Hello and happy September! To our students, I wish the students in our community a fantastic academic year! Study hard, try new things, and don’t hesitate to ask questions. You’re going to do great!
It is my pleasure to represent the 48th Assembly District in the California State Legislature. This term marks my ninth year as a Legislator in the California State Assembly, and I am honored to serve over 498,000 residents across our nine San Gabriel Valley cities.
I’m excited to share our August 2025 Newsletter to keep our communities informed about state-related matters.
District Updates
First Time Homebuyers Workshop
There was such an amazing turnout at my First Time Homebuyers Workshop, which had insightful presentations from LA County Assessor Jeff Prang, Realtor Erik Pena, Rize Credit Union, and California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA). Helping first-time homebuyers navigate the often-intimidating process ensures our community can confidently achieve this exciting milestone. Thank you to those who made this event fun, informative, and possible. Thank you to our community members for attending. We look forward to having more events like this in the future.
Cathy’s Cool Cuts
Back-to-School time can come with a lot of excitement and even some nerves– for students and teachers alike– but a brand new or updated look can help establish confidence as one moves through the new school year. Cathy’s Cool Cuts helped make this possible by providing over 350 students with haircuts and manicures. Thank you to this incredible program for bringing joy and freshness to the students in the 48th Assembly District. Thank you to the City of Azusa, Azusa School District, and Azusa Police for participating and helping this event run smoothly.
Dream Resource Liaison Keynote Speaker
This past month, I had the privilege of being the keynote speaker at the Statewide gathering of Dream Liaisons. Here, I spoke on Assembly Bill 1645 (AB 1645), which was passed into law in 2019 to require community colleges and California State Universities to designate a Dreamer Liaison on each Campus. Within the five years of implementation, the state has invested $52.2 million to fund the Dreamer Resource Liaisons and Dream Resource Centers! This bill was created to send a clear message: you matter, your future matters, and you belong in higher education! Thank you to UndocuScholar LLC for allowing me to share my story.
Azusa Beautiful
In August, team Rubio participated in the Azusa Beautiful 2025 Beautification Awards. Here, neighborhood heroes, individuals, and officials make Azusa a beautiful place to live, work, and play. Congratulations to All in for Azusa, Lori Madden, La Bodega Garden Cafe, Azusa Sandals Church, and Starbucks for your commitment and growth to making Azusa beautiful!
Irwindale Backpack Drive
Our lovely District Director, Veronica, and Field Representative, Abel, handed out school supplies for our students at the Irwindale Backpack Drive. Getting school supplies into the hands of our students and helping them start the academic year strong is so important, and we’re proud to support our community in this way.
Capitol Updates
Legislative Updates
The last day for all bills to be presented on the Senate and Assembly floor is September 12, 2025, at midnight, and the last day for all bills to be signed by the Governor is October 12.
The legislature is quickly approaching the legislative deadline for bills to be presented on their respective sides and their “sister” side. Again, a bill that originated in the Assembly will have had to be heard on the Assembly floor, then the Senate floor, and back on the Assembly floor, and vice versa.
August 29th was the appropriations deadline in the Senate and Assembly, which means all fiscal bills were presented by the opposite house (Assembly bills were heard by Senate Appropriations, and Senate bills were heard by the Assembly Appropriations).
One of our bills did not make it through Senate Appropriations, Assembly Bill 481 (AB 481): Improving Clinical Laboratory Workflow, which authorizes federally qualified lab personnel to assist licensed lab personnel with specified tasks to complete medium and high complexity testing. As with any piece of legislation that does not make it through the legislative cycle fully, we allow ourselves a moment to be upset (please refer to the photo of our incredible Legislative Director wearing the “dead bill mourning hat”), and then we move on and roll up our sleeves.
The first two weeks of September are full of very long days, with a lot of moving parts, final touches and negotiations being made to bills and long hours in session– it's what we signed up for and all part of the fun.
Introducing our newest District Intern
Fall means that we get a new Intern in our district office. We would like to introduce the 48th Assembly District to Jade Centeno. Jade is a Junior from Cal Poly Pomona and is majoring in Political Science. We are excited to have her on board with us and can’t wait to instill policy and public service knowledge in her.
Saying Goodbye to our District Office Interns
This month, my staff and I said goodbye to our two lovely summer interns in the district office, Ana Lua Martel and Ingrid Vargas. Ana and Ingrid, we are truly grateful for your support and participation in our office and in our community. We all wish you the best in your school year and beyond, and hope you picked up valuable skills and knowledge from me and the team.
Resources
BrightLife Kids supports parents, caregivers, and children alike through free one-on-one virtual coaching for kids ages 0–12 and their caregivers. The program focuses on emotional wellness, school readiness, social skills, and everyday challenges—no referrals, no insurance required. Just real support for real life.
California launched the CalAssist Mortgage Fund to provide grants up to $20,000 to homeowners whose homes were destroyed or left uninhabitable in recent fire, floods, and other disasters. This includes those individuals whose homes were destroyed by the LA-area firestorms earlier this year. These grants do not have to be repaid, and applying to the program is free. Grants will be sent directly to the approved homeowner’s mortgage servicer.
The Adventure Pass has been launched by California State Parks, First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, and the California Natural Resource Agency. All fourth graders in California can now get a free California State Parks Adventure Pass that will give them the opportunity to explore 54 select state parks free for a year. What a wonderful way to explore our great state!
This pass is valid for the one-year period during which the child is a fourth grader or fourth grade equivalent, from September 1 to August 31. Full terms and conditions are found on the California State Parks website.
While we are proud to showcase our efforts which bring needed services to our communities -- the work does not stop here! Each month, we will be sharing additional information regarding upcoming legislation, community events, and highlighting local leaders in the 48th Assembly District. Be sure to look out for our September 2025 newsletter. Want real-time updates? Follow our social media platforms to get timely updates and all things about the #Fighting48th. See you then!