Democratic Caucus Chair Rick Chavez Zbur Champions Key Legislation to Protect Californians' Health, Safety, and Rights

For immediate release:

Wednesday, September 11, 2024

This legislative session, Assemblymember Zbur is proud to announce the successful advancement of ten bills to the Governor's Desk. Among these is the California Retail Theft Reduction Act, now signed into law and set to take effect on January 1, 2025. Additionally, a historic $10 billion Climate Resilience Bond, the largest voter-approved investment of its kind in U.S. history, is moving forward for potential approval.

SACRAMENTO, CA - Democratic Caucus Chair Rick Chavez Zbur (D-Hollywood) is proud to announce a successful 2024 legislative session with the passage of landmark bills reflecting his priorities addressing the housing and homelessness crisis, enhancing public safety, advancing climate action, and championing LGBTQ+ civil rights, workers' rights, and equitable access to health care. These legislative victories reflect Assemblymember Zbur's dedication to addressing some of the most pressing issues facing the state today.

"These legislative victories reflect our unwavering commitment to building a California that is safer, healthier, and more equitable for everyone," said Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur. "Each of these bills directly addresses critical issues facing our communities-from tackling the housing and homelessness crisis to equipping law enforcement with better tools to combat organized retail crime. We're enhancing gun safety to protect vulnerable communities, from survivors of domestic violence to those targeted by hate-based violence. We're empowering foster youth to build financial stability, and ensuring workers have the rights and protections they deserve. We're expanding life-saving healthcare access, safeguarding the civil rights of LGBTQ+ individuals, and creating a sanctuary for transgender people seeking gender-affirming care in the face of growing national hostility. And we're empowering voters with the opportunity to safeguard their communities from the growing threats of the climate crisis. I'm incredibly proud to see these bills on the Governor's desk or headed to the voters, and I look forward to the positive change they will bring to Californians across the state."

Signed by the Governor

AB 2943 - California Retail Theft Reduction Act
The California Retail Theft Reduction Act, authored by Assemblymember Zbur and Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, addresses the rise in organized retail theft by implementing new measures to combat retail crime while upholding criminal justice reforms that enhance community safety. The bill equips law enforcement with enhanced tools to tackle theft rings and ensure accountability, supports retailers in protecting their businesses, and is a crucial component of a comprehensive legislative package targeting retail crime.

Key elements of the California Retail Theft Reduction Act:

1. The bill places great emphasis on stopping organized crime rings that are harming our communities. It does this by creating a new crime targeting "serial" retail thieves, with a penalty of up to three years behind bars for possession of stolen property with intent to resell. It also specifies that evidence of intent can include repeated conduct or possession of a quantity of goods inconsistent with personal use; does not require proof that a defendant acted with another person; and applies both to the retail thieves and secondary sellers. This item advances a key component of recommendations released by the Governor's office earlier this year.
2. The bill also specifies that the value of thefts from different victims can be aggregated to reach the threshold for grand theft and that the relevant intent standard can be met by evidence that the acts involve the same defendant(s), are substantially similar in nature, or occur within a 90-day period.
3. Significantly, the bill helps get at the root cause of theft by expanding the use of diversion and rehabilitative programs like drug court through increased supervision for shoplifting and petty theft, and the opportunity for early discharge from probation if the program is completed.
4. It also expands tools for police to arrest for shoplifting based on a witness's sworn statement or video footage of the crime.
5. The bill extends the ability of police to keep repeat offenders and those committing organized retail crime in custody.
6. Finally, the bill protects businesses and retailers that report retail crime by ensuring they will not have nuisance actions brought against them simply for doing so.

Headed to the Voters

SB 867 - Climate Resiliency Bond
The Climate Resiliency Bond, officially known as the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024, represents a collaborative effort between the Assembly and Senate to fund critical projects addressing California's most urgent environmental challenges. This bond will support initiatives for safe drinking water, drought and flood resilience, wildfire and forest management, coastal protection, extreme heat mitigation, biodiversity conservation, climate-smart agriculture, park creation, and clean air programs.

As a proud member of the Assembly's Climate Working Group, Assemblymember Zbur played a key role in shaping the bond's priorities. As a co-author of SB 867, he fought for major investments for California and District 51, including:

1. $475 million to Advance Offshore Wind Energy, to enable the state to transition away from dirty fossil fuel energy
2. $81.5 million for the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy
3. $48 million for the Baldwin Hills Conservancy
4. $80 million for the Los Angeles River Watershed & Revitalization Plan

On the Governor's Desk

Housing &Amp; Homelessness

AB 2525 - RV Lot Storage
(Sponsor: Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass)
Designed to reduce homelessness by facilitating the storage of recreational vehicles (RVs) while their former inhabitants receive services aimed at transitioning them into stable housing. This bill streamlines the process for the City of Los Angeles to lease property from the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and plays a crucial role in supporting initiatives like Mayor Karen Bass's Inside Safe program, which seeks to bring people experiencing homelessness into safer, more stable living conditions.

AB 2447 - Foster Care Cash Savings
(Sponsors: Alliance for Children's Rights, California Coalition for Youth)
Aims to prevent homelessness and empower youth in foster care by allowing them to build stronger financial safety nets as they transition into adulthood. This bill clarifies and codifies state law to align with recent Department of Social Services guidance, ensuring that youth in foster care can save more than $10,000 without risking the loss of their benefits. This legislation represents a significant step toward greater financial equity and security for youth in foster care, including LGBTQ+ youth and children of color, who are overrepresented in the foster care system.

LGBTQ+ Civil Rights and Health Care

AB 2258 - Enhanced Consumer Protections for Preventive Care
(Sponsors: Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, APLA Health, San Francisco AIDS Foundation, Los Angeles LGBT Center, Equality California)
This bill strengthens consumer protections by ensuring that all Californians, particularly low-income individuals, have access to comprehensive and affordable preventive health care. AB 2258 ensures that health plans and insurers are required to cover essential services that are integral to the delivery of recommended preventive care without cost-sharing. This includes mandatory coverage for critical health interventions such as reversible contraceptives, HIV prevention medications like pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), and screenings for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

AB 2442 - Expedited Medical Licensure for Gender-Affirming Care
(Sponsors: Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California and Equality California)
As a direct response to the growing wave of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation across the country, AB 2442 establishes an expedited licensure process for healthcare providers committed to offering gender-affirming care and mental health services. With 26 states enacting laws that severely restrict or criminalize access to gender-affirming care, California is reaffirming its role as a sanctuary for transgender individuals seeking essential healthcare by ensuring that medical and mental health professionals dedicated to gender-affirming care can quickly receive the necessary licensure to practice in California. This bill is crucial not only for protecting the rights of transgender residents but also for accommodating the growing number of out-of-state patients forced to seek care in California due to restrictive policies in their home states.

AB 2613 - Jacqueline Marie Zbur Rare Disease Advisory Council
(Sponsors: National Organization for Rare Disorders)
Establishes the Jacqueline Marie Zbur Rare Disease Advisory Council (RDAC) in California, named in memory of Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur's sister, Jacqueline "Jackie" Marie Zbur, who bravely battled ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). This landmark bill creates a platform for addressing the unique challenges faced by Californians with rare diseases, ensuring their voices are heard. The RDAC will consist of diverse stakeholders who will identify gaps in care, suggest improvements to programs like Medi-Cal, and promote research and innovation. By joining 28 other states with similar councils, California is better serving the 1 in 10 residents affected by over 10,000 rare diseases.

Gun Safety

AB 2907 - Enhanced Protections for Stalking, Gun Violence & Abuse Victims
(Sponsors: Los Angeles District Attorney's Office)
Enhances gun safety protections for people who have survived domestic violence, stalking, and elder abuse by imposing enhanced enforcement. The bill conforms the firearm surrender deadlines for criminal protective orders to the shorter firearm surrender periods for civil protective orders. Additionally, AB 2907 requires the arresting officer in domestic violence cases to question the arrestee, victim, and other household members (if applicable) about any firearms owned or possessed by the arrestee and to check the Automated Firearm System (AFS) to determine whether the arrestee owns or possesses any firearms prior to presenting the case to the prosecuting attorney for filing.

AB 2917 - Hate-Based Gun Violence Prevention Act
(Sponsors: Everytown for Gun Safety, San Francisco City Attorney's Office)
Strengthens California's Gun Violence Restraining Order (GVRO) system by guiding the civil court to consider threats of violence, specifically focusing on hate-based threats made against groups protected by hate crime laws and threats of violence to advance political objectives. Hate crimes involving racial, religious, sexual orientation, and gender bias all increased between 2021 and 2022. The alarming rise in violence, particularly against LGBTQ+ communities-especially transgender women-religious minorities, and racial and ethnic minorities, underscores the need for stronger preventive measures. AB 2917 is a critical step in enhancing public safety and preventing tragedies before they occur.

Workers' Rights

AB 2704 - Eliminating Barriers to In-Home Supportive Services Employment
(Sponsors: United Domestic Workers/AFSCME Local 3930)
Decreases the financial burden on prospective In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) providers by reducing the fees for criminal background checks. This bill makes it easier for qualified individuals to join the IHSS workforce, ensuring that elderly and disabled Californians receive care from trustworthy providers. By removing a key barrier to entry, AB 2704 strengthens the IHSS program and enhances support for some of the state's most vulnerable populations.

AB 2889 - Local Public Employee Relations
Sponsors: SEIU California, AFSCME California, Union of American Physicians & Dentists)
Extends the same protections enjoyed by most public workers in California to employees of the County and City of Los Angeles by transferring initial jurisdiction over requests for injunctive relief to the California Public Employees Relations Board (PERB). This change ensures more efficient resolution of labor disputes and prevents local alternatives to PERB from awarding damages resulting from strikes, safeguarding against union-busting tactics.

Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur serves as the Democratic Caucus Chair for the California State Assembly and represents the 51st Assembly District, which includes Universal City, Hollywood, Hancock Park, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Westwood, West Los Angeles, Santa Monica, and other portions of Los Angeles.

CONTACT: Vienna Montague, (916) 319-2051, [email protected]