The beginning of the school year and the ever-so-slight changes in temperature aren’t the only signs that fall is upon us.

Victor A. Patton

The Merced FOCUS

Indeed, with the close of summer, also comes the deluge of legislative bills awaiting gubernatorial review.

Now that the regular session is over, the waiting game has begun for Valley legislators to see whether Gov. Gavin Newsom signs their bills into law – or renders them null with his veto stamp.

Newsom has until Sept. 30 to make his decision on the hundreds of bills before him.

According to CalMatters, Newsom vetoed 156 bills and signed 890 in 2023. The Legislature can override vetoes, but it takes a two-thirds vote in both the Assembly and Senate, and that rarely happens.

Governors also can be more likely to veto bills deemed highly controversial in the public eye.

For example, Newsom on Friday vetoed AB 1840, which would have ensured undocumented immigrants are not excluded from homeownership assistance programs due to their immigration status.

Authored by Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula, D-Fresno, the bill drew national media scrutiny, with strong opposition among Republicans who said it would draw more undocumented immigrants to the state, while many Californians can’t afford to buy houses.

Here are a few bills from Valley legislators currently in front of Newsom, courtesy of CalMatters Digital Democracy.

Evidence in Sexual Assault Cases

Authored by Senator Anna Caballero, D-Merced, SB 1386 would close a loophole in California’s Rape Shield Law that allows a victim’s sexual history to be admitted in civil cases. Under current law, that history can be admitted by an attorney to discredit a victim in court.

Related Story: Newsom Rejects Bill Providing $150K to Undocumented Immigrants to Buy Homes

Update to California’s Water Plan

Another bill authored by Senator Anna Caballero, SB 366 would update the California Water Plan statute by requiring long-term water targets for the state.

Under the plan,the Department of Water Resources would be required to expand the membership of the plan’s advisory committee to include tribes, labor and environmental justice interests.

SB 366 would require the plan to include specified components like discussions of environmental needs, urban sector water needs, and agricultural water needs.

The Department of Water Resources would be required to conduct public workshops to give everyone a chance to comment on the plan.

Expansion of Nursing Degrees at Community Colleges

Authored by Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria, D-Merced, AB 2104 would create a pilot program making it possible for up to 10 community college districts to offer bachelor of science degrees in nursing.

The bill was written as a response to the recent closure of Madera Community Hospital and the dire shortage of healthcare workers in the Central Valley.

If signed into law, the program created by the bill would prioritize its placement in underserved communities and expand access and affordability of those degrees in places like Merced, Madera and Fresno.

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Combating Ag Pest Infestations

Authored by Assemblymember Devon Mathis, R-Visalia, AB 2745 would increase civil penalties for property owners who fail to address their pest infestations.

If signed into law, the bill would allow the state to levy a civil penalty up to $500 for each acre of property found to be in violation. That amount could be increased up to $1,000 per acre if the property owner does not make an effort to fix the problem within 30 days of the original penalty.

Existing law doesn’t allow the state or county ag commissioner to levy a penalty of more than $2,500 per violation.

Police Training for Alzheimer’s and Autism

There are a few bills that drew widespread support across party lines. For example, AB 2541 authored by Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains, D-Bakersfield, amends California law to include training on Alzheimer’s disease, autism, and dementia for law enforcement officers.

The training would be important to help people who have those conditions, when they wander away from home. The bill was passed without opposition on either side of the political aisle.

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Providing Information to Youth About Abusive Relationships

Another bill that garnered strong bipartisan support was authored by Valley Republicans Devon Mathis of Visalia and Josh Hoover of Folsom. AB 2053 would require students in grades seven through 12 to receive information and resources about relationship abuse and intimate partner violence. The information would be provided as a part of mandated sexual health and HIV prevention education that’s currently given to those students.

About the Author

Victor Patton is editor-in-chief of The Merced FOCUS.