[Editor’s Note: Sen. Price, a Democrat representing Culver City, is serving his first full term in the state Senate.]
Dear Friends,
Welcome to my first 2011 26th Senate District eNewsletter. This special edition is a reflection of my past year’s efforts and accomplishments as a freshman in the California state Senate representing the 26th Senate District.
I started 2010 holding a series of town hall meetings throughout the district to update my constituents on my work in Sacramento and to answer guestions about the challenges facing California. I found this to be a great opportunity to discuss state government in an informal setting with my constituency. Among the issues: state budget, education, healthcare, and the economy.
In addition, I held numerous other events in the 26th District to provide information and resources to my constituents.
I introduced legislation aimed to assist those faced with foreclosure; assist small businesses; expand healthcare coverage; provide healthcare resources; and to support funding of the arts.
I am honored to serve you. Whether you live in the cities of Los Angeles or Culver City, or the communities of Baldwin Hills, Baldwin Vista, Beverlywood, Carthay Circle, Century City, the Crenshaw District, Korea Town, Hancock Park, Hollywood, Hyde Park, Jefferson Park, Ladera Heights, Lafayette Square, Larchmont, Leimert Park, Los Feliz, Miracle Mile, South Los Angeles, southwest Los Angeles, View Park, West Los Angeles or Windsor Hills, I intend to make this eNewsletter your official 26th Senate District electronic connection to state government. I also invite you to visit my official Senate website on a frequent basis to follow the progress of my legislative proposals and stay up-to-date on state matters of importance to you. You may log on to be informed about community events taking place in your neighborhood or to locate website links to federal, state and local government offices.
Don't hesitate to contact my staff or me whenever you have issues of concern or require attention. Email my eNewsletter to your neighborhood contacts and urge them to sign up to receive future issues. Thank you for the privilege of serving as your State Senator.
Sincerely,
Sen. Price.
2010 Legislative Year-in-Review
Voters Voice Strong Support
On Nov. 2, 2010, voters of the 26th District of California re-elected Sen. Curren D. Price to the state Senate.
Sen. Price accepted his strong 81.6 percent showing at the polls as a mandate from the voters to continue his legislative support for small businesses, jobs and education.
“I want to thank the voters for their continued support and for going to the polls to exercise their most important role in our wonderful democracy. I pledge to respect and earn your support each day that I am in office and represent your most important issues with vitality and integrity. I don't take lightly the trust that you have placed in me. I'm humbled by it and motivated to work even harder to earn it. These are difficult times with an economic downturn that persists and challenges lawmakers and communities across the country. However, that does not mean that we cannot make progress with innovative and creative approaches to the pressing needs of our community. We will find ways to bring together diverse segments of our community and provide a shining example of cooperation across all social strata. I look forward to hearing from each of you as we work together to make the 26th Senate District a community that works together to empower all of its residents.”
2010 Legislation Authored by Sen. Price, Signed into Law
Listed below are bills he introduced that were signed in to law by Gov. Schwarzenegger.
SB 1088: Health Care Coverage. This bill would prohibit the limiting age for dependent children covered by these healthcare service plan contracts and group health insurance policies from being less than 26. The bill would provide that no employer is required to pay the cost of coverage for dependents who are at least 23 years of age, but less than 26.
SB 1341: Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority: Contracting. This bill will provide the County Transportation Commissions Act creates county transportation commissions or authorities in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties, with specified powers and duties. Existing law generally requires purchase of all supplies, equipment and materials, and the construction of all facilities and works, when the expenditure exceeds $25,000, to be by contract let to the lowest responsible bidder.
SB 1375: Telephone corporations: residential telephone service: 9-1-1 calls. This legislation will ensure that Californians have reliable access to not only 9-1-1 emergency services, but other valuable resources as well. With passage, the state will save money, and local governments will be relieved from having to respond to false 9-1-1 calls.
SB 1427: Foreclosures: property maintenance. This bill provides that prior to imposing a fine or penalty for failure to maintain a vacant foreclosed property that is subject to a notice of default, or that has been purchased at a foreclosure sale or acquired through foreclosure under a mortgage or deed of trust, governmental entity shall provide the owner of that property with a notice of violation and an opportunity to correct the violation. An assessment or lien to recover the costs of nuisance abatement measures taken by a governmental entity shall not exceed the actual and reasonable costs of nuisance abatement.
SB 1076: Income taxes: voluntary contributions: Arts Council. This bill would authorize taxpayers to voluntarily contribute amounts in excess of their tax liability when filing their state personal income tax returns. The contributions will be allocated by the California Arts Council to arts education programs throughout the state.
Sen. Price’s 2010 Committee Assignments
In addition to his legislation responsibilities, Sen. Price has assumed a number of committee responsibilities since being sworn into the Senate. He was chosen by Senate leadership to chair and be a member of a range of important legislative committees that reflect his priorities and interests. They are as follows:
• Joint Committee on the Arts, Chair
• Appropriations
• Banking, Finance and Insurance
• Education
Governmental Organization
• Select Committee on Procurement, Chair
• Select Committee on Obesity and Diabetes
• Select Committee on Autism and Related Disorders
• Select Committee on Constitutional Reform
• Select Committee on Smart Grids
• Select Committee on Improving State Government
As Chair of the Senate Select Committee on Procurement, Sen. Price held informational hearings in effort to examine California's certification processes as it relates to women, minority and veteran small business owners; DGS's procurement practices as it relates to the three main divisions of DGS and their impacts on small business; the economic potential of expanding trade and investment with Africa.
