organization committees this afternoon to review equine and human safety in California’s horse-racing industry.

The hearing was prompted in part by recent racing horse deaths at Santa Anita Park in Southern California.  A hearing agenda is attached.

WHAT: Joint hearing on horse racing safety

WHO: Sen. Bill Dodd, Asm. Adam Gray and panelists.

SACRAMENTO – Legislation from Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, that would place an independent third party such as Cal Fire in charge of overseeing electric utility corporations’ compliance with tree and vegetation-trimming requirements was approved by the full Senate today.

“The public needs to know that there is real, independent oversight, not just someone in an office reviewing paperwork submitted by utilities," said Sen. Dodd. "This bill will help prevent future wildfires and ultimately reduce costs to ratepayers. Because it is clear that the current standard is not working.”

SACRAMENTO – Legislation from Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, that would allow Napa County to negotiate with the state Department of General Services to buy the 850-acre Skyline Wilderness Park was approved by the full Senate Monday afternoon.

Senate Bill 20 would ensure the prime land with popular hiking trails and views of the Bay Area remains a public open space forever.

SACRAMENTO – Legislation from Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, that would help the state manage its water, protecting the precious resource for people and the environment, cleared the full Senate Monday afternoon.

“You can’t manage what you don’t measure,” Sen. Dodd said. “Stream gages provide important information in this era of droughts and flooding, driven in part by climate change. This bill is an important step toward managing our water for the long run.”