Tuesday, December 20, 2022
Majority Leader Eloise Gomez Reyes, California State Assembly
Hybrid Meeting In-Person and via ZOOM
Minutes
Present: Megan Barajas, Carole Beswick, Rebecca Boydston, Greg Bradbard, Mike Burrows, Ken Coate, Kevin Dyerly, Louis Goodwin, Mark Kaenel, Lowell King, Steve Lambert, Mike Layne, Bill Lemann, Michael Lewin, Darcy McNaboe, John Mirau, Dan Murphy, Vikki Ostermann, Catherine Pritchett, Thomas Rice, Michael Rivera, Dan Roberts, Elizabeth Romero, Kristine Scott, Patty Senecal, Jose Torres, Eric Ustation, Pete Van Helden, Reggie Webb, and Frank Zabaleta.
Guests: Bill Blankenship and Prince Ogidikpe
Announcements: 1) Unlike prior years, Inland Action is scheduled to meet with legislators in Washington, D.C. the morning of Wednesday, March 8, 2023. Those attending the advocacy trip should know to book their return tickets for late afternoon or evening. The group will be staying at the Thompson Hotel located in the Navy Yard as the Palomar has been sold and the new management was unresponsive when asked to give us a quote. Members will be receiving their reservation form in the next week. 2) The San Bernardino Black Culture Foundation will hold their 30th Annual Black Rose event on Saturday, February 4, 2023. More information will be available soon.
Motion by T. Rice/Second/Passed: Minutes from December 13, 2022.
The membership voted on prospective new member: Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.
A majority of the members present voted to extend an invitation to membership to the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. Qiana Charles, Vice President, and Regional Executive of the Los Angeles branch will serve as their primary representative and Chi Elder, Regional Engagement Officer will serve as their Alternate representative.
Dan Murphy introduced Majority Leader Eloise Reyes, California Assembly who joined us in person. She is proud to be an Inland Empire native and has served in the California Assembly since 2016. She serves on the following committees: Budget, Aging and Long-Term Care, Judiciary, Utilities and Energy, Legislative Ethics, and Budget Committee on Education. A champion for communities throughout her career and she became the 1st Latina to open her own law firm in the Inland Empire to provide necessary representation to her community. In December 2020 she was appointed Majority Leader of the California Assembly making her the fourth woman and the first Latina to hold that position.
She has had a busy year and spends as much time as she can with the various communities she represents. Redistricting has changed her district losing some areas but gaining others. She is happy to now represent Loma Linda, Redlands, Colton, Bloomington, most of Fontana, most of Rancho Cucamonga, and a small part of Ontario but is sorry to lose most of San Bernardino and Rialto.
The Majority Leader is very active in all the committees on which she serves and introduced legislation that touches each of those areas. She also serves on a number of select committees one of which is Economic Development in the Inland Empire and the select committee on Ports and Goods Movement. Her duties as Majority Leader prevent her from chairing committees as her responsibilities include making sure that every bill that has made it through Assembly Committees and bills that come from the California Senate make it to the Assembly floor.
She discussed Statewide budget “wins” which include:
- Cal Home Program-support for first time home buyers. The Golden States Social Opportunities Program will provide grants for students in mental health care programs that have personal experience in homelessness or foster care. These lived experiences will greatly benefit the communities they serve. If these students work for a non-profit for two years than the grants are forgiven. A similar bill in the Senate allows for grant forgiveness if they work for a school.
- Funding for Women’s Business Center Enhancement program will advance women in small businesses.
- Continued waiver of Family Fees. Families who receive subsidized childcare were subject to out-of-pocket fees up to $500 per month. She and others championed funding with federal TSS dollars along with money from the general fund and prop 98 funds to assist a continuation of the family fee waiver which also provided additional funding for our pre-schools.
- Funding for a sports complex in Colton and funds for homelessness resources.
- Bloomington has received funds for an animal shelter.
- San Bernardino has received funds for the San Bernardino Community Service Center specifically for immigration services.
- KVCR received funding that will enable them to provide additional services to the community and training for students who want to go into the multibillion-dollar field of communications.
- Funding will go to San Bernardino Valley college to conduct a feasibility study regarding affordable student housing.
The following are a few bills she cited that she is especially proud of:
- AB35 is a civil damages medical practice legislation that has not been updated in nearly 50 years. California’s Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act (MICRA) has now been modernized where patient advocates, attorneys, physicians, and all providers will have honest negotiations to resolve issues.
- AB2217 The Affordable Homeownership Production Act will promote construction of affordable housing by setting a higher per unit cap and increases project allocations for each community.
- AB1389 Clean Transportation program will provide millions in incentives for transportation programs including electric and hydrogen.
One of her legislative priorities will be legislation similar to last year’s AB2840 regarding logistics and warehouses. So as not to negatively impact public health and safety there needs to be space between sensitive receptors such as schools and homes and warehouse and logistics centers.
The best change in law is when all affected parties honestly and respectfully come together to reach a solution that everyone can live with.
A Q & A period followed.
Meeting adjourned at 8:36 a.m.