Sacramento, CA – Three of Assemblymember Chris Holden’s bills cleared the California State Senate Appropriations Committee today. The legislation passed includes Assembly Bill 2370 that would take a big step toward making sure drinking water is safe at California’s child care centers; Assembly Bill 2599 that would help people with arrests and convictions clean their records to have better access to jobs, housing, and financial aid; and Assembly Bill 2819 that commissions the University of California to develop a report on the outreach, recruitment, retention, and promotion of underrepresented groups in leading tech companies.
AB 2370 requires the Department of Social Services, in consultation with the State Water Resources Control Board, to adopt requirements to ensure that drinking water at child care centers does not contain elevated lead levels. The bill also allows all licensed child day care facilities to borrow no-interest loans to pay for lead cleanup and drinking water system improvements.
“Lead poisoning is a serious threat to children’s health,” said Assemblymember Chris Holden. “Increasing lead testing for California’s high-risk children is one of the single biggest steps we can take to prevent lead poisoning.”
Assembly Bill 2599 requires law enforcement agencies and probation departments to increase awareness and access to the arrest record sealing and expungement process.
“No one should be defined solely by their past, but they should be given the chance to create a future they and their families can be proud of,” said Holden.
Assembly Bill 2819 would request the University of California to conduct a biennial study on the racial, ethnic, gender, and LGBT diversity of the board of directors and employees of California high technology companies. The bill also creates an advisory board of stakeholders to assist with the development of best practices to be included in the report and shared with high technology companies and advocates.
“This legislation could help us determine what is needed to increase diverse hiring in the fastest growing industry to ensure all communities are considered,” said Holden.
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