2023 Legislation

Here is a brief summary of legislation introduced by Sen. Skinner in the 2023-24 Legislation Session:

SBX1-2 (Oil Price Gouging Penalty): Sponsored by Gov. Gavin Newsom in response to unexplained gas price hikes in 2022 that led to record profits for Big Oil, SBX1-2 would establish a price-gouging penalty on oil companies’ excess profits to deter excessive price increases and keep money in Californians’ pockets. See the governor's press release here.

SB 36 (Safe Haven for Abortion and Gender-Affirming Care): SB 36 would strengthen California's "Safe Haven" laws by expanding protections for people who have come to California to avoid criminal prosecution or imprisonment related to that state’s criminalization of abortion or gender-affirming care. The bill would also ensure that benefits such as food and housing assistance would not be denied to individuals who left another state and traveled to California for purposes described above but would otherwise be eligible for such benefits. See the bill's press release here.

SB 59 (Equity, Period): SB 59 would require that all state-owned buildings and those that administer state services, along with state-funded hospitals, provide free menstrual products. Period products would be available in all women’s and all-gender restrooms, and in at least one men’s restroom per building. See the bill's press release here.

SB 88 (Safe Rides to School): SB 88 would apply existing health and safety standards to all drivers who provide pupil transportation for compensation.

SB 233 (Bidirectional Charging): SB 233 would mandate that new electric vehicles in California are equipped with bidirectional charging so that consumers can use their EV’s battery to power their homes and reduce their energy bills. See the bill's press release here.

SB 242 (HOPE Accounts): Last year, Sen. Skinner authored the HOPE Accounts law, which made California the first state in the nation to provide savings accounts for children who lost a parent or guardian to COVID and to youth in long-term foster care. SB 242 would ensure that HOPE Accounts are not considered income and thus would not affect the ability of low-income youth to receive other public benefit programs, including CalWORKs, CalFresh, and Medi-Cal. See the bill's press release here.

SB 254 (Restoring Media Access to Prisons): SB 254 would restore access to California prisons to the news media to the level it was in the 1990s, before the state greatly restricted access. SB 254 would also open access to prisons for state legislators and other state officials in order to provide policymakers with the information they need for effective oversight. See the bill's press release here.

SB 274 (Keep Kids in School): SB 274 is designed to keep students in school by eliminating the suspension of students for low-level behavior issues known as “willful defiance” in California’s public schools grades TK through 12. Willful defiance suspensions have disproportionately impacted students of color, LGBTQ students, students who are homeless or in foster care, and those with disabilities. SB 274 would also bar schools from suspending or expelling students for being tardy or truant. See the bill's press release here.

SB 287 (Holding Social Media Accountable): SB 287 is designed to hold social media platforms accountable for promoting the illegal sale of fentanyl to California youth and for the sale of unlawful firearms, including ghost guns. The protections in SB 287 would also hold these platforms accountable for targeting other harmful content toward youth that could result in suicide, eating disorders, dangerous dieting practices, or inflicting harm on themselves or others. See the bill's press release here.

SB 343 (Child Support Federal Rule Compliance): SB 343 would require the California Department of Child Support Services and the Judicial Council to conform with federal rule changes, resulting in the increased ability of non-custodial parents to pay their child support orders, thus increasing assistance to custodial parents and their children. 

SB 345 (Protecting Medication Abortion & Gender Affirming Care): SB 345 would provide legal protections for California health care providers that provide or dispense medication or other services for abortion, contraception or gender-affirming care, regardless of their patient’s location. See the bill's press release here.

SB 348 (Healthy Meals for Kids): SB 348 would set guidelines for the amount of sugar added to school meals in all California K-12 schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program. The Healthy Meals for Kids legislation is designed to reduce the incidence of diabetes and other health issues that are becoming epidemic among California’s youth. See the bill's press release here.

SB 377 (Closing Gun Loopholes): SB 377 would close legal loopholes that allow California law enforcement officers to buy illegal firearms for their personal use or to resell them, enable law enforcement officers to skip the state's mandated 10-day waiting period to buy a legal gun, and let law enforcement agencies purchase guns from dealers that have a history of violating firearms laws. See the bill's press release here.

SB 516 (Government Debtors’ Bill of Rights): SB 516 would ensure there is basic rights and protections for people who owe and pay debts owed to a government agency and collected by the state controller or the Franchise Tax Board.

SB 598 (Patient-Centered Care: Prior Authorization Reform): SB 598 will ensure that California patients receive the medical treatment they need without unnecessary delays and give physicians more time to spend on their patients rather than paperwork.

SB 680 (Making EVs Affordable): SB 680 would make electric vehicles more affordable in California by prohibiting auto dealers from raising EV prices above MSRP (Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price). See the bill's press release here.

SB 682 (Decarbonizing Cement): SB 682 would accelerate the decarbonization of California's cement-making industry, one of the most carbon-intensive sectors of our economy, by requiring state agencies to ensure that low-carbon cement represents at least 10% of cement purchases by 2030.

2023-24 legislation in which Sen. Skinner is a joint author or principal co-author:

SB 8 (Gun Insurance - joint author with Sen. Blakespear):  SB 8 would require California gun owners to obtain liability insurance for the negligent or accidental use of their firearms. See the bill's press release here.

SB 478 (Junk Fees - joint author with Sen. Dodd): SB 478 would end the deceptive practice of businesses applying hidden junk fees on good and services in California. See the bill's press release here.

AB 452 (Justice for Survivors Act - principal co-author with Asm. Addis): AB 452 would end California's civil statute of limitations for minors who have experienced sexual abuse.