Ensuring Free and Fair Elections Other News from Sen. Blakespear

Greetings!

The election is less than three weeks away, and that means your mailbox and airwaves are filled with campaign advertisements. While that can feel annoying‚ it is democracy at work - having information and choices.

Free and fair elections are the most important part of our democracy‚ and participation is the most important ingredient. Return your ballot before Tuesday‚ Nov. 5!

As Chair of the Senate Committee on Elections and Constitutional Amendments‚ I work closely with the Secretary of State’s office, which oversees our elections. All the bills relating to elections that are proposed in the state Legislature came through my committee.

On October 29‚ I will be visiting the office of the Orange County Registrar of Voters to see how ballots are being processed and witness firsthand the safeguards we have in California to ensure all ballots are accurately tallied. I have confidence in our elections and the results that will come from our Registrars of Voters in all 58 counties.

Whatever the results show‚ I will accept those results. Every two years we elect new representatives at various levels. If my candidates or causes lose I’ll work harder to help them get over the finish line next time. Elections are like sports. We properly train referees and when the scoreboard shows the results at the end of the game‚ we all agree that the results are the results.

This year‚ I’ve seen - and voted for - some very important bills to strengthen our elections system. Here is a summary of the most significant bills signed into law by the Governor this year on elections.

• AB 2355 (W. Carrillo): PRA - Political Ads - Artificial Intelligence
  Requires any political advertisement‚ as specified‚ that is published or distributed by a political committee‚ to include a disclaimer if content in the ad was generated or substantially altered using artificial intelligence.
• AB 2655 (Berman): Deepfakes in Elections
  Requires large online platforms to remove materially deceptive and digitally modified or created content related to elections‚ or to label that content‚ during specified periods before and after an election‚ if the content is reported to the platform.
• AB 2839 (Pellerin): Deceptive Media in Ads
  Prohibits the distribution of campaign advertisements and other election communications that contain media that has been digitally altered in a deceptive way‚ except as specified. This bill also allows a court to issue injunctive relief prohibiting the distribution of such content‚ and to award general or special damages against a person that distributed the content.
• SB 1243 (Dodd): Changes to the Levine Act
  Makes various changes to the Levine Act that restricts campaign contributions to agency elected officials from entities with business before the agency involving a license‚ permit‚ or other entitlement for use‚ including raising the threshold for campaign contributions regulated by the Political Reform Act from $250 to $500.
• SB 1476 (Blakespear): PRA - State Bar of California
  Makes members of the Board of Trustees and designated employees of the State Bar of California subject to the conflict of interest provisions of the California Political Reform Act (PRA).​

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I was glad to be selected to serve on the Senate Special Committee on Fuel Supply and Price Spikes. In a hearing (above)‚ I asked experts about how we know that the legislation would directly affect gas prices‚ given the large number of players in production and distribution. The answer was that the data from previous gas spikes has been reviewed and the amount of supply on hand appears to be the variable directly related to the gas hike.

Gov. Gavin Newsom called the Legislature into special session to consider legislation to help reduce gas prices.

The Legislature ultimately passed‚ and the Governor signed‚ ABX2-1. The measure is intended to prevent gas price spikes by requiring oil refiners to keep on hand a minimum supply of refined gas to avoid shortages.

The California Energy Commission (CEC)‚ tasked with coming up with these regulations‚ has identified that when petroleum refineries go offline - either partially or fully - for maintenance during months of high gasoline demand‚ there is a direct correlation to dramatic price spikes to consumers. What’s worse is that when fuel prices spike‚ so do profits for companies because they are not incentivized to quickly resupply to meet demand. That hardly seems right - or fair.

As an example‚ in September and October 2022‚ four refiners conducted planned maintenance at their facilities reducing production by over 2 million gallons per day‚ or 6 percent of estimated statewide gasoline demand. These events spiked prices over $6 a gallon. Preventing these price spikes would have saved Californians hundreds of millions‚ if not billions‚ of dollars. Instead‚ these companies’ profits spiked off the backs of Californians.

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.

Many of you have called me to share your concerns that this bill will increase the price per gallon‚ and I was happy to see that AB X2-1 had a safeguard built in to the bill. It said the CEC is to study this issue and find that a minimum inventory requirement’s likely benefits to consumers would outweigh potential implementation and compliance costs before moving forward‚ by considering whether the regulations are likely to lower retail fuel prices, increase fuel supply‚ and reduce market volatility.

A well-designed inventory requirement will increase supply and decrease prices. Many leaders and elected officials are not telling you the truth with this and instead attempting to scare you with falsehoods. I invite you to read the bill here or watch the committee here. To watch‚ scroll down to 10/07/2024‚ Senate Special Committee on Fuel Supply and Price Spikes - Second Extraordinary and click on the WATCH link.

This legislation is a step in the right direction.

MEDIA COVRAGE

LOS ANGELES TIMES: Newsome celebrates political victory on gas price spike bill‚ but concerns remain about policy

I was happy to sit down with Epoch Times to talk about my career‚ what inspired me to run for public office and the importance of public service. To watch‚ click on the image above.

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I was grateful to get a guided tour of the Pfizer’s Torrey Pines facility this past week.

To understand San Diego County’s thriving economy‚ you need to understand the life sciences industry.

I want to thank Pfizer for hosting me‚ answering my questions and showing me the amazing work it does.

The life sciences sector is a major economic engine for our region and the entire State of California. Over 1‚000 companies are working to advance medical research‚ biotechnology‚ and medical device development‚ with many based in my Senate District 38.

The industry employs 441‚770 Californians and contributes $57 billion in wages across the state. Not only does this provide good-paying jobs, but the life sciences industry also drives innovation and produces groundbreaking discoveries that we all benefit from‚ from vaccines to new medicines. Like millions of others‚ I’m a beneficiary of Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine.

I was proud to highlight the importance of the life sciences industry with Senate Resolution 111‚ which proclaimed August as California Life Sciences Month.

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I was thrilled to join UCSD for its ribbon-cutting ceremony this week for the new Pepper Canyon West student housing development. In photo on right are (left to right) Dr. Hemlata Jhaveri‚ Associate Vice Chancellor; Elizabeth H. Simmons‚ Executive Vice Chancellor; Assemblymember Tasha Boerner; UC San Diego Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla‚ myself and a UCSD transfer student Ryan Lee‚ who lives in the new dormitory.

We all know that lack of available housing is a problem for students at most colleges and universities across the state‚ including UC San Diego.

So‚ I was delighted that state funding was available for the Pepper Canyon West housing development at UCSD. The $100 million for the project came from the California Higher Education Student Housing Grant Program. UCSD’s equity proposal highlighted the university’s need to help students with the greatest economic need first with the project.

This week I attended a ceremony to celebrate its opening.

By providing on-campus accommodation‚ these facilities offer students a supportive living environment that fosters academic success and social integration. Additionally‚ student housing helps alleviate pressure on the local rental market by reducing competition between students and other residents for limited off-campus housing options.

Cutting the ribbon on the project‚ while overlooking the nearby Blue Line elevated trolley‚ was coming full circle for me. When I was the Chair of the transportation agency SANDAG we cut the ribbon and inaugurated the extension of the Blue Line to the UCSD campus. At that time‚ the dormitory housing was merely a plan. Now both projects are built and operating‚ encouraging newly housed students to utilize public transportation, and thereby reducing traffic congestion. Integrating student housing with transit exemplifies how thoughtful campus planning can benefit the university population and the broader neighborhood. This is a terrific project!

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Brigadier General Nick Brown (left) and Sergeant Major Sherri Cook (right) speak before retiring the colors.

There is nothing quite like the Marine Corps tradition. I attended last year and I am glad my staff could attend this year on behalf of my office to witness the 82nd Annual Evening Colors Ceremony at the historic Santa Margarita Ranch House on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton!

Brigadier General Nick Brown led the Evening Colors Ceremony, honoring the base’s rich history since its establishment on Sept. 25‚ 1942. Spanning over 125‚000 acres, Camp Pendleton remains a vital hub for training and operations‚ embodying the courage and commitment of our Marines.

I am proud to represent Camp Pendleton and the many Marines stationed there.

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I am pleased to introduce Diana Kutlow as a Senior District Representative working out of my Encinitas District Office.

Diana Kutlow is a tremendously accomplished professional‚ and I’m so thrilled to have her on Team Blakespear! Adding Diana to my staff will help me better serve you. She will be out in the community listening and reporting back to me with your concerns and ideas‚ as well as helping to keep you informed about legislation that affects us in Senate District 38.

She will be focused on Solana Beach‚ Del Mar and Carmel Valley communities‚ close to her home of 35 years in Cardiff‚ where she raised her family. She will also advise me on legislative issues including public safety‚ gun violence prevention‚ seniors‚ consumer protection‚ and human trafficking.

Diana earned a BA in American History with a minor in Russian Language from Barnard College at Columbia University‚ where she played basketball and volleyball‚ and a Master’s in Peace and Justice Studies from the University of San Diego’s (USD) Kroc School of Peace Studies.

She went on to manage the Distinguished Lecture Series at USD’s Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice for over a decade‚ offering public lectures from world leaders in peacemaking‚ human rights and conflict prevention. In her most recent position at Hands of Peace‚ an international non-governmental organization (NGO)‚ Diana helped bring together Israeli‚ Palestinian and American youth for summer dialogue programs in Chicago and La Costa‚ where many of the Middle East participants stayed with District 38 families.

Early in her career‚ Diana covered sports at the New York Post‚ CBS Sports and ABC Sports‚ where she wrote and produced “Up-Close and Personal” profiles for Olympic coverage. She currently volunteers as an Alumna Ambassador for the OpEd Project and on the JFS Advocacy Committee.

Diana brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to this job‚ and I’m so glad to have her on board.

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Join us as we read and discuss books that impact and reflect on the California experience - past‚ present and future - and how it informs the work of the state Legislature. We delve into a broad range of topics about our state‚ such as our immigration stories‚ the history of our development and business patterns‚ and water and transportation policy. And‚ of course, the people behind it all.

The book we’re reading now is The Associates‚ Four Capitalists Who Created California‚ by Richard Rayne. One hundred forty years ago‚ four California men rose from their position as middle-class merchants to become the force behind the transcontinental railroad.

In the course of doing so‚ they became wealthy beyond any measure - and to sustain their power‚ they lied‚ bribed and‚ when necessary‚ arranged for obstacles‚ both human and legal‚ to disappear. Their names were Collis Huntington‚ Leland Stanford‚ Charles Crocker and Mark Hopkins‚ and they were known as “The Big Four” or “The Associates.”

Their legacy is the railroad‚ a university (Stanford University)‚ public gardens‚ museums‚ mansions‚ banks and libraries. This is the story of their rise.

We’re always looking for good books to read‚ so if you have any recommendations for additional California-related books we should put on the list‚ please share in the “Suggested Future Readings” in the link below.

• What: Zoom meeting to discuss The Associates‚ Four Capitalists Who Created California‚ by Richard Rayne
• When: 10 a.m.‚ Saturday‚ Nov. 16.
• Details: Sign up here to get the Zoom link and additional book club details

If you‚ or a family member‚ face end-of-life choices‚ the first thing you need to do is inform yourself about all of your options. I am holding an event on the topic on Dec. 4 at MiraCosta College where you can learn more. RSVP today to attend!

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

In partnership‚

To learn more about what I am doing, follow me on social media.

Email me at Senator.Blakespear@Senate.ca.gov
Call my Encinitas district office at (760) 642-0809
Call my Laguna Hills district office at (949) 598-5850
Call my Capitol office in Sacramento at (916) 651-4038