Happy Holidays!
Dear Neighbor,
As we celebrate the holiday season, I wanted to take the time to give thanks for an incredible first year, and for all of you.
I’m proud to share that during this first year in office, I’ve focused on important issues impacting Californians, and especially my constituents such as:
- Legislation to prevent sea-level rise for our coastal district
- Securing state funding to end veteran homelessness in Orange County
- Rooting out waste, fraud and abuse
My team and I hosted and attended hundreds of events across our beautiful six-city district. From day one, I’ve wanted to let the community know that our office is open and accessible to all, and that begins with making sure we have a visible presence in our community – whether it’s holding monthly events like city office hours or our upcoming March 2020 Young Women’s Empowerment Conference.
Of course, none of this would have been possible without the involvement of community members and community groups across our district. So many of you have shown true partnership in your outreach, and I want all of you to know – I look forward to continuing to develop our relationships and partnerships.
If you ever need me, my office is only a phone call or email away.
With gratitude,
Cottie Petrie-Norris,
Assemblywoman District 74
CAPITOL UPDATE
PROTECTING THE CALIFORNIA COAST
AB 65 Sea-Level Rise: Investing in Green Infrastructure
Invests in green infrastructure projects to combat sea-level rise. Green infrastructure solutions – which include dunes, marshes, kelp and seagrass – are proven to be more resilient and cost-effective than traditional gray infrastructure.
Status: Signed into Law
AB 1011 Coastal Development Waiver
Encourages habitat restoration and public access projects by explicitly authorizing the Coastal Commission to waive permit fees for non-profits organizations.
Status: Signed into Law
REGULATING THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT INDUSTRY
AB 919 Substance Abuse Treatment: Enforcement and Patient Protections
Requires the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to establish an enforcement program to stop body-brokering schemes that prey on vulnerable patients seeking legitimate substance abuse treatment.
Status: Signed into Law
AB 920 Substance Abuse Treatment: Outpatient Licensure
Requires outpatient substance abuse treatment programs to be licensed under DHCS. There are currently no regulations whatsoever for substance abuse treatment programs. By closing this gap, this bill will protect both patients and our communities from unscrupulous operators.
Status: To be reintroduced into 2020
EXPANDING HEALTHCARE ACCESS
AB 1128 Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) Administration
Streamlines licensing for PACE (Program for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) in order to facilitate program growth and increase access for eligible seniors. PACE is a proven success story – enabling our seniors stay in their homes and age in place while also saving money for taxpayers.
Status: Signed into Law
AB 1264 Telehealth: Birth Control Access
Sponsored by Planned Parenthood
Expands access to birth control by clarifying vague telehealth law and reducing medically unnecessary barriers to care. With this clarity in place, smartphone applications and telehealth services will provide access for tens of thousands of women in California.
Status: Signed into Law
IMPROVING GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY
AB 469 State Records Management
Sponsored by Secretary of State Alex Padilla
Improves state records management by establishing a Records Management Coordinator at each state agency, as well as consistent standards for training and reporting across all agencies.
Status: Signed into Law
SAVING MONEY FOR SMALL BUSINESS
AB 608 Possessory Interest
Increases the $10,000 low-value ordinance exemption threshold to $50,000 for all possessory interests. This will reduce the burden on taxpayers utilizing possessory interests and improve Government efficiency.
Status: Signed into Law
HELPING SERVICE MEMBERS
AB 558 Active Duty Members: Pro Bono Legal Services
Requires the California State Bar to expand pro bono civil legal assistance for active duty service members and their families who otherwise cannot afford legal services.
Status: Signed into Law
INCREASING STUDENT VOTING
AB 963 Student Civic and Voter Empowerment Act
Sponsored by A Band of Voters, California NAACP - Fresno State, March for Our Lives California
Empowers a new generation of California voters by appointing a Civic and Voter Empowerment Coordinator on our public college & university campuses.
Status: Signed into Law
DISTRICT-FOCUSED LEGISLATION
AB 1199 Fairview Development Center: Public Engagement and Transparency
The Fairview Developmental Center in Costa Mesa is scheduled for closure in 2020. AB 1199 will ensure that, as part of the process in determining the future use for the 114-acre site, there will be a structured process for community input.
Status: Signed into Law
AB 1752 Doheny Desalination Facility
Sponsored by the South Coast Water District
Enables the South Coast Water District to access funding for the construction of the Doheny Ocean Desalination Facility located in Dana Point. This critical project will decrease South Orange County’s reliance on imported water – and has broad support from environmental groups, labor and the local community.
Status: Signed into Law
AB 74 State Budget
As part of the 2019/2020 State Budget, Assemblywoman Petrie-Norris secured significant funding for Orange County, including:
- $4.5 million for the Orange County Fire Authority to prevent devastating wildfires.
- $2.9 million to end Veteran homelessness in Orange County, partnering with Orange County United Way.
- $1 million for the Orange County Housing Finance Trust for the development of permanent supportive housing.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
As we prepare for the 2020 legislative session, I wanted to make sure that you’ve had the opportunity to check out the AD74:
We’d love to hear from you on both issues, and what you view as a priority for 2020!
IN THE COMMUNITY
We’ve been out and about in the community, meeting all of you. Here’s a snapshot of our last month:
11/1: Assemblywoman Petrie-Norris with Bill Stewart and Councilwoman Joy Brenner of Newport Beach
11/8: Assemblywoman Petrie-Norris at the Laguna Beach Scam Stoppers
11/9: Assemblywoman Petrie-Norris with Mayor Katrina Foley (Costa Mesa) at Heroes Hall, Celebrating Veteran’s Day. (VIDEO)
11/11: Assemblywoman Petrie-Norris with Richard Moore and Eve Loftsgaard in Laguna Beach
11/14: Touring CHOC Children’s Hospital
11/21: Assemblywoman Petrie-Norris presenting a $1 million check to the Costa Mesa City Council for the Lions Park Project
11/22: Team Cottie is out and about in the district, evaluating our work from 2019 and getting ready for 2020!
