Press Releases

SACRAMENTO – Yesterday evening, Governor Gavin Newsom delivered the 2021 State of the State Address and Senator Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) issued the following statement:

“A true leader is measured by how well they empower those around them. As Senate President pro Tem Atkins stated, we cannot return to the old normal — the one built on inequities and racism. The COVID-19 pandemic has acted as a magnifying glass on the extraordinary gaps women and minorities face in healthcare, education, business, housing, and justice. I agree with Governor Newsom, ‘it is not what we preach, but what we do.’ I am proud to be a member of a legislative body that invested $7.6 billion in hardworking small businesses and $6.6 billion to get kids back to school safely. The problems we faced a year ago haven’t changed, their impact on communities of color have just become more obvious. We have taken serious steps forward on the path to recovery for our diverse businesses and community members, but more needs to be done on criminal justice reform and equitable economic assistance to correct the failures of past policy. We must emerge from this pandemic as the Governor has promised, with equity embedded in everything.”

SACRAMENTO – Last week, Senator Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) introduced Senate Bill 655. This bill will codify reporting requirements for underrepresented groups on insurance company governing boards, lower the existing California premium reporting threshold value for board and supplier diversity data from $100 million to $75 million, and define the term Diverse Investment Managers in the COIN program. The bill is sponsored by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara.

“Sometimes sunlight is the best disinfectant,” said Senator Bradford. “Commissioner Lara and I have been working together to collect data on the diversity of the insurance market and make sure that it really reflects the diversity of the State of California. Unsurprisingly, what we are seeing from that data is that isn’t happening at the highest levels of governance. But let’s be clear, this lack of diversity exists in aspects of government and business in California. This bill builds upon our previous work by ushering insurers to implement measurable goals for inclusivity.”

SACRAMENTO – Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins has appointed Senator Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) as a member to California’s Task Force to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans. California became the first state government in the country to establish a task force for this purpose. The Task Force is comprised of nine members appointed by the governor and legislative leaders in order to conduct an examination of the lasting consequences of discrimination against freed slaves and their descendants and to make recommendations on how the state can potentially make reparations for those affected. Senator Bradford issued this statement in regards to his appointment:

SACRAMENTO – Senator Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) released the following statement in response to Governor Newsom’s Budget Proposal for 2021-2022.

“Governor Newsom’s 2021-2022 budget proposal reflects what we are all hoping, that things are getting back on track and in a better way. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to devastate California, but thanks to the swift actions taken last year by the Legislature and the Governor, we are in a strong position to combat this crisis and rebuild our economy. I am pleased to see the Governor’s budget include investments in equity, which are critical to not only to lead our state out of the pandemic, but to come away where every Californian is stronger. We do not want to go back to where we were, we want a more just economy moving forward.