Borrego Sun - Since 1949

California department stores have been raided by people walking out with thousands of dollars in stolen goods. Los Angeles County, the Central Valley and the Bay Area have been the most impacted, though it’s affecting the entire state. Why is this happening, what can be done? O... — Updated 11/21/2023

Red Ribbon Week – October 23rd to 31st – delivers a strong anti-drug message to school children nationwide. I strongly support this annual program, and again this year my office is distributing thousands of Red Ribbon certificates to schools throughout the 75th Assembly Dis... — Updated 11/9/2023

The bipartisan California Legislative Women’s Caucus (LWC) was formed in 1985 by nine Democrats and six Republicans. Today, 50 of the Legislature’s 120 members are women -- the Caucus now includes 18 Senators (15 Democrats and three Republicans) and 32 Assemblymembers (27 Dem... — Updated 11/9/2023

As almost any resident of San Diego County knows, toxic wastes have been pouring into the ocean along the border south of San Diego for generations. Over the decades, there have been reports, studies and protests, but little action. A recent study by the U.S. International... — Updated 11/9/2023

If you own a home, you must have homeowner’s insurance. You can’t even get a mortgage without it. Yet many insurers have abandoned California, or simply canceled policies as they came up for renewal. This situation has recently worsened, and many homeowners have been forced into t... — Updated 11/9/2023

As many of you know, I work hard in Sacramento to fight taxes, fees and overbearing regulations. Californians continue to suffer under our excessively high cost-of-living, partly a result of the highest income, gasoline and sales taxes in the United States. Fortunately, we have... — Updated 11/9/2023

Have you ever seen people out there throwing colorful discs in some of our local parks? If you’re not familiar with the sport, I encourage you to take a look at Disc Golf. I am hoping to name August as “Disc Golf Month” each year in California. Here’s why: The game is similar... — Updated 11/9/2023

Have you ever seen people out there throwing colorful discs in some of our local parks? If you’re not familiar with the sport, I encourage you to take a look at Disc Golf. I am hoping to name August as “Disc Golf Month” each year in California. Here’s why: The game is similar... — Updated 9/14/2023

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), along with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), recently approved a demonstration project in California to provide pre-release services and improved access to care for persons being released from jails and... — Updated 9/14/2023

Ensuring the well-being of all animals is one of my big priorities. Over the years I have introduced and supported bills that provide funding to care for native wildlife, protect wild horses and burros, limit unnecessary animal testing, and many more. This session, I introduced... — Updated 9/14/2023

Bills that made it through the Senate and Assembly by the “House of Origin Deadline on June 2nd must pass a final floor vote by September 14, when we adjourn for the year. Approximately 1100 bills are currently pending in both houses and the Governor will have until October 14 t... — Updated 9/14/2023

Human trafficking is the second largest and fastest growing illicit industry, after drug trafficking. Worldwide, it’s estimated that there are over 40 million victims of human trafficking. 75% are women and girls, 25% are children. Recent studies indicate that San Diego County h... — Updated 9/14/2023

During the pandemic, the Employment Development Department (EDD) virtually collapsed, and legislative offices like mine stepped into the breach. My office alone handled over 3,000 unemployment cases. Solving that immediate crisis was critical for constituents needing their unemplo... — Updated 9/14/2023

California’s $310.6 billion budget for the new Fiscal Year was approved in mid-June. Trailer bills that make specific funding allocations for state agencies and programs are receiving approval and in many cases are still under review. As often happens, politically expedient w... — Updated 9/14/2023

As Vice Chair of the Assembly Emergency Management Committee, I participated in a Joint Informational Hearing with the Assembly Insurance Committee on June 14. Discussions involved the current crisis facing the state’s insurance industry, specifically related to wildfires and t... — Updated 7/18/2023

May was Wildfire Preparedness Month, with the danger of wildfires increasing as we head into summer. Last winter’s record rainfall generated a massive amount of fuel throughout California, and San Diego County is no exception. Drive down almost any road in the backcountry and y... — Updated 6/13/2023

On Tuesday, May 9, we recognized National Fentanyl Awareness Day. Each month, fentanyl claims the lives of 500 Californians and nationally, fentanyl overdose deaths more than tripled over the past few years. I serve on the state’s first Select Committee on Fentanyl, Opioid A... — Updated 6/8/2023

Millions of Californians live in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), many located in rural parts of the state, like in my district. Improving access to healthcare for those living in underserved areas has been a major focus for me in Sacramento. The California Health... — Updated 5/24/2023

California has long been recognized for its unfriendly business climate. During the pandemic, a bad situation got worse when the state forced thousands of mostly small businesses to shut down, driving many companies into bankruptcy and forcing layoffs for thousands of workers.... — Updated 5/10/2023

Ensuring the well-being of our pets and wildlife is one of my big priorities in Sacramento. I am a trained Project Wildlife Native Songbird Rehabilitator, and my experience raising orphaned and injured songbirds and returning them to the wild has guided me in legislation I... — Updated 4/28/2023

On March 28th, the Native American Caucus held a hearing in Sacramento to discuss fentanyl’s impact on tribal communities and to raise awareness along with identifying solutions to the crisis. As a member of the Caucus, I was extremely honored to take part in this eye-opening d... — Updated 4/28/2023

There are over 400,000 people living with Down syndrome in the United States. About 5,100 babies are born with Down syndrome each year, about one in every 772 births, making it the most commonly occurring chromosomal condition. In 1866, an English doctor named John Langdon Down pu... — Updated 4/5/2023