Dear Neighbor,

Good afternoon and welcome to "Catching Up With Cottie" - a weekly update about what I am working on as your representative in the California State Assembly.

Happy Women's History month! This time of year is a chance to reflect on the great strides women have made throughout history and to recognize the women in our lives and our communities working hard to make a difference for future generations to come.

In honor of Women's History Month, it is my pleasure to announce this year's 73^rd Assembly District Women of the Year Honorees! Congratulations to Costa Mesa Deputy Police Chief Joyce La Pointe, President of City of Hope, Annette Walker, from Irvine, and Soledad Rivera, Community relations manager at CalOptima, from Tustin! Thank you for everything you do to make our community a better place!

I am excited to share that this is a historic year for women in the California Legislature. There are 50 women serving in California's 120 member Legislature - a record high! Women also hold a record number of leadership positions in the Senate and Assembly - with chairwomen leading more than 30 committees and three of the major Legislative Caucuses, including the Black, Latino, and LGBTQ caucuses. What a historic milestone for women in California!

As always, if you have questions or need assistance with a state program or agency, please reach out to my office. I am here to help!

Yours faithfully,


Cottie Petrie-Norris
California State Assemblywoman

California's electric rates are some of the highest in the nation, with 1 in 4 Californians considered "energy insecure." As Chair of the Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy, lowering your bills is one of my top priorities. This week, I convened an oversight hearing to hold regulators accountable for increasing rates and to explore solutions for lowering our utility bills. The current situation is untenable, and I am committed to securing relief for all Californians.

One of the most frequent challenges that I hear about from constituents is the proliferation of retail crime, and it's time that we take back our shopping centers, our downtowns, and our small businesses from organized criminal gangs. Californians have the right to feel safe while shopping and going to work. Recently, I toured a local Home Depot store in Costa Mesa to hear directly from local businesses about the chilling impacts that organized retail crime is having in our community.

As a member of the Select Committee on Retail Theft, I am committed to finding smart and effective solutions to put a stop to these terrifying and traumatic trends. This year, I introduced legislation to allow judges to impose more stringent sentences when a perpetrator commits these violent acts. These week, my colleagues and I announced our 2024 legislative package to combat retail theft. I will keep you posted as these important bills move through the legislative process.

Each year, I look forward to meeting with Moms Demand Action during their annual advocacy day, and this year was no different - I am always impressed with their commitment to ending gun violence. This year, we discussed several pieces of legislation aimed at reducing gun violence, including three bills that I am authoring. You can read more about them on my website.

 What a treat it was to attend Rivian's much-anticipated R2 Reveal Event, and congratulations on the launch of the R2, R3, and R3X! I am so proud that Rivian is headquartered right here in Irvine. It is one of the world-class California companies powering our clean energy future.

Marking International Women's Day, I attended the 2nd Annual Orange County Women in Leadership Summit and got to connect with an awesome group of women leaders. It was inspiring to hear their stories and learn about the many ways they are giving back. We are truly blessed to be in a community filled with such trailblazers!

COMMUNITY RECOGNITION

Congratulations to The Plot on the Grand Opening in Costa Mesa! It is truly great to have an award winning business with a unique plant based menu be part of our community! Wishing you continued success.

Congratulations to the City of Tustin on the reopening of The Annex. Thank you for providing a space for building a more vibrant community, where connection and collaboration with people from all walks of life can thrive.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Mar 14 - 6 Annual Women of the Year Celebration

In honor of Women's History Month, Please join me at a ceremony on Thursday, March 14 from 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. in Costa Mesa to recognize Joyce LaPointe (Costa Mesa Police Department), Annette Walker (City of Hope Orange County) and Soledad Rivera (CalOptima Health) as the 73rd Assembly District's Women of the Year! Kindly RSVP by Monday, March 11. Space is limited, and RSVP is required. Click here to attend.

Mar 16 - Orange County Fire Authority Open House

I will be attending the OCFA open house at their headquarters in Irvine. I look forward to meeting with our local firefighters and the community. This is a great opportunity for you to learn fire safety, and even put out pretend fires. Hope to see you there!

Mar 20 - Costa Mesa Blood Drive

You are invited to an American Red Cross Blood Drive at the Orange Coast College Main Quad on Wednesday, March 20 from 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. The need for blood is constant and your donation is important for a healthy and reliable blood supply. Every 2 seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood. You will feel good knowing you've helped change a life.

Mar 23 - Irvine Household Waste &Shredding Event

Do you have bulky household items you need to throw away or important documents to shred? Bring your household waste and documents to the Jeffrey Park and Ride in Irvine on Saturday, March 23 from 8:00 a.m. - 11 a.m.