Starting the New Session, and other News from Sen. Blakespear

Greetings!

The election results have been finalized‚ the newly elected legislators were sworn into office on Monday and we have begun our next legislative session.

In addition‚ it’s the holiday season‚ a delightfully festive time of giving and celebration for many of us. In short‚ it’s a wonderful time of year!

Coming off of Thanksgiving‚ I am thinking about all that I am thankful for‚ specifically my family‚ my community and our state.

California is such an incredible place‚ and we are so lucky to be here. And almost nothing can match the beauty and vibrancy of the 38th Senate District‚ running along the coast from Pacific Beach all the way up to Mission Viejo in Orange County.

As always‚ I am honored to represent you‚ and eager and excited to tackle our region’s most pressing problems.

I’ll be working to better protect the environment‚ improve transportation‚ reduce homelessness‚ boost affordable housing‚ prevent gun violence and counter climate change‚ among other tasks.

On the first day of session‚ I introduced three bills – one on homelessness‚ one on gun safety and one on environmental protection. Those are top priorities I will continue to work on.

I welcome your input‚ as I continue to build my legislative package for next year. Email me at Senator.Blakespear@senate.ca.gov with any suggestions.

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Here I am at the Senate desk‚ introducing my first three bills of the session.

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The members of the California State Senate on Dec. 2‚ 2024‚ posed for a picture on the first day of the 2025-26 legislative session. I am wearing a red coat on the right side. The Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire is in the very center. Out of a total of 40 Senators‚ 11 of them are newly elected. I’m in the middle of my four-year term‚ just beginning my third year.

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More than 600 people RSVP’d to attend or watch our panel discussion.

What a terrific event we held this week on end-of-life options! Much thanks to MiraCosta College for hosting us‚ and to our panel of experts‚ who provided great perspectives on how people approach the difficult challenges at the end of life.

We recorded this 90-minute event‚ which included many questions from people attending or watching on Zoom. You can watch it here.

California has a law – the End of Life Options Act – that took effect in 2016 and allows people with a terminal illness and a prognosis of less than 6 months to live the option to request a prescription for medication to end their lives.

Last year‚ 1‚281 Californians received such prescriptions. Nine other states and Washington‚ D.C. have similar laws‚ and just last week British lawmakers approved their own version of it.

For many people‚ there is great comfort in knowing they have the right to bodily autonomy at the end of their lives.

Earlier this year‚ I introduced legislation‚ SB 1196‚ to address some gaps I saw in existing law.

My bill sought to allow qualification before reaching a prognosis of less than 6 months to live. It also sought to provide a path for those with dementia to be eligible.

People with dementia often lack the mental capacity to make this decision by the time they have less than 6 months to live. The bill also would have allowed the option for medication to be taken by self-administered IV because a person might lose the ability to physically swallow before they have a 6-month prognosis.

The bill did not get a hearing because there was a reluctance from many around me to take up this discussion. While it didn’t move forward‚ I was flooded with stories from real people who wanted more control over their final exit. These stories have motivated me to continue working on this.

I have heard loud and clear that many people want California’s End of Life Option Act to be expanded so more adults with an incurable illness or disease can use it.

I am considering new legislation for next year. This panel discussion with excellent questions from the audience helped provide insights.

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Panel speakers included Janet Hager‚ (left) the Founding Director of the organization A Better Exit‚ and Rev. Madison Shockley‚ Pastor of Pilgrim Church and board member of Compassion & Choices.

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With FACT Executive Director Arun Prem (left) and addressing the FACT Board at its annual meeting.

I was honored to serve as the keynote speaker at the annual board meeting of the Facilitating Access to Coordinated Transportation agency this past week.

FACT is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing mobility in San Diego County for seniors and others who struggle to get the transportation they need‚ including persons with disabilities‚ veterans and other disadvantaged populations.

I have two aging parents and know how important the type of transportation services that FACT provides are for the community. As the former SANDAG Chair‚ I have seen firsthand how important these services are.

FACT has provided more than 380‚000 rides since it started in 2005 and gives an average of more than 3‚100 rides each month. To learn more about FACT or to request a curb-to-curb ride‚ go here.

California’s population is aging and its 5.5 million people aged 65 or older is expected to grow to 8.6 million by 2030. So making sure seniors have the support and resources they need‚ including affordable options for transportation‚ housing and health care‚ is crucial. Much thanks to FACT for its valuable operation and for serving as a model for others across the state.

I have worked to fund transportation for seniors and keep health care affordable. With the cost of living rising‚ we must do everything we can to ensure seniors living on fixed incomes can get what they need.

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We collected a big pile of toys to provide to disadvantaged kids.

Thanks to all who came to my holiday open house at my Encinitas District Office!

I enjoyed talking with dozens of constituents and especially appreciated seeing the generosity of so many donating to our holiday toy drive. Happy Holidays!

For those of you living in the northern part of Senate District 38‚ in Orange County‚ I hope to see you on Tuesday (Dec. 10). See the details on the flyer below.

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I chatted with Carolyn Whitehouse (left) and Carol Berry (right)‚ among many others.

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I am strongly supportive of our local food banks and other organizations working to eliminate hunger in San Diego and Orange counties. My staff is regularly in touch with them and helping them get the resources they need. My District Representative Aurora Livingston (on right in left photo) participated in the 50th anniversary celebration for the San Diego Hunger Coalition with the coalition’s President/CEO Alondra Alvarado (on left in left photo). Also‚ my District Representative Maia Meunier (on left in photo on right) and District Intern Brooke McNeill (on right in photo on right) recently toured Second Harvest Food Bank.

Did you know that 1 in 4 San Diegans and 1 in 8 children in Orange County struggle with food insecurity?

I am so thankful for the organizations and people working to address this problem in both counties and provide food to children and families who need it. During this season of giving‚ I hope you’ll consider what you can do for others‚ including volunteering or donating to help local food banks. (Click on the links below for information on how to help.)

In Orange County‚ Second Harvest Food Bank serves an estimated 442‚000 people every month. On a recent visit‚ my staff got a tour of the operation and the food bank’s impressive network. Second Harvest has distributed 35.8 million pounds of food in Orange County this year and provides 50‚000-60‚000 pounds of fresh produce each week as part of its food distribution‚ much of it grown on its own farm.

In San Diego County‚ my team helped celebrate the 50th anniversary of the San Diego Hunger Coalition‚ which works with community partners throughout the county to create pathways to food security for all. The coalition does this through collaboration‚ research‚ education and advocacy.

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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 government.

The book we’re reading now is California Against the Sea‚ Visions for our Vanishing Coastline by Rosanna Xia. How does California live with a Pacific Ocean that is warming and rising‚ threatening to engulf more and more of our 1‚200 miles of coast? 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‚ settled and unsettled‚ and consider the best ways to address this changing iconic landscape. Easy to read‚ but with lots of facts and interesting interviews with coastal citizens‚ this is the California Center for the Book 2024 book of the year and a 2023 Golden Poppy Award Winner for Nonfiction chosen by the California Independent Booksellers Alliance.

• 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.

In partnership‚

CONTACT INFO

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