Press Releases

May 8, 2017

On Monday, Senate Bill 607, authored by State Senator Nancy Skinner (Berkeley) passed the Senate floor by a vote of 29-9-2.

Recognizing that student suspensions can do more harm than good Senate Bill 607 eliminates willful defiance as grounds for suspension and expulsion for students grades K through 12th. The prohibition on such suspensions would be permanent for grades K-5th with a 10 year sunset date for grades 6th-12th. SB 607 encourages schools and districts to utilize alternatives to traditional school discipline practices. The bill received bi-partisan support.

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May 1, 2017

Sacramento, State Capitol - On Monday, Senate Bill 630, authored by State Senator Nancy Skinner (Berkeley) passed the Senate floor.

Senate Bill 630 ensures that counties that have existing jail capacity that is currently under lease for non-county, non-state purposes would be excluded from receiving new state funds for jail construction or expansion.

"SB 630 ensures that state funds are not diverted for non-state purposes," said State Senator Nancy Skinner.

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March 13, 2017

~~As a Cal Alum and the Senator who represents UC Berkeley, I am very pleased that Carol Christ has been nominated, and is willing to serve, as UC Berkeley’s 11th Chancellor.

Having spent 30 years at UC Berkeley as a faculty member, Dean, Provost and Vice Chancellor, as well as Christ’s service as the President of Smith College, I cannot think of a more appropriate or experienced leader to hold this post. I hope the Regents in their deliberations this coming Thursday agree.

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February 28, 2017

~~Senator Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), healthcare and public safety professionals, patients and local elected officials gathered to support Skinner’s legislation, SB 687, aimed at limiting the closure of full service hospitals.  

“When hospitals and emergency rooms close patients pay the price with longer wait times and decreased health outcomes,” said Senator Skinner. “My legislation will create a layer of protection for the health of our communities.”

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January 31, 2017
Two of the seventeen federal Executive Orders issued by the White House last week were directed at immigrants. Executive Order #12 directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to prioritize particular undocumented immigrants and broadly expands grounds for deportation. Executive Order #13 prevents immigrants from entering the U.S., specifically people from 7 Muslim majority countries.
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January 27, 2017

Today we lost the single most important architect of California's energy leadership: Art Rosenfeld, who died peacefully today at his home in Berkeley. Dr. Rosenfeld, who was also my dear friend and mentor, created the field of energy efficiency. His pioneering work put energy efficiency front and center and charted the path for the scientific, technological, engineering and building science advancements, as well as the public policy innovations, that California, the US, and much of the world now almost take for granted.  

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