Hello, Assembly District 78! I’m your representative Chris Ward and I want to bring you up to date on the latest news for August.

Leg update

First up, I want to update you on my bills that are still going through the legislative process. Last week, 10 of my bills were heard by the Senate Appropriations Committee on Suspense Day. This is the last day for fiscal committees in the Assembly and Senate to meet and deal with pending bills in California that are tagged with a fiscal cost above a certain threshold set by each committee. Typically, there are hundreds of bills that go though the Assembly Appropriations Committee or Senate Appropriations Committee, and each one is either passed out of the committee or it’s held on the “Suspense File” where it does not get to move forward.

Out of the 10 bills from my legislative package that were before the Senate Appropriations Committee, seven are moving forward in the legislative process:

• AB 1858 the Safe and Prepared Schools Act standardizes the guidance for how school shooter drills are conducted at the K-12 education levels. This new guidance will add clarity, require parental notification, forbid simulated gunfire, and require age-appropriate practices. 

• AB 1970 the Doxing Victims Recourse Act provides recourse for victims who have been harmed as a result of being doxxed by allowing a victim to pursue civil action to receive restitution for the harms endured as a result of being doxxed.

• AB 1884 clarifies the definition of combat-related excused absences for K-12 students of active-duty parents in the military so smaller school districts will no longer struggle with the vague and antiquated definition currently in statute that pose an ADA funding risk to them.

• AB 1635 modifies current law relating to the Department of Motor Vehicles facility located in the Hillcrest neighborhood in the City of San Diego to ensure that it be used for the development of affordable housing and maximize redevelopment potential on the site.

• AB 2353 ensures nonprofit affordable rental housing developers can access the existing welfare property tax exemption without floating unnecessary tax payments while their application is under review, reducing the cost of constructing affordable housing.

• AB 3093 requires local governments to account for the housing needs of people experiencing homelessness in their housing elements, and for HCD to include vulnerable residents into the Regional Housing Needs Allocation. 

• Finally, AB 2005 enables California State University campuses to utilize the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit for the purpose of developing affordable housing for CSU faculty, staff, and students on CSU owned land.

As we approach the end of legislative session, I’m looking forward to these bills receiving a floor vote and heading to the governor’s desk.

LGBTQ Caucus Chair

I’m excited to announce that I was recently elected to serve as Chair of the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus by my colleagues. I will serve alongside Vice Chair Senator Caroline Menjivar, and we will officially transition into our new leadership roles on December 2, 2024.

At a time when there is a national wave of anti LGBTQ+ rhetoric and attacks, as Chair, I will be committed to leading our state as a safe haven for LGBTQ+ community members seeking equality, care, and refuge from harm. I look forward to growing our Caucus in both numbers and diversity, as well as advancing equity in various areas impacting our community, such as housing and homelessness, education, and civil rights and community protections. Additionally, I’m grateful I will be able to do this incredible work with Sen. Menjivar, who has risen quickly to become a respected leader in the Legislature.

I look forward to getting started on this important work later this year.

Thanks and reminders

I want to take a second to thank each and every one of you who took time to complete the Assembly District 78 on the more talked-about pieces of legislation this year.

This feedback is incredibly helpful in getting a pulse on where my constituents stand on several hot button issues. In the coming weeks, I will be reading through your responses and taking in your input to help inform my upcoming votes on the Assembly Floor.

While we are approaching the end of this legislative session, I want to remind you that my online portal for bill ideas is open. Visit my website by clicking the button below and click on the “Resources” tab at the top of the page. Underneath it, you will find the “Submit a Bill Idea” page where you can submit a suggestion for something you think should be a law or a challenge you think needs to be addressed with new legislation.

Once your proposal is submitted, my staff and I will look it over and reach out if we need additional information. We look forward to reading through your responses.

Click here to submit a bill idea.

Upcoming events

If you’ve ever thought about going green so you can save money and benefit the environment, but you don’t know where to start, I will be hosting a “How to Go Green” webinar on Sept. 9.

This informative session will cover the advantages of rooftop solar systems and the benefits of purchasing an electric vehicle. Experts will provide practical tips on making homes more energy efficient and discuss the long-term benefits of green energy solutions.

Click here to register.

Finally, if you’re interested in purchasing an electric vehicle, I will be partnering with SDG&E for an EV Day on Sept. 14. This event will give you the opportunity to test drive several different electric vehicles to find out which one is the best fit for you, with no pressure to purchase.

Click here to register.

As always, I want to thank you for your support. I’m grateful to be your representative and work on these issues and more. One of the best ways to stay informed is to follow my social media accounts on Facebook, X, Threads and Instagram where you can know in real time what developments are happening or what I’m working on every day.

And if you need assistance, please know that my district office staff is available and ready to serve or answer any questions you may have. Feel free to reach out to the contact information at the end of this email, and a staff member will connect with you as soon as possible. I wish you, your family and your neighbors all the best.