Happy Birthday America, and Other News from Sen. Blakespear

Greetings!

Happy 250^th Birthday America!

Our nation’s birthday is a time to rejoice‚ celebrate and recommit ourselves to achieving the promise and highest ideals set forth in the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.

What is truly amazing and worth appreciating is that over the sweep of 250 years of history‚ all the turmoil‚ the ups and downs‚ the wild swings in fortunes and fashionable ideas‚ a Civil War‚ a Great Depression‚ many challenging foreign wars‚ a pandemic‚ civil strife of all kinds – we are still here‚ with a government of the people‚ for the people and by the people‚ operating as a representative democracy much in the way our Founding Fathers envisioned.

We read every day about how divisive the times have become‚ how the very foundations of our system of government are threatened by everything from big money to distrust and misinformation spread on social media and the internet.

This grand social experiment and enlightened approach to self‑government‚ however you assess its current state‚ remains a model much admired and copied throughout the world.

It has endured.

We have so much to be thankful for‚ in this country and especially in California.

The Declaration of Independence famously says: We hold these truths to be self‑evident‚ that all men are created equal‚ that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights‚ that among these are life‚ liberty‚ and the pursuit of happiness.

On the momentous occasion of the 250^th birthday of the signing of the Declaration of Independence‚ let’s celebrate our shared history and what it represents‚ and let’s also renew our commitment to creating a more perfect union – a stronger and healthier democracy that lives up to its founding promise.

I was delighted to join my fellow California state senators on the Capitol’s west steps to celebrate this occasion with a special musical performance by Filo Ebid and a military flyover.

I was glad to join with state and local leaders recently to discuss the dangers of nitrous oxide abuse and call on state lawmakers to approve my legislation to limit its sale to specific uses needed in certain industries.

I am happy to report that SB 936 passed the Assembly Public Safety Committee this week‚ and continues its journey through the legislative process.

The bill would prohibit the public sale of nitrous oxide canisters larger than 8 grams‚ with exceptions for legitimate uses in the medical‚ dental‚ culinary and automotive industries. The canisters have become a popular recreational drug among youth but can have deadly consequences‚ especially for those who choose to drive while intoxicated by it.

The abuse of nitrous oxide is a growing problem that is harming and sometimes killing teenagers and young adults‚ and jeopardizing road safety. Nitrous oxide is addictive‚ it’s dangerous and it’s readily available. SB 936 would put a stop to its wide distribution for non‑legitimate purposes.

“As the first county in California to ban nitrous oxide‚ our families‚ schools‚ hospitals‚ and law enforcement see the harm firsthand‚” said Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley. “Local neurologists and pediatricians share stories of formerly strong individuals now struggling to stay in school as well as maintain employment and housing. SB 936 saves lives statewide. I stand with Senator Blakespear in protecting our communities‚ preventing further harm‚ and holding NOX manufacturers and retailers accountable.”

“Nitrous oxide abuse has become a significant public safety concern because it is increasingly a factor in deadly and catastrophic crashes on our roads‚” said San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan‚ who is a co‑sponsor of the legislation. “Senator Blakespear authored Senate Bill 936 as a balanced measure to focus on greedy sellers and businesses that are not only making nitrous oxide available like it’s candy but also setting it up for easy use on our roads with inhalation paraphernalia. This bill reflects the urgent need to address this growing threat before more lives are lost. We are prosecuting cases in which drivers used nitrous oxide prior to collisions that killed or seriously injured others. No one should mistake these canisters for harmless fun when the consequences can be fatal.”

My Instagram video at the press conference went viral‚ with more than 1.5 million views! You can watch it here. To read more‚ go here.

When local governments seek state money to build protected bike lanes and other mobility improvements‚ they should be required to maintain that infrastructure‚ and be prohibited from removing it to replace it with less safe infrastructure.

That’s what my legislation SB 569 would require. This is common sense and based on precedence. For example‚ if state money is used to build affordable housing‚ a new City Council can’t rip out the affordable housing and zone for McMansions. Similarly‚ if state dollars are used to build a project that calms speeds and installs bike lanes using the Active Transportation Projects (ATP) fund‚ the improvements can’t be removed for 20 years or until the end of its useful life.

I am happy to report that the bill passed the Assembly Transportation Committee this week.

I know this bill has generated lots of attention and discussion in Encinitas‚ due to the controversial and non‑unanimous City Council decision to move forward with removing recently built‚ safer‚ slower road infrastructure adjacent to the city’s largest public high school‚ San Dieguito Academy. This bill certainly relates to that experience; however‚ when I looked into the problem it became clear that there are multiple examples statewide that support the need for clearer parameters around the use of state money. That’s why the legislation is supported by a broad coalition of cycling organizations and traffic safety advocates. The list of supporters is here.

The Assembly Utilities and Energy Committee passed SB 1259‚ which would require oil refiners to report the costs and the cleanup work expected in the future if they close their refineries.

The Assembly Health Committee passed SB 1016‚ which would allow a judge to order a mental health evaluation of an individual in CARE Court when the severity of the mental health disorder exceeds the support that CARE Court can provide‚ clearing a pathway to appropriate treatment.

The Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee passed SB 866‚ which would create a more complete picture of local homelessness efforts by requiring key information to be reported by cities and counties through an existing statewide process.

The Assembly Judiciary Committee passed SB 561‚ which would improve accountability and communication in the public guardian referral process for probate conservatorships‚ so vulnerable adults who may lack decision‑making capacity are not left waiting without a clear path to care.

The Assembly Transportation Committee passed SB 741‚ SB 1167 and SB 1324. SB 741 would streamline the process for transportation agencies to receive funding through the Low Carbon Transit Operations Program (LCTOP). SB 1167 would make it false advertising to misrepresent faster electric vehicles as e‑bikes and would require clear labeling on all e‑bikes and e‑motos. SB 1324 would call for urgency to complete a report on the LOSSAN Rail Corridor and how to improve its management.

The Assembly Water‚ Parks and Wildlife Committee passed SB 1135‚ which would re‑establish a statewide wildlife coexistence program aimed at protecting people and wildlife with proactive‚ non‑lethal measures.

After eight months of dedicated service‚ Baani Singh recently completed her internship at my Laguna Hills District Office. A recent graduate of the University of Southern California with a degree in political science‚ Baani is continuing her education by pursuing a Master’s of Science in business analytics.

During her internship‚ she assisted constituents with their inquiries‚ translated complex policy issues into clear and concise information‚ connected residents with valuable resources and helped support community events.

I appreciated her hard work‚ professionalism and positive attitude. She did a fabulous job! I wish her continued success in her academic and professional journey.

Baani is just one of many interns working in my office who are helping to serve you.

If you are interested in applying to intern in one of my offices‚ please visit my Internship Program page on my website. Internships go year around and are most competitive in the summer months.

I am holding an important event at 6:30 p.m. on July 16th in San Diego that I hope you can attend.

This panel discussion will include four experts addressing human trafficking in the San Diego region; how to prevent it through education‚ legislation and enforcement; and how to protect potential recruits and survivors.

I will moderate this dynamic forum that will include:

• Geanie Franco ‑ California Department of Justice Human Trafficking Program Manager
• Summer Stephan – San Diego County District Attorney
• Marjorie Saylor ‑ One Safe Place Director of Human Trafficking Services and Awareness
• Lianne Urada‚ Ph.D. ‑ SDSU School of Social Work Associate Professor whose research focuses on trafficking on college campuses

If you are interested in attending this free event‚ please RSVP today!

I hope you can join me for this important community conversation about e‑bike safety on July 29 at the San Juan Capistrano Community Center.

To attend‚ RSVP HERE.

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

In partnership‚