Press Releases

October 8, 2021

California Gov. Gavin Newsom today signed Sen. Nancy Skinner’s SB 354, which removes obstacles in the foster care system that have prevented children from being placed with a relative caregiver who may have a past conviction. Current law can prevent someone from caring for a child, even when their past conviction is decades old and they pose no safety risk to the child.

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October 8, 2021

California Gov. Gavin Newsom today signed SB 81, legislation by Sen. Nancy Skinner that provides guidelines to judges on the use of sentence enhancements. SB 81 is designed to address the proliferation of sentence enhancements, which can often double the length of a prison term and have been disproportionately applied to people of color and those suffering from mental illness.

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October 4, 2021

California Gov. Gavin Newsom today signed SB 65, the California Momnibus Act, by Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley. SB 65 is aimed at reducing maternal and infant mortality that is disproportionately impacting Black families and other families of color. SB 65 will require the California Department of Public Health to investigate maternal and infant deaths and strengthen research and data collection on racial, socio-economic and other factors that contribute to these deaths and poor health outcomes.

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September 30, 2021

California Gov. Gavin Newsom today signed SB 16, legislation by state Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, that expands public access to police misconduct records and strengthens communities’ ability to hold law enforcement agencies accountable. SB 16 opens access to records on officers who have engaged in biased or discriminatory behavior, conducted unlawful arrests or searches, or used force that is excessive or unreasonable.

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September 28, 2021

California Gov. Gavin Newsom today signed Sen. Nancy Skinner’s SB 290, which will update the state’s density bonus law to support more affordable housing, particularly for low-income college students. The governor signed SB 290 as part of a package of 27 housing bills that he approved at an event in Oakland.

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September 23, 2021

The governor signed SB 27 as part of a package of climate and budget legislation that included a record-setting $15 billion in funding for climate, wildfire, and drought resilience, along with unprecedented investments in zero emission vehicles and sustainable farming practices.

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