Press Releases

Sacramento, CA – Assemblymember Chris Holden’s Foster Child Clothing Allowance Bill, AB 2552, passed the Assembly Human Services Committee with a 4-0 vote today. AB 2552 provides a clothing allowance for foster children placed in families that are receiving support through the Approved Relative Caregiver Funding Option Program.

“Relative caregivers are the backbone of our child welfare system,” said Assemblymember Chris Holden.  “Relative foster placements are more cost effective, tend to lead to more long-term placement stability, and offer better connections to the child's community. These children, however, don't receive funding equal to what they would receive with a non-relative placement.”

Bills Focus on Pedestrian, Bicycle, and Public Transportation Infrastructure

SACRAMENTO – Recognizing that far too many communities, and particularly low-income communities, lack sufficient pedestrian, bicycling, and public transit opportunities, Assemblymembers Chris Holden (D-Pasadena), Eduardo Garcia (D-Coachella), and Richard Bloom (D-Santa Monica) unveiled a package of “transportation equity” proposals aimed at shifting California’s  transportation investments to provide more access for all.  The four proposed bills work together to provide better transportation choices so all Californians can walk, bicycle, and take public transit easily and safely.

La Verne, CA – Assemblymember Chris Holden’s new golf cart legislation for the City of La Verne, AB 2073, passed the Assembly House Floor today 74-0. The bill adds a technical change to last year’s AB 173 (Holden) to allow the City of La Verne, and associated universities and retirement communities, to continue to permit the limited use of utility style golf carts and shuttle style vehicles on public roadways.

Golf carts have been a preferred method of transportation within the City of La Verne for nearly 40 years, but were threatened some years back when city officials discovered they were probably illegal on the city’s narrow streets. In 2009, they were given a temporary reprieve by the state legislature that extended legal use of golf carts to 2016 and exempted La Verne from having to construct separate golf cart lanes. In 2015, Holden passed AB 173 that eliminated the “sunset” date. AB 2073 ensures that all golf cart style vehicles be included in the state exemption for the City of La Verne.

Sacramento, CA – Assemblymember Chris Holden’s Talent Agency Scam Prevention Bill, AB 2068, passed the Assembly Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee with unanimous, bipartisan support. AB 2068 strengthens the Talent Scam Prevention Act by expanding the list of communication forms that can be regulated such as online and computer applications.

“With the unprecedented popularity of reality television and social media sites such as YouTube, Instagram, Tumblr, and others, the quest for instant stardom has become prevalent among all ages, especially teens and young adults,” said Assemblymember Chris Holden. “Unfortunately, this creates a ripe situation for illegitimate talent agencies to scam young, aspiring artists.” 

Sacramento, CA – Today, the California State Legislature passed SB 3, a measure to increase California’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2022. The bill passed the State Assembly 48-26, and the State Senate 26-12. Governor Jerry Brown is expected to sign the bill into law, which by January 2017 will make California’s minimum wage the highest of any state in the nation.

“This is a major victory for families across the state struggling to make ends meet,” said Assemblymember Chris Holden. “With the gridlock in the nation’s Capital, California has once again shown it can lead.”

Sacramento, CA – Assemblymember Chris Holden’s Water Efficient Landscaping Bill, AB 2525, passed the Assembly Water, Parks, and Wildlife Committee with a 9-3 vote. AB 2525 creates the California Water Efficient Landscaping (WEL) Program that encourages Californians to upgrade their landscape and irrigation equipment for more efficient ones. It also prioritizes participation of families that qualify for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

“California is suffering from a five-year drought and is already experiencing the adverse of effects of climate change such as record breaking high temperatures,” said Assemblymember Chris Holden. “This bill aims to tackle these issues by implementing water efficient landscaping and irrigation in urban areas in order to help us adapt to a new era of climate change in California. We need to capture water when it rains and minimize use when it does not.” 

Sacramento, CA – Assemblymember Chris Holden’s Tobacco Cessation Legislation, AB 1696, passed the Assembly Health Committee today with a 16-1 vote. The bill will now head to the Assembly Appropriations Committee. Just last week, the legislature passed sweeping tobacco control legislation that increases California's smoking age to 21, and regulates electronic cigarettes as tobacco products.

AB 1696 would help California’s neediest residents quit smoking and avoid a lifetime of health problems. The bill requires tobacco cessation medications, counseling, and assessments to be covered for Medi-Cal patients. Besides the detrimental health effects, smoking takes an $18.1 billion toll on California annually, according to a University of California, San Francisco study.

Pasadena, CA – In celebration of Black History Month and Women's History Month in March, Assembly Majority Floor Leader, Chris Holden will recognize the 41st Assembly District's Unsung Hero and Women of Distinction on Thursday, March 3rd at his District Office Open House, 600 N. Rosemead Blvd. Pasadena, CA 91107.

With over fifty nominations throughout the district, centenarian Marilee Scaff, Ph.D. from Claremont has been named the 2016 Woman of Distinction for the 41st District. Scaff celebrated her 100th birthday last November. She has been active in the local League of Women Voters where she was President and received their Ordway Award for "performing outstanding service to the community."

New MCO tax to secure federal funding for Medi-Cal

DDS providers to receive much needed increase in funds  

Sacramento, CA – Today, the California State Legislature passed a package of major health care reform bills including SBX2-2, a Managed Care Organization (MCO) Tax, that will secure federal funding for Medi-Cal, and ABX2-1 that will increase funding for developmental disability services by $306.5 million.

“This is a big deal” said Assembly Majority Floor Leader Chris Holden. “Thanks to Governor Jerry Brown, a bi-partisan effort, and the hard work of all stakeholders, we aligned our Medi-Cal and MCO tax structure with federal guidelines while increasing health related funding to where it is needed most.”

Sacramento, CA – Assembly Majority Floor Leader Chris Holden introduced legislation, AB 2148, to protect wildlife from drones. The bill provides the National Resources Agency the ability to develop regulations regarding drone use on publically managed lands.

“There’s no denying the rapidly increasing number of drones in public spaces,” said Assembly Majority Floor Leader Chris Holden. “Now is the time to take preventative steps to protect California’s wildlife and natural habitats before it becomes a problem.”