Dear Friends,

I hope your summer has been a great one.

I want to share with you some important updates.

The California State Legislature passed another balanced budget that included successfully closing a nearly $32 billion funding shortfall. In spite of the economic challenges this year, our state budget boldly meets the needs of Californians and protects the progress we've made in recent years. Here are a few highlights:

• Schools and Community Colleges – $2.1 billion increase over last year's record investments in our students. Quality public education is vital to everyone's success.
• Higher Education – 5% increase in the funding for the UC and CSU that builds on California's world-class higher education system by helping students succeed and lead.
• Homelessness – $1 billion in grants for local homelessness programs and prevention to provide shelter and treatment for unhoused Californians.
• Childcare – $1 billion in funding to support rate increases for workers and programs. Child care is critical for working families.
• Mass Transit – $1 billion to restore critical funding for public transit systems around the state and help avoid devastating service cuts that would leave everyone who depends on public transit, especially Californians with low or fixed incomes, at risk of losing a way to get to work or go to the store.

I am working to improve community safety, boost job opportunities and save money for Californians by authoring the following legislation:

• SB 50 would prohibit police from making traffic stops for low-level, non-safety violations. Traffic stops can rapidly escalate and turn deadly. This will reduce the potential for more harm to the public and allow police more time to focus on preventing and solving more serious crimes that do impact public safety.
• SB 51 promotes greater diversity in the cannabis industry by authorizing the Department of Cannabis Control to issue a provisional license for local cannabis equity applicants for retailers for up to five years.
• SB 673 would create an Ebony Alert notification system in California to help locate missing Black youth or young Black women between the ages of 12 – 25 years. Research shows Black missing persons receive less attention than their white counterparts. SB 673 would give law enforcement an additional resource to help locate them.
• SB 873 would assist patients in affording their medications by ensuring that 90% of manufacturer rebates are passed on to the customer at the pharmacy counter. By lowering out-of-pocket costs, SB 873 can lead to improved health outcomes.

Click here to see more of my legislation relating to allowing barbers and cosmetology professionals to remedy minor licensing issues by taking additional training, eliminating barriers to applicants seeking employment, ensuring that persons charged with a crime have access to vital information for their defense and providing a path for injured student-athletes to stay in school, among other policies.

Now that my work on the California Reparations Task Force has concluded with the submission of our final report of recommendations, a new process begins.

Pictured L to R: Senator Steven Bradford, Dr. Shirley Weber, Lisa Holder, Esq., and Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer

Over the next year, I will be working to gain the support of my colleagues in the Legislature and the Governor to support the recommendation for reparations as identified by the Task Force. I want everyone to have realistic expectations because this will not be easy. I have said many times that reparations have been historically about land and the building of generational wealth. I also believe that reparations could look like the G.I. Bill benefits that are given to military veterans and include home buying assistance, free education and healthcare. Reparations are not a handout. They are not charity. They are owed and they are long overdue!

If you rent in Los Angeles County, here is some important information about your rights.

Tenants: Know your rights! (English) (Español)

Apply for legal help (English) (Español)

Attend an upcoming tenants workshop (English) (Español)

My Back to School Resource Fair & Backpack Giveaway on August 5^th was a great success. Recognizing the needs of the community, this event provided critical services and supplies to help our students and their families as school resumes this fall. We handed out more than 1,000 backpacks filled with school supplies. Our resource fair had incredible community support and provided free vaccines, health screenings and even haircuts. We also recognized some of our California Legislative Black Caucus scholarship recipients. Thanks to California State University, Dominguez Hills and California Black Women's Collective and Empowerment Institute for partnering with me on this event. It's such a great feeling to see so many kids who are ready for success.

I was inspired by this year's African American Leaders for Tomorrow conference. This is one of my favorite events of the year. Each year, the California Legislative Black Caucus hosts high school students from across the state at California State University, Dominguez Hill. This program prepares the next generation of African American leaders to become community, business, government and non-profit leaders. This multi-day conference helps these remarkable young people see the many potential pathways for reaching their life goals.
 

I was proud to join with the Teamsters National Black Caucus for their "United We Stand" Job Resource Fair at the Compton Airport. This great event helped expose students to job opportunities within a variety of trades and industries.

Governor Newsom enjoys a hamburger from Hawkins House of Burgers in Watts.

I appreciate Governor Newsom taking me up on my offer to try the best burger around! Hawkins House of Burgers has been a fixture in the Watts community since 1939! This Black woman-owned small business is a true point of pride and a symbol of resilience!

Click here to see more community events.

It's an honor and privilege to represent California's 35^th Senate District in Los Angeles County. Please feel free to contact my office if my staff or I can be of assistance. Here is a link to the services our office provides.

Sincerely,

Senator Steven Bradford