Newsletter

Charging into the New Year, and Other News from Sen. Blakespear

January 3, 2025

Greetings!

I love the start of a new year‚ and am charging into it with big goals and high ambitions. I’m refreshed after the holiday season‚ and I hope you are too.

There is so much to do – and I can’t wait to get started!

The Legislature begins meeting in January‚ which means I’m returning to the weekly schedule of spending four days of every week in Sacramento. The Governor will propose his state budget for the upcoming year on Jan. 10‚ and then the Legislature will begin reviewing it and incorporating our priorities.

Our deadline is Feb. 21 for introducing new bills‚ and June 6 for passing those bills out of their first house of the Legislature. The spring is always chock-full of committee hearings‚ as we examine bills‚ debate them and consider whether they should move on. The Legislature’s leadership has decided to limit each legislator to 35 bills for each two-year session. I think this is welcome‚ as I agree with many of you who have written to me saying that the Legislature introduces too many bills. Quality over quantity.

There is a lot of speculation – from some folks there is enthusiasm‚ from others there is worry and anxiety – about what the next year will bring from the federal government. The Legislature‚ and the State of the California‚ will need to evaluate. It’s a bit of a wait-and-see time now.

I am always interested in knowing your opinion‚ so please respond to this email if you have input. If you haven’t seen my year in review video‚ check it out here!

Here’s to a great 2025‚ for you and for all of California!

CLOSING LOOPHOLE IN STATE DENSITY BONUS LAW

Photo of the mostly two-story Pacific Beach and Mission Bay area‚ where a 22-story luxury hotel project is being proposed.

The City of San Diego is still evaluating the proposed 239-foot-tall‚ mixed-use project proposed on Turquoise Street in Pacific Beach in light of recent guidance from the state’s housing agency. But I’m not wasting any time and have drafted legislation to close a loophole that allowed this type of project to be proposed in the first place.

In a recent letter to the City of San Diego regarding the Pacific Beach project‚ the state Department of Housing and Community Development noted that the state’s density bonus law has no minimum percentage required for residential units in a mixed-use development.

“[A]n interpretation that a project with the minimum of five residential units is essentially entitled to a theoretically infinite amount of non-residential floor area could result in an absurd outcome that does not further the fundamental purpose of the (State Density Bonus Law)‚” the letter from the state regulatory agency states.

I believe this is a glaring loophole that must be fixed. As the letter said‚ it is ’absurd’ that a developer could benefit from the density bonus law and essentially build an unlimited amount of non-residential floor area by providing as little as five residential units.

The intent of the state’s density bonus law is to increase the supply of affordable housing throughout California. But it shouldn’t be exploited to build a project that is predominantly a luxury hotel‚ as is the case here.

I want our state’s housing laws to be implemented with the original intent. Working together with the Mayor’s Office and the City of San Diego‚ I’m introducing a bill to align the state’s Housing Accountability Act with the density bonus law to require two-thirds of a project’s square footage be for residential use.

I’m proud to have the support of San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria and City Council President Joe LaCava with this legislation‚ and I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure the spirit of the law is met.

This article in the San Diego Union Tribune explains the controversy and legalities.

ANTITRUST AND THE IMPORTANCE OF COMPETITION

I was honored to be asked to lead a recent panel discussion on antitrust issues at the California Issues Forum.

The Senate appointed me last year as the only Senator on the California Law Revision Commission (CLRC)‚ which is charged with examining state law to recommend needed reforms.

The commission is currently undertaking a comprehensive study of the state’s antitrust laws‚ following a directive from the state Legislature in 2022. This initiative‚ known as Study B-750‚ aims to evaluate potential reforms to California’s primary antitrust statute‚ the Cartwright Act.

The CLRC has organized its work around eight key topics: single-firm conduct‚ mergers and acquisitions‚ concerted action‚ the consumer welfare standard‚ technology platforms‚ enforcement‚ exemptions and concentration and artificial intelligence in California. The commission is utilizing expert panels consisting of professors and practitioners to study potential reforms.

Ultimately‚ any recommendations the commission makes will be sent to the Legislature for consideration. The goal is to ensure that our laws remain up to date‚ prevent anticompetitive practices and protect consumers‚ while not stifling innovation or creating undue burdens on businesses.

FALLING GAS PRICES

Did you know that the average price of a gallon of gasoline in California is 20 cents lower than last year and 70 cents lower than 2022?

That’s according to the latest data from the California Energy Commission (CEC). Learn more here.

We always hear the bad news about rising prices and other societal ills. I wanted to take a moment to highlight an area where prices are actually down. California needs to continue to lead in efforts to keep our air clean and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We also know that rising costs in nearly every sector‚ from food to gas to home insurance‚ are creating a pinch for families.

In October‚ the Legislature passed and the governor signed ABX2-1‚ which is intended to prevent gas price spikes by requiring oil refiners to keep on hand a minimum supply of refined gas to avoid shortages that lead to price spikes. The legislation also requires that the state won’t impose a regulation unless it finds that price volatility benefits outweigh the potential costs to consumers. Simply‚ the regulation has built in safeguards to make sure it reduces price spikes for Californians at the gas pump.

AB X2-1 gives the CEC the authority to require oil refiners to maintain minimum fuel inventories and submit resupply plans during maintenance. I voted for this because this is a reasonable requirement that can prevent supply shortages in California’s concentrated refining market and keep gas prices reasonable.

MEDICAL AID IN DYING

Many of you have asked about the link to watch the discussion about end-of-life choices. To watch the panel discussion I hosted with experts on this issue in December‚ click on the image above.

The Orange County Register provided a good overview and my work on it. Read it here.

As I told the Register: “It’s a top issue for a lot of people. It’s medical autonomy for them to say‚ ’I want to choose how to leave.’”

ICYMI: MY 2024 IN LESS THAN 4 MINUTES!

Click on the link above to watch.

BOOK CLUB MEETS JAN. 11

I am happy to report that my book club has been going strong for a year now. We’re starting 2025 with a great discussion about the book California Against the Sea‚ Visions for our Vanishing Coastline by Rosanna Xia.

My “Our California! Book Club” aims to explore books about the California experience‚ for a better understanding of California’s issues and public policy.

In this book‚ Los Angeles Times reporter Rosanna Xia tours the coast from the Oregon border to Imperial Beach to examine the impact of ocean rise on coastal and near coastal lands. This book is easy to read and has lots of facts and interesting interviews with coastal citizens. It will give you a new perspective on the challenges California faces along the coast.

Click on the link below to sign up! You don’t need to have finished the book to participate.

What: Zoom meeting to discuss California Against the Sea‚ Visions for our Vanishing Coastline by Rosanna Xia
When: 10 a.m.‚ Saturday‚ Jan. 11.
Details: Sign up here to get the Zoom link and additional book club details

Thank you for your support. I am honored to serve you.

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