Reflecting, Listening, and Engaging! Other News from Sen. Blakespear

Greetings!

The Legislature has recessed for 30 days and that means legislators have returned to their districts to spend time with constituents‚ host community events‚ and get some much needed reprieve from the last intensive few weeks in the legislature. As I enter recess‚ I’m reflecting on a significant amount of work we just finished on behalf of nearly 40 million California residents.

The first half of this legislative year has been incredibly productive. Over the last 180 days‚ both houses have had substantive debates to determine the most pressing issues facing our state. Those discussions helped us to finalize the state budget of over $320 billion by allocating our tax dollars as effectively as possible within our current financial restraints. We’ve also reviewed over 2‚000 legislative proposals in our policy committees‚ carefully addressing every detail to ensure that the bills that were finally sent to the floors of the Senate and Assembly for votes were the in the best interests of our state. You’ll likely hear more news in September as we take on some of the most consequential decisions of the year before adjourning and send them on to the Governor.

As summer unfolds‚ I’m grateful for the opportunity to spend time in what I think is the best senate district in California. I am looking forward to listening‚ learning‚ and working on the challenges that matter most to you. More than just a break from my legislative schedule‚ it’s a valuable time to reconnect with you‚ and to hear your ideas for solutions that can shape our great state of California. Your input is important to me. I would love to hear ideas that you may have about priorities and possible new laws to improve our quality of life in California. I invite you to share your ideas through the “There Ought To Be A Law” link at the end of this newsletter.

On stage at the highly curated TEDxEncinitas event. This was organized by Rohan Phadnis‚ a young leader in Encinitas who cares about seeing our society become more environmentally friendly.

It was an honor to step onto the TEDxEncinitas Blvd stage! I’m still buzzing with excitement from the experience of sharing my ideas about how we can all do our part to affect sweeping changes to live in a more environmentally sustainable and friendly world.

The talk‚ titled “Writing the Future: Sustainability in Our Laws‚” gave me the opportunity to explore something I’m deeply passionate about‚ which is how purposeful legislation can accelerate our transition to a more sustainable future by making systems level change. Standing on that stage at the Encinitas Library‚ I was thrilled to be with fellow environmentalists‚ civic leaders and community members who want to achieve a circular economy and do better by our environment.

I’m excited to continue building on the momentum from this talk as the legislature heads into the final weeks of the session starting in mid-August. There’s still important work to be done this year on plastic reduction‚ composting programs‚ and other environmental priorities.

You can watch the talk here.

Join Us at UC San Diego!

Are you frustrated by the persistent crisis of unsheltered homelessness in our communities? You are not alone and we’re doing something about it. Join me at this free event for a solutions-driven forum featuring three expert panels made up of leaders from throughout the state focused on how California can reach functional zero for unsheltered homelessness.

The event will kick off with an overview of the state of homelessness in California and policy initiatives aimed at moving our homeless population inside as quickly as possible.

During the second panel‚ you will hear from Councilmember Stephen Whitburn from San Diego‚ Deputy Mayor Katie Melendez from Vista‚ and San Diego County’s District Attorney Summer Stephan on how local communities are overcoming challenges and building momentum for real change for our unsheltered populations.

To close us out‚ our headlining panel will feature San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria‚ San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan‚ and San Diego County Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe‚ who will share how they are creating safer‚ temporary places for people to go while they wait for their forever home.

Welcome reception and registration begin at 8:30 a.m.‚ and the program begins promptly at 9 a.m. at the Jeannie Auditorium at UCSD. Directions and parking instructions will be emailed prior to the event. This conversation is for all of us. Everyone is welcome and we strongly encourage in-person attendance. Your participation matters in shaping the path forward.

We hope to see you there.

Date: Wednesday August 13‚ 2025
Time: Registration and Reception: 8:30 a.m. | Program: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Location: UC San Diego | The Jeannie Auditorium
RSVP today!

Join Us in Mission Viejo!

I invite you to join me and experts in end-of-life care for a free public forum on August 14 in Mission Viejo for a discussion about end of life choices‚ specifically medical aid in dying under California’s End of Life Option Act. Resources from related organizations will also be available before the event‚ starting at 2:30 p.m.

RSVP here to attend in person or to receive a Zoom link to watch a live stream. The event will also be recorded and available for later viewing on my website. Capacity is limited so RSVP today!

Join Us in San Diego!

I invite you to join me and a panel of experts on August 12th for a free film screening of the PBS Student Reporting Labs‚ “Run‚ Hide‚ Fight: Growing Up Under the Gun‚” followed by a powerful panel discussion on gun violence prevention. RSVP here to attend the event.

Madeleine Adams is a Mission Vista High School student who exemplifies the spirit of youth leadership. As founder and president of her school’s Climate Action Club‚ she has not only inspired her peers but also put ideas into action. Madeleine has launched a campus-wide paper recycling program and co-authored a greenhouse gas emissions report for her school district. Her work demonstrates how thoughtful‚ hands-on projects can turn passion into lasting impact.

Madeleine’s leadership is recognized beyond her school campus. She serves as the Youth Engagement Chair for the North County Chapter of the Sierra Club‚ interns with local and international climate organizations such as the United Nations Association San Diego‚ and is an active member of the Vista Unified School District’s Climate Action Committee. In each role‚ she brings the youth perspective to the table‚ helping to shape sustainability recommendations‚ organize outreach events‚ and educate the wider community.

In addition to her environmental advocacy‚ Madeleine is a dedicated dancer‚ balancing her academic and civic commitments with a love of ballet and contemporary dance. I am proud to honor Madeleine as the July Community Champion because she’s a shining example of the energy‚ creativity‚ and leadership young people are bringing to building a more sustainable future.

I welcome you to nominate individuals‚ organizations‚ teams‚ or businesses whose accomplishments and/or services have had a positive impact on the community here.

Do you think there should be a law about something? If so‚ click here and follow the directions to provide your suggestion. Last year‚ a constituent’s idea about the need to reduce stigma when a working mom needs to breastfeed while inside a state courthouse led to a bill that was signed by the Governor and was implemented July 1 of this year!

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

In partnership‚

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