Legislation

Senator Blakespear's Work:

 

2025 Legislative Package

 

Active Bills
 

  • SB 14 – State Waste Diversion
    • Status: Passed the Senate, in the Assembly
    • SB 14 raises the recycled content required of plastic bottles purchased by state facilities and modernizes state agencies’ integrated waste management plans to lead the state’s charge towards zero-waste.
  • SB 16 – Interim Supportive Housing
    • Status: Passed the Senate, in the Assembly
    • SB 16 requires the state Department of Housing and Community Development to develop a plan to eliminate unsheltered homelessness in California within 10 years.
  • SB 92 – Density Bonus Realignment
    • Status: Passed the Senate, in the Assembly
    • SB 92 eliminates the possibility of using density bonus law to get waivers or concessions for commercial portions of a mixed-use development project. This bill was prompted by the exploitation of the state’s housing law by the Turquoise Street hotel project in Pacific Beach.
    • Press Release
  • SB 329 – Sober Living Complaints
    • Status: Passed the Senate, in the Assembly
    • SB 329 would require the state Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), the department responsible, to assign complaints about alcohol or drug treatment facilities to staff within 10 days of receiving them and complete an investigation within 60 days.
    • Press Release
  • SB 403 – Medical Aid in Dying
    • Status: Passed the Senate, in the Assembly
    • SB 403 removes the Jan. 1, 2031, sunset date for the End of Life Option Act (EOLOA), California’s medical-aid-in-dying (MAiD) law.
  • SB 427 Habitat Conservation fund
    • Status: Passed the Senate, in the Assembly
    • SB 427 would extend the sunset date for the program, moving it from July 1, 2030, to July 1, 2035. The Habitat Conservation Fund (HCF) was established under Proposition 117, the California Wildlife Protection Act passed by voters in June 1990. The fund pays to acquire, restore and enhance wildlife habitats across the state.
    • Press Release
  • SB 477 – Civil Rights Protections
    • Status: Passed the Senate, in the Assembly
    • SB 427 clarifies language in the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) so that the Civil Rights Department (CRD) can more effectively investigate and prosecute discrimination, harassment, hate incidents, and other civil rights violations.
  • SB 561 Marine Flares
    • Status: Passed the Senate, in the Assembly
    • SB 561 requires manufacturers of marine flares to establish and run a program to collect and dispose of expired flares, which are toxic and explosive.
    • Press Release
  • SB 569 Caltrans Homeless Encampments
    • Status: Passed the Senate, in the Assembly
    • SB 569 would require Caltrans to set timelines for responding to requests to remove encampments by state roads and clarifies the agency could contract with local governments, and reimburse them, to do it.
    • Press Release
  • SB 633 Plastics Recycling Transparency
    • Status: Passed the Senate, in the Assembly
    • In order to improve transparency and hold beverage container manufacturers accountable, SB 633 requires them to report third-party verification of the country of origin and amount (in pounds) of post-consumer recycled plastic to the state.
  • SB 710 Solar Tax Exclusion
    • Status: Passed the Senate, in the Assembly
    • SB 710 continues an exclusion to solar panels from being assessed as part of property taxes beyond its 2027 expiration date, helping to move the state toward alternative energy and maintain progress in meeting the state’s clean energy goals.
    • Press Release
  • SB 741 E-Permit in Coastal Zone
    • Status: Passed the Senate, in the Assembly
    • SB 741 would create a new permitting exemption authority for limited emergency projects in the LOSSAN corridor to respond to emergencies in the railroad right-of-way. 

 

 

Inactive Bills
 

  • SB 15 – Gun Trafficking
    • Status: Held in Senate Appropriations Committee
    • SB 15 clamps down on gun trafficking and ensures that gun dealers are following the rules designed to prevent criminal activity. The bill requires more detailed records to be kept of guns for sale and greater scrutiny of gun dealers providing high numbers of firearms for criminal activity. In addition, the legislation allows the California Department of Justice (DOJ) to revoke dealer licenses for two years for those who fail to allow a DOJ inspection of their premises, don’t keep accurate business hours or don’t correct violations within 90 days.
    • Press Release
  • SB 99 – Military Child Care
    • Status: Held in Senate Appropriations Committee
    • SB 99 will allow family child care (FCC) providers who are already certified by the U.S. Department of Defense to avoid duplicative state licensure requirements, provided they only care for military families off-base and follow California’s health and safety requirements for licensed FCCs.
    • Press Release
  • SB 242 – Medigap Access and Protection Act
    • Status: Held in Senate Appropriations Committee
    • SB 242 will require health insurance companies to provide seniors and people younger than 65 with End Stage Renal Disease an annual open enrollment period to purchase Medicare supplemental coverage (Medigap) plans. During these open enrollment periods, companies will be prohibited from using medical underwriting to deny coverage or set premiums based on customers’ pre-existing medical conditions.
    • Press Release
  • SB 455 – E-bike Safety and Low-power Mopeds
    • Status: Held in Senate Appropriations Committee
    • SB 455 would create a new category of vehicle called a low-power moped to cover vehicles too powerful to be an electric bicycle (e-bike) but not as powerful as a moped. Low-powered mopeds would require a driver’s license to operate.
  • SB 644 – Campaign Contribution Limits
    • Status: Held in Senate Appropriations Committee
    • SB 644 would apply the same financial contribution limits for candidates seeking city and county elective offices to candidates seeking all other local elective offices.
  • SB 755 Climate Disclosures
    • Status: Held in Senate Appropriations Committee
    • SB 755 requires the largest state contractors to report their greenhouse gas emissions annually. Provisions of SB 755 apply to companies with $5 million or more in state contracts, which is presently about 500 companies, and would take effect in 2027.
    • Press Release

 

Senate Resolutions
 

 


 

2024 Legislative Package

Environmental Protection

  • SB 1053 – Plastic Bag Ban
    • Signed into law: September 22, 2024
    • Takes effect: January 1, 2026
    • SB 1053 halts the distribution of plastic bags at grocery store checkouts beginning in 2026. Instead of being asked “Do you want paper or plastic?”, consumers will simply be asked if they want a paper bag. This easy change eliminates plastic bags from the point of sale and helps California significantly reduce plastic waste that is contaminating our environment and waters.
    • Press Release


Gun Violence Prevention

  • SB 1002 – Firearm Relinquishments & Mental Health
    • Signed into law: September 24, 2024
    • Takes effect: September 1, 2025
    • SB 1002 improves the implementation of a law aimed at keeping guns out of the hands of people experiencing mental health crises. Current law mandates that anyone placed on a 72-hour mental health hold must refrain from possessing a firearm, but many with guns never turn them in.
    • Press Release
  • SB 1019 – Destruction of Unwanted Firearms
    • Signed into law: September 24, 2024
    • Took effect: January 1, 2025
    • SB 1019 requires that firearms turned in as part of gun-buyback programs or confiscated by law enforcement during investigations are completely destroyed. In some cases, parts of guns collected in such programs end up being resold online as part of gun kits that can easily be turned into “ghost” guns.
    • Press Release


Transportation and Mobility


Housing and Homelessness


Women and Children


Elections

  • SB 1476 – State Bar Accountability
    • Signed into law: September 22, 2024
    • Took effect: January 1, 2025
    • SB 1476 makes the board of trustees and designated employees of the State Bar of California subject to conflict-of-interest provisions of the Political Reform Act.
  • SB 1493 – State Voter Guides
    • Signed into law: September 27, 2024
    • Took effect: January 1, 2025
    • SB 1493 reduces the number of copies of the state voter information guide that the Secretary of State is required to mail to specified individuals and educational institutions. In the age of digital information, multiple copies are not needed.


Health Care

  • SB 1257 – Medi-Cal Improvements
    • Signed into law: July 15, 2024
    • Took effect: January 1, 2025
    • SB 1257 modernizes San Diego County’s Medi-Cal advisory board program to help it improve health outcomes for vulnerable people, reduce Medi-Cal system costs and reduce homelessness.


Senate Resolutions

  • SR 82 – World Press Freedom Day
    • Adopted by the Senate on May 2, 2024
    • The Senate commends and honors journalists across the state for their invaluable contributions to society and recognizes May 3, 2024, as World Press Freedom Day in California.
    • Video
  • SR 87 – Tardive Dyskinesia Awareness Week
    • Adopted by the Senate on May 30, 2024
    • The Senate proclaims the week of May 6, 2024, as Tardive Dyskinesia Awareness Week in California, and commends the observance of the week to all residents of the state.
  • SR 99 – Independence Day
    • Adopted by the Senate on July 3, 2024
    • The Legislature recognizes the significance of July 4 as Independence Day, and Californians are encouraged to celebrate Independence Day on July 4, 2024, with reverence, reflection, and gratitude for the blessings of freedom and democracy bestowed upon us.
    • Video
  • SR 111 – California Life Sciences Month
    • Adopted by the Senate on August 15, 2024
    • The Senate proclaims the month of August 2024 as California Life Sciences Month in appreciation for the vast contributions the life sciences have made to public health, the economy, and innovation in environmental sustainability in California, the nation, and the world.
    • Video

 


 

2023 Legislative Package

  • SB 360 – California Coastal Commission
    • Signed into law: July 21, 2023
    • Took effect: January 1, 2024
    • SB 360 expands the range of local agencies that a Coastal Commission member can jointly serve on, now including a Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) or Joint Powers Authority (JPA).
    • Press Release
  • SB 417 – Gun Store Notices
    • Signed into law: September 26, 2023
    • Took effect: January 1, 2024
    • SB 417 requires gun sellers to post the following notice: “WARNING: If you or a loved one is experiencing distress or depression or is contemplating suicide, please call 988 (The Suicide & Crisis Lifeline). Access to a firearm in the home significantly increases the risk of suicide, death, and injury during domestic violence disputes, and the unintentional death and traumatic injury to children, household members, and guests.”
    • Press Release
  • SB 428 – Employee Harassment
    • Signed into law: September 30, 2023
    • Took effect: January 1, 2025
    • SB 428 provides public employers with the ability to seek a temporary civil restraining order on behalf of an employee who is being harassed at work by a member of the public, beginning in 2025. Under current law, it’s up to the individual workers themselves to seek such restraining orders, often at their own time and expense, even though the harassment occurs while they are on the job.
    • Press Release
  • SB 452 – Microstamping
    • Signed into law: September 26, 2023
    • Takes effect: January 1, 2028
    • SB 452 prohibits the sale or transfer of a semiautomatic pistol made after Jan. 1, 2028, unless it has been verified as a microstamping-enabled pistol. By using microstamping, the handguns would etch unique identifiers on expended cartridges, providing law enforcement with valuable information to help identify shooters.
    • Press Release
  • SB 482 – Multifamily Housing Program
    • Signed into law: October 11, 2023
    • Took effect: January 1, 2024
    • SB 482 encourages the development of housing units that serve unhoused individuals with little or no income and the greatest needs. It does this by requiring the state Department of Housing and Community Development to offer capitalized operating subsidy reserves (COSRs) to special needs units funded through the Multifamily Housing Program. COSRs are important because if granted, they set aside upfront money to cover 15-20 years’ worth of deficits in annual operating revenues for housing developments, making it easier for the developments to get financed and built.
    • Press Release
  • SB 677 – Rail Planning for Climate Change
    • Signed into law: October 7, 2023
    • Took effect: April 1, 2024
    • SB 677 directs the LOSSAN Rail Corridor Agency, which oversees the corridor in coordination with rail owners, operators and planning agencies, to include an assessment of the impacts of climate change in its annual business plan that outlines the agency’s major goals and objectives. The assessment must also identify projects to increase climate resiliency and funding options for those projects. This bill complements work that has been moving through my Senate Transportation Subcommittee on LOSSAN Rail Corridor Resilience.
    • Press Release