Hello,
Happy April, and a sweet spring welcome to you all. May this month bring blessings, new blooms and a reminder that life is always met with renewal and new growth.
It is my pleasure to represent the 48th Assembly District in the California State Legislature. This term marks 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 March 2025 Newsletter and ensure our communities stay up-to-date with state-related matters.
District Updates
Keynote Speaker at Pepperdine School of Education and Psychology
I was honored to spend time at Pepperdine University and share my story to Graduate School of Education and Psychology students and faculty. It’s always such a treat to be able to give advice and perspective, and reminisce on my past to inspire others to discover their potential. Thank you for having me, I look forward to the next experience!
Women’s History Month at Merlinda Elementary School
This past month, I was able to spend time at Merlinda Elementary during Women’s History Month. What an honor it was to share my story and journey in public office. Thank you to the Merlinda staff for highlighting the importance of female leadership, for planting seeds of potential and for nurturing our youth’s curiosity for learning each and every day. Go Mustangs!
INSPIRE podcast with Jackeline Cacho
During Women’s History Month, I was able to join my good friend Jackeline Cacho on her podcast. Our conversation was built around societal challenges we’ve overcome, friendly advice on how to harness our power as women, and much more. Thank you for having me- gracias por la conversación excitante y por tu hospitalidad, Jackeline.
Young Legislators Program
Our amazing Young Legislators completed their third event! This month, our students and dignitaries participated in an etiquette course, where everyone learned the essentials of professionalism, respect, dining, and social grace. Our attendees are walking away with knowledge of how to tie a tie and how to properly walk in heels!
Thank you to Jules Hirst, thee etiquette coach, for teaching us the importance of social and business skills!
Greater West Covina Business Association Legislative Update
Thank you to the Greater West Covina Business Association for having me and allowing me to share a legislative and district update with the business members of the area. It is always such a treat to share time with such hardworking and positive members of the community. Thank you for driving us forward!
Women of the Year Luncheon
March concluded with our district-wide Women of the Year Luncheon, where I got to honor five distinctive women from our district who are recognized in different aspects: Education, Public Service, Advocacy, Community Service, and the Distinguished Woman of the Year. Congratulations to these wonderful trailblazers, respectively: Roxana Figueroa - City of Covina and C-VUSD, Christine Ramirez - City of Azusa and Azusa USD, Rosario Diaz- City of West Covina, Pam Romero- City of Duarte and Kaitlyn McGuire- City of Covina and COUSD.
Thank you all for making our community stronger, more loving, and better overall.
Capitol Updates
Woman of the Year
This year, we nominated our youngest ever Woman of the Year on behalf of the Legislative Women’s Caucus - a senior at Charter Oak High School, Kaitlyn McGuire. Kaitlyn has embraced numerous leadership roles that extend beyond school. A member of the Los Angeles County Office of Education Student Advisory Council, the Women’s Foundation of California Leadership Institute, and Young Women’s Christian Association’s Youth Advisory Board, Kaitlyn’s advocacy provides valuable input on policies affecting young women and students. Congratulations Kaitlyn, we are so proud of you!
Legislative Updates
We are in the process of committee hearings here in the Capitol. This means that bills that have been introduced are now being placed in their respective committees, for instance our Joint Powers Authority for Water Corporations bill will be heard in both the local government and insurance committee. This will provide an opportunity for the bill to be discussed and commented on by committee members and by members of the community, prior to a vote by members of the committee. Right now, most of our bills have been set for a hearing and the legislative season continues to ramp up.
We have had three bills pass out of their respective committees thus far: AB 373, Client Directed Representation for Non-Minor Dependents, AB 689, Foster Youth Disaster Aid Assistance, and AB 481: Healing Arts: Clinical Laboratories: personnel. We are excited about the success of the rest of our legislative package. Our team is proud to keep putting forth good, quality work and we are grateful for our colleagues and sponsors who make this process fruitful.
We are also proud to announce our Early Literacy Bill AB 1121 has received the co-sponsorship of the NAACP California and Hawaii Chapters. Thank you for your recognition of the importance of equity in literacy.
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 and community events and highlighting local leaders in the 48th Assembly District. Be sure to look out for our April 2025 newsletter. Want real-time updates? Follow our social media platforms to get timely updates and all things about the #Fighting48th. See you then!