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Delivering for Our Communities

Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris represents the 73rd Assembly District, which includes Irvine, Costa Mesa and Tustin. She is committed to delivering results for her constituents, by consistently championing environmental protection, economic sustainability, and government oversight and accountability. To date, Assemblywoman Petrie-Norris has had 48 bills signed into law and secured hundreds of millions of dollars in funding for Orange County.

Table of contents for bill and issue details:

Energy and Climate Action

As Chair of the Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy, the Assemblywoman is committed to addressing the climate crisis, and ensuring California policy is aligned with the development of a greener economy.

  • AB 65 prioritizes projects that address sea-level rise along California’s coast by utilizing green infrastructure for coastal adaptation (signed into law September 2019).
     
  • AB 72, the Coastal Adaptation Permitting Act of 2021, establishes a coordinated and efficient process for coastal adaptation permitting (signed into law September 2021).
     
  • AB 1752 enables the South Coast Water District to access funding for the Doheny Ocean Desalination Facility construction in Dana Point to decrease south Orange County’s reliance on imported water (signed into law October 2019).
     
  • AB 2292 accelerates the permitting of large transmission projects by reducing redundant process requirements at the CPUC (signed into law September 2024).
     
  • AB 2368 directs the CPUC to prepare the grid to meet the required demand and ensure grid resiliency (signed into law September 2024).
     
  • AB 2672 expands California’s energy bill discount program to housing owned or run by public housing authorities (signed into law September 2024).
     
  • AB 2779 mandates the rapid expansion of the transmission system by requiring the California Independent System Operator to report on new uses and cost savings of Grid Enhancing Technologies (signed into law September 2024).
     
  • AB 3264 collects information on total energy costs and identifies actions to reduce energy bills (signed into law September 2024).
     
  • $500 million secured to fund mitigation efforts aimed at protecting the California coast from sea-level rise.

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Protecting the Environment

The Assemblywoman is proud of her longstanding commitment to advancing policies that will protect our planet for generations to come. As Chair of the Select Committee on Green Innovation, the Assemblywoman actively works toward sustainable economic growth and preserving local ecosystems. She has authored laws to hold corporate polluters accountable for environmental crimes, to protect our marine ecosystem, and to ensure that state agencies are effectively utilizing taxpayer dollars to achieve our state’s climate goals.

  • AB 63 cuts green tape to allow for the restoration of marine life along California’s coast (signed into law September 2021).
     
  • AB 933 will establish the Ecosystem Resilience Program at the Department of Conservation to provide funding for Watershed Coordinators to address the diverse needs of the state’s watersheds (signed into law October 2023).
     
  • AB 508 will help prosecutors and courts hold corporate polluters accountable by expanding the probation time limit for business entities convicted of environmental crimes (signed into law September 2023).
     
  • AB 655 will ban the use ofCaulerpa, an invasive, non-native green algae that kills native seaweeds and steals habitat from native marine life,in California aquariums, and require a safe alternative in order to protect our delicate marine ecosystem (signed into law July 2023).
     
  • AB 1011 waives the filing fee for an application for a coastal developmental permit (signed into law August 2019).
     
  • AB 1645 authorized concession contracts with the Crystal Cove Management Company to protect Crystal Cove State Park (signed into law July 2022).
     
  • $23.9 million for historic cottage rehabilitation at Crystal Cove State Park.
     
  • $8 million for the preservation of the Randall Preserve (formerly Banning Ranch).
     
  • $1.7 million for the development of coastal infrastructure and beach preservation.
     
  • $750,000 in funding for the Tustin Legacy Park improvements project.
     
  • $2.8 million to renovate Sweet Shade Park in Irvine to be accessible for all abilities, with a focus on STEM inspired play.
     
  • $1.3 million to upgrade Ketchum-Libolt Park in Costa Mesa with a parkway and recreation amenities.
     
  • $1 million for Lions Park in Costa Mesa.
     
  • $1 million for habitat restoration and wildfire mitigation in Bommer Canyon in Irvine.

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Public Safety

Public safety is a priority for the Assemblywoman. From protections against gun violence to wildfire mitigation, she remains at the forefront of efforts to make Orange County and California a safer place to thrive.

  • AB 689 provides survivors of Domestic Violence additional avenues to seek services (signed into law August 2021).
     
  • AB 818 improves the Armed and Prohibited Persons System by providing clear requirements for when and how weapons are to be removed once a Gun Violence Restraining Order is granted by a judge (signed into law September 2023).
     
  • AB 1057 closes a dangerous ghost gun loophole (signed into law October 2021).
     
  • AB 1027 strengthens protections online by requiring social media companies to store data for 168 hours to support law enforcement investigations (signed into law October 2023).
     
  • AB 1974 adds training on the risks of gun ownership to the existing training court mediators and child custody evaluators must already take so they are better prepared when dealing with child custody cases (signed into law September 2024).
     
  • AB 2096 authorizes chief administrative officers of public higher education institutions to seek legal action for students or faculty facing threats or unlawful violence within the educational setting (signed into law September 2024).
     
  • AB 2172 relinquishes control over a portion of Route 133 to the City of Laguna Beach to foster road safety and improve traffic during fires due to the necessity of evacuation routes (signed into law September 2020).
     
  • AB 2496 prevents drivers from operating vehicles with illegally modified exhausts by requiring drivers be ticketed for illegal modifications to prove that they have fixed the modification within three months. This will provide local communities with a much-needed tool to curb harmful noise pollution (signed into law September 2022).
     
  • AB 2759 introduces revisions to improve firearm restrictions, ensuring fairness and consistency while strengthening protections for domestic violence survivors and the public (signed into law September 2024).
     
  • AB 2843 prohibits health plans from charging victims of rape and sexual assault for care they receive (signed into law September 2024).
     
  • AB 3072 requires a court to consider a parent’s access to firearms when making a decision between in-person and virtual visitation in order to keep children safe during contentious child custody cases (signed into law September 2024).
     
  • $14.3 million to support fighting wildfires in Orange County.
     
  • $4.5 million for the Fire Integrated Real Time Intelligence System (FIRIS) to provide first-responders with real-time incident intelligence to make more effective decisions to protect life, property and the environment.
     
  • $2.5 million to develop a fire and rescue regional training center in Costa Mesa.
     
  • $2 million for the development of the Irvine Real Time Crime Center to help increase the apprehension of offenders, prevent crime, and improve officer safety.

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Jobs, Economic Development and the Economy

As the former Chair of the Select Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship, Assemblywoman Petrie-Norris believes small and minority-owned businesses are the backbone of California’s economy and has been a strong advocate of giving those equal opportunities to access contracts and procurement.

  • AB 608 ensured an exemption from property taxation for low value properties (signed into law July 2019).
     
  • AB 2019 requires state departments and agencies allocate 25 percent of their contract dollars to small businesses (signed into law August 2022).
     
  • AB 2173 regulated contracts and amended the Public Contract Code (signed into law July 2022).
     
  • $85 million in small business grants to support 7,154 local entrepreneurs in Orange County.

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Accountability and Oversight

As former Chair of the Assembly Committee on Accountability and Administrative Review, Assemblywoman Petrie-Norris focused on evaluating the effectiveness of various state programs and agencies. Government oversight is critical to the functionality of the state government, and it is the Assemblywoman’s priority to ensure that the government is working for the people and that tax dollars are being utilized efficiently.

  • AB 110 prevents fraud at California’s Employment Development Department (signed into law October 2021).
     
  • AB 469 establishes a Records Management Coordinator at each state agency in order to ensure the careful management of state records by employees with training and clear responsibilities (signed into law September 2019).

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Reproductive Health

Assemblywoman Petrie-Norris strongly believes that reproductive care must be protected. Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the Assemblywoman has worked to enshrine the right to an abortion in our State Constitution and increase accessibility to reproductive care.

  • AB 571 will protect the right to an abortion by protecting insurance access (signed into law September 2023).
     
  • AB 1264 will expand access to birth control and other necessary medications by clarifying vague telehealth law and allow more patients to access birth control through a telehealth service app with reduced barriers (signed into law October 2019).
     
  • AB 1918 established the California Reproductive Health Service Corps to help foster the growth of professionals in reproductive healthcare (signed into law September 2022).
     
  • AB 2129 improves access to long-acting contraception in hospitals and birth centers by standardizing insurance coverage (signed into law September 2024).
     
  • $20 million in the state budget to fund targeted recruitment and retention resources, and training programs for health care providers that serve patients at a reproductive health provider location to compliment this legislation

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Veterans

Having served on the Assembly’s Veterans Affairs Committee, the Assemblywoman passed policy-based solutions and allocated millions of dollars in funding to improve the lives of veterans. She continues to prioritize addressing homelessness, and firmly believes that no man or woman who bravely served our nation should ever be without a roof over their head.

  • AB 558 expands coordination of pro bono legal assistance for veterans to include active duty service members and their families who could otherwise not afford legal services (signed into law September 2022).
     
  • $2.9 million to fund housing for Orange County’s Veterans experiencing homelessness.
     
  • $2.5 million to expand Irvine Valley College’s Veterans Resource Center.

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Housing and Homelessness

It is imperative that our community is equipped with the funding and resources needed to help everyone in Orange County have a safe and stable place to call home. The Assemblywoman actively works in partnership with local officials and organizations, to develop legislative solutions to streamline processes in order to get shelter, crisis stabilization, mental-health centers and recuperative care centers up and running more quickly.

  • AB 466 helps connect Californians with their unclaimed property (signed into law July 2021).
     
  • AB 1199 will ensure that, as part of the process in determining the future use for the 114-acre site of the Fairview Developmental Center in Costa Mesa, there will be a structured process for community input (signed into law October 2019).
     
  • $1 million for the Orange County Housing Finance Trust.
     
  • $10 million for the housing conversion program, Homekey, to decrease homelessness through affordable housing.

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Behavioral Health

Mental health issues impact everyone. The Assemblywoman has been a steadfast advocate for addressing this crisis, tirelessly working to secure funding for essential resources. Her efforts aim to offer those in need a path to healing and empowerment, thereby strengthening our community's resilience.

  • AB 919 will require the Department of Health Care Services to establish an enforcement program to provide the department with the resources necessary to effectively prevent and stop body brokering schemes within substance abuse treatment facilities (signed into law October 2019).
     
  • AB 1128 will shift the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) licensing function from the Department of Public Health to the Department of Health Care Services in an effort to streamline the licensing process and help seniors remain in their homes (signed into law October 2019).
     
  • AB 1158 protects the safety of patients recovering from substance abuse treatment by ensuring minimum insurance levels at treatment facilities (signed into law October 2021).
     
  • $16.5 million to Be Well OC to construct a behavioral health campus in Irvine and provide mobile crisis services in Huntington Beach, Irvine and Laguna Beach.
     
  • $2 million towards data integration for care coordination within Orange County’s System of Care.
     
  • $750,000 to the City of Costa Mesa for behavioral health services.

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Taxes

The Assemblywoman has spearheaded efforts to preserve the Net Operating Loss Deduction (NOL) and the Research and Development (R&D) Tax Credit in the state budget, to encourage investment and growth in California’s innovation economy.

  • AB 2068 renamed voluntary tax contribution funds to the California Firefighters’ Memorial Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund and the California Peace Officers Memorial Foundation Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund to allow taxpayers to directly donate to these causes (signed into law September 2020).
     
  • AB 2651 preserved and expanded upon the welfare exemption for property owned by a community land trust (signed into law September 2022).

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Education and K-12 Development

As a mom of two boys, the Assemblywoman understands how important a quality education is for the success of our children. During her time in the Legislature, she has worked to provide more funding to local schools and fought to increase the number of spots for California students at UCs and CSUs.

  • AB 963 will require all public colleges and universities in California to establish a Civic and Voter Empowerment Coordinator to increase democratic participation (signed into law October 2019).
     
  • $18.8 million for the Orange Coast Community College Chemistry Building.
     
  • $5 million for the UC/CSU Cal-Bridge PhD program to diversify the State’s science and technology workforce, specifically at UC Irvine.
     
  • $1.8 million for UC Irvine to expand the Leveraging Inspiring Futures Through Education Degrees (LIFTED) Program, extending a high-caliber education to qualified incarcerated students.
     
  • $1.6 million for Irvine Valley College’s music, dance and arts programs.
     
  • $500,000 for the City of Newport Beach Arts Commission for arts education programs.
     
  • $500,000 for the Laguna Woods permanent library project.
     
  • $400,000 for the Dream Play Yard at the Boys and Girls Club of Laguna Beach.

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