This month, I’ve asked my District Director, Pam Ison, to fill you in on the work of my talented District office staff. Our Chief of Staff, Nick Hardeman, also has provided a legislative update on the latest from the Capitol. Take care and stay cool! – Sen. Toni Atkins 

Inside look: Sen. Atkins’ district office

By Pam Ison, District Director

One of the best things about working for Senator Atkins is the strong emphasis she puts on the people and communities of the 39th Senate District. Even though she is the President pro Tempore of the Senate, one of the most important jobs in state government, she always believes—and always reminds us—that the people she represents come first. That was also true when she served as Speaker of the Assembly. We’re all proud of the fact that the boss is only the third person in California’s almost 175-year history as a state to have served in both those leadership roles. Senator Atkins got her start in public service working as an aide to then-San Diego City Council member Christine Kehoe, and we believe that’s where her commitment to constituent service took root. Even recently when the Senator was serving as Acting Governor and signed several bills into law, she reflected on the importance of working to help local governments serve their residents.

The 39th Senate District includes most of the City of San Diego, the cities of Coronado, Del Mar and Solana Beach, and parts of unincorporated Rancho Santa Fe. Our office also serves areas of Lemon Grove, El Cajon, and La Mesa. It is home to a diverse people and a dynamic economy. In the District Office, staff respond to constituent inquiries about legislation the Senator is authoring, problems they are facing with government agencies, and help support constituents in solving their issues.

We also take part in the community by attending local government meetings and representing the Senator at events and meetings throughout the district. Even with a twin sister, the boss can’t be in two places at the same time! Because she comes from a military family and there is such a large military presence in the district, that has been a special focus for Senator Atkins, including finding ways to help military families make ends meet and helping veterans cut through red tape to access the benefits they have earned. Some of our busiest times came during the peak of COVID, when so many people had questions and needed timely, accurate information during the pandemic.

Legislative update

By Nick Hardeman, Chief of Staff

Much has happened in Sacramento since last month.

First, the 2023-2024 state budget negotiated by Senator Atkins, the Speaker of the Assembly, and the Governor went into effect July 1. Even though this is a more difficult budget year than we’ve faced recently, years of responsible budgeting by legislative Democrats allowed us to move forward to protect our progress and avoid any harmful cuts.

I know Senator Atkins would want a big shout out to the Senate’s Budget Chair, Senator Nancy Skinner of Berkeley, the entire Budget Committee and Senate’s Infrastructure Working Group for their nonstop work in bringing the budget to fruition. Their work led to a final package of bills that improve California’s ability to streamline and build the infrastructure our state needs while continuing to lead on climate change and protecting the environment. The package also included historic standards on workforce equity, and will benefit marginalized and disadvantaged communities by promoting access to jobs in federally-supported construction and manufacturing.

Senator Atkins was the first Senate President pro Tem to sign bills into law in almost 50 years and the first woman Pro Tem and LGBTQ+ Acting Governor to sign legislation. The last President pro Tem to sign bills was Senator Jim Mills, who also represented San Diego!

In terms of the Senator’s own package of legislation, all of her bills passed their first hearings in the Assembly in July and are on track for passage before the Legislature adjourns in September. Her bills this session include:

SB 385, which would expand training for physicians assistants to allow them to perform first trimester abortions under their scope.

SB 487, which would strengthen protections for California healthcare providers who offer abortion care services and gender-affirming care.

SB 447, which would lift California’s travel ban to states that have adopted discriminatory anti-LGBTQ+ laws and put in its place the BRIDGE Project, an outreach campaign to encourage acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community.

SB 450 would make SB 9, the California Housing Opportunity and More Efficiency (HOME) Act, more accessible for homeowners who wish to use it.

SB 519, which would promote safety in county detention facilities and ensure more transparent oversight of the Sheriff’s Departments.

Finally, Pro Tem Atkins is a principal coauthor of ACA 5, a constitutional amendment that would repeal the unenforceable provision in the California Constitution that states that only a marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California and instead enshrines the fundamental right to marriage equality into our state Constitution. ACA 5 passed both houses of the Legislature and will be voted upon in the November 2024 General Election.