Office of Senator Stern: End of Summer Recap

ICYMI: SENATOR STERN SPEAKING ON THE FLOOR ON SB 261 A FIRST ITS KIND CLIMATE DISCLOSURE BILL

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SACRAMENTO, CA - This session the CA State Legislature was committed to prioritizing the climate and vulnerable communities, moving seven bills authored by State Senator Henry Stern (D-Los Angeles) to Governor Newsom's desk and six were signed into law. Senator Stern was pleased to end the first year of the two year session with the support from colleagues and leadership to advance his fight against climate change and help those in need.

Legislative Wins:

Climate-Related Financial Risk Disclosures SB261: requires public and private corporations, banks, hedge funds and other California corporations, with at least $500 million in revenues, to publicly disclose the financial risks to their companies imposed by climate change, using methods pension funds, asset managers and major corporations are already using to report in the EU, UK, Japan, and Canada. 

Compassionate Cannabis Access- SB302: gives equity and access to medicinal cannabis treatment to people over 65 with chronic illness in a care facility or in a home care program.

Shade for Schools- SB515: streamlines and reduces costs for building school site shade structures.

Sepulveda Basin- SB539: requires nature-based climate solutions to be prioritized at the basin.

Mental Health 60-Day Service- SB717: will ensure county behavioral health departments offer mental health services and treatment to misdemeanor incompetent to stand trial defendants.

Primary Care Clinics Data Collection- SB779: mandates labor, workforce demographics, quality, and equity reporting for clinics across the state.

Budget Requests Fulfilled:

Expanding Housing Access and Safety: $4.75 million to make safety and housing improvements across the San Fernando Valley. 

Cooling LA Schools: $1.25 million in funding to “green” schools and create shade solutions through urban forestry. 

Protecting Sepulveda Basin: $2.5 million to further protect the “Central Park” of LA. 

Renovating a Summer Day Camp and Community Use Facility: $1.5 million to renovate and modernize Camp Alonim used for summer education and open for use to local government and public safety for training purposes.