Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 20, 2021

CONTACT: Austin.Panush@sen.ca.gov  

Senator Bradford Responds to Derek Chauvin Trial Verdict

SACRAMENTO – The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), in partnership with the Bureau of Cannabis Control, today announced $15 million in grant awards through the Cannabis Equity Grants Program for Local Jurisdictions. This program seeks to advance economic justice for populations and communities disproportionately affected by cannabis prohibition by providing funding to local jurisdictions that are committed to promoting equity in the legal cannabis marketplace and eliminating barriers to entering this industry.

The California Cannabis Equity Act (SB 1294, Statutes of 2018, Chapter 794) created this program and was authored by Senator Steven Bradford (D-Gardena),

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.”