Hello and happy March! As we get a sneak peek of spring, I hope this month brings you rainbows, good luck, a little ‘madness,’ and maybe even a pot of gold!
It is my pleasure to represent the 48th Assembly District in the California State Legislature. This term serves as my 9th year as a Legislator in the California State Assembly. It is an honor to serve over 498,000 residents in our district and collaborate with nine cities in the San Gabriel Valley. I am excited to share our February 2025 Newsletter and ensure our communities stay up-to-date with state-related matters.
District Updates
Piqui’s Sunshine Award
This month, I joined my dear friend Ana Estevez and California Protective Parents Association, to celebrate the passage of Senate Bill 331, Piqui’s Law, authored by Senator Rubio and co-authored by me. SB 331 seeks to ensure the safety and protection of children and families in the court system. Thank you to these incredibly fierce and strong advocates for continuing your efforts in protecting our most vulnerable through your advocacy and education. Thank you further, for the “Piqui’s Champion Award.” Defending, supporting, and protecting victims of domestic violence—while ensuring the safety of our children—remains a top priority for me. The work will continue, and the passion will never end.
Young Legislators Program Water Tour
This month, our Young Legislators had the opportunity to tour the Morris Dam and learn more about water policy and supply in our state. Thank you to Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District and Valley County Water District for their partnership and for hosting this year's cohort. Our students had a great time exploring career opportunities, engaging with experts in the water industry, as well as getting outside and seeing some Dam good views! ;)
As a former water board member, I believe it is essential to teach our children about the vital role water plays in our lives and communities.
Tacos and Taxes
It was great to partner with Golden State Opportunity to host our first Tacos & Taxes event this month. It was amazing to see many community residents receive assistance with their tax preparations and benefit from unexpected tax credits available to them. I appreciate all our partners for their efforts in bringing these services to Assembly District 48 and the surrounding areas. A special thank you to St. Louis of France for hosting us, and to Golden State Opportunity, Barrio Action, Eastmont Community Center, and Tax Haven Services for making this event possible.
Foothill Transit Bus Rodeo
I had an out-of-this-world day with our Foothill Transit community at their 2025 Bus Rodeo Event! Thank you for creating a fun atmosphere that celebrates the workers’ exceptional skills and day-to-day operations, transportation services are a lifeline in our community, thank you for your outstanding work. I also wheely loved driving the bus! I can’t wait for next year’s amazing event and theme!
Capitol Updates
Student Visit to the Capitol
We love welcoming students into our office to learn more about the legislative process and explore career opportunities. Thank you to the students of Glendora High School for visiting Sacramento and stopping by. I always enjoy meeting my constituents, and more than anything, I love connecting with students!
Pacific Research Institute Policy Panel
Thank you to the Pacific Research Institute for hosting me at your Policy Panel. I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Lance Izumi, author of The Great Classroom Collapse. We discussed my journey as an English learner and former teacher-- influential experiences that have shaped my past, and continue to drive my legislative efforts to tackle the literacy crisis in our state.
District Updates
This month at the Capitol, legislators and staff met a significant deadline-- February 21 marked the final day of this legislative cycle to introduce bills. Our goal as a legislative office was to put forward meaningful and substantive legislation, and that’s exactly what we accomplished over the past few months.
Our staff conducted interviews, analyzed bill proposals, weighed the pros and cons, and, after careful consideration, reached a consensus on our bill package. This year, we are proud to introduce ten bills addressing key issues, including Foster Youth, Green Energy, Local Government, Workforce Shortages, Early Literacy, and Cannabis.
- AB 428 (Rubio) Joint Powers Agreements: Water Corporations: AB 428 expands access to Joint Powers Authorities (JPAs) for investor-owned water utilities, ensuring they can obtain affordable and reliable insurance benefiting consumers through subsidized water rates.
- AB 373 (Rubio) Non-Minor Counsel: AB 373 will clarify that when counsel is appointed to represent a non-minor dependent (a foster child who is between the ages of 18-21); counsel is charged with solely representing the wishes of the minor dependent.
- AB 259 (Rubio) Ralph M. Brown Act: AB 259 will indefinitely extend the authorization for members of public bodies to participate in public meetings via teleconferencing under specified circumstances.
- AB 481 (Rubio) Improving Clinical Laboratory Workflow: AB 481 authorizes federally qualified lab personnel to assist licensed lab personnel with specified tasks to complete medium and high complexity testing.
- AB 689 (Rubio) Foster Youth Disaster Assistance: AB 689 establishes the “Child Welfare Disaster Response Program”, administered by the California Department of Social Services (CDSS), to support the needs of foster youth and their caregivers during and after a disaster. ($2M starting ask)
- AB 839 (Rubio) CEQA Expedited Review: Sustainable Aviation Fuel: AB 839 will make Sustainable Aviation Fuel projects eligible for an expedited review of California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requirements.
- AB 1007 (Rubio) Development Project Review: AB 1007 shortens the timeline for public agency approval or disapproval from 90 days to 45 days, starting from either the lead agency’s project approval date or the date the completed application is received and accepted.
- AB 1009 (Rubio) Occupational and Physical Therapist Credentialing: AB 1009 will allow Occupational and Physical Therapists who work in public schools a pathway to becoming school administrators.
- AB 1121 (Rubio) Evidence-Based Early Literacy Instruction: AB 1121 addresses California’s literacy crisis by ensuring all elementary teachers and administrators providing reading instruction in TK to grade 5 are trained in effective means of teaching literacy and evidence-based means of teaching foundational reading skills as defined in current law. Additionally, the bill requires that instructional materials be aligned with evidence-based means of teaching literacy (as defined in current law) and the English Language Arts/English Language Development (ELA/ELD) framework.
- AB 1496 (Rubio) Cannabis Task Force Sunset Removal: AB 1496 would reinstate the Cannabis task force and expand the task force to include representatives from tribal governmental entities regulating commercial cannabis activity that opt to participate in the task force. The bill would exempt the meetings of the task force from the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act and the Ralph M. Brown Act.
Team Rubio Staff Retreat 2025
This month, our district and capitol staff had the opportunity to connect, workshop, and collaborate on goals for the upcoming year. We are so grateful to be able to build our working relationships and move in step through 2025!
Upper District Water Conservation Resources and Community Events
Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District Upper Water, formerly Upper District, is offering free water conservation resources and upcoming landscaping workshops available to the community.
Free Landscaping Workshops:
This spring, we are offering a variety of free in-person and virtual workshops focused on sustainable landscaping, including native plant installation, leak detection, and firescaping for wildfire preparedness. For more information and registration, visit: https://upperdistrict.org/education-programs/
Watershed Restoration Program:
Tree planting will be happening this spring! Upcoming events are Saturday, March 29, and Saturday, April 12 (8 a.m. – 12 p.m.). For more information and registration, visit: https://upperdistrict.org/watershed-restoration/
For more information about our water conservation and education programs, visit https://upperdistrict.org/
Resources
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 March 2025 newsletter. Want real-time updates? Follow our social media platforms to get timely updates and all things about the #Fighting48th. See you then!