Summer Recess Activities and More News from Senator Blakespear

Greetings!

Last week I attended a conference in Salt Lake City‚ put on by the Council of State Governments (CSG) West‚ where Elizabeth Smart was the closing keynote speaker. As many will remember or may have seen recently on Netflix‚ Elizabeth was abducted at age 14‚ held captive and sexually abused for nine months before being identified by law enforcement in a store’s parking lot and reunited safely with her family. This is one of the few abduction stories that had a positive ending. I covered it closely when I worked as a reporter for the Associated Press based in Salt Lake City where Elizabeth Smart lived. 

Hearing her speak in person was profound. Her message centered on the power of personal choice: that all of us face pain‚ but we get to decide how we respond to it. She described in riveting detail what happened to her and how she coped. Chained up outside in the foothills above the city with very little to eat‚ she sometimes found herself thinking: at least it wasn’t also raining‚ muddy and wet. She also offered striking insight into how psychological bonds — coercion‚ threats‚ and manipulation — can be even more powerful than physical restraints‚ and how they were used to keep her from escaping. 

I had the honor of speaking with her personally before and after her keynote‚ and her story left a deep impression on me as a woman and as the mother of a daughter. It’s important to recognize the many forms sexual coercion can take. Elizabeth’s abductor claimed he was consummating their holy marriage when he raped her ‑ a reminder that sexual abuse comes wrapped in justifications. 

Yesterday‚ I hosted a human trafficking event called “We Are Not Property ‑ Ending Human Trafficking” prompted by the number of people trafficked in California each year. I’ll share more details in next week’s newsletter about how it went. It’s important that we recognize and identify abuse in all its forms so we can prevent and ultimately eliminate it.

Before the keynote speech‚ I chatted a bit with Elizabeth Smart.

With (left photo) Tracy Barnes (left)‚ from Workday‚ and Paul Baltzell (right)‚ of Salesforce‚ who gave presentations on how the public sector is utilizing AI‚ and (right photo) in front of my alma mater‚ the University of Utah Law School.

At that same CSG West conference‚ I was grateful to chair and co‑chair two sessions and attend several other sessions on artificial intelligence (AI) in the public sector‚ medicine‚ and related to quantum computing. All the panels helped me recognize exactly where we stand with AI right now in California and nationwide. 

AI creates a duality: there is excitement about its potential‚ paired with genuine and high‑level anxiety about its risks. The concerns people raise are wide‑ranging and real — ubiquitous data center proposals driving up utility costs and threatening our water reliability; kids not learning the fundamentals in school; workers losing jobs and risks of being fired by “AI bosses”; and the fear of a massive cyberattack or biomedical attack when the technology gets in the wrong hands. And in the meantime‚ we’re not yet seeing AI deliver on its promise to solve our most complex problems — like fighting climate change or curing cancer.

This creates a very real crisis of confidence in AI technology‚ which is why the State of Utah has coined and is advancing what they call a “Pro‑human AI initiative.” 

Looking at the current state of the law‚ California’s approach so far centers on transparency. SB 53 — the Transparency in Frontier Artificial Intelligence Act‚ signed by Governor Newsom last year and effective as of January 1‚ 2026 — requires developers of the most advanced “frontier” AI models to publish their safety frameworks and disclose how they assess catastrophic risks. If a critical safety incident poses imminent risk of death or serious injury‚ developers must notify authorities within 24 hours. The law is focused on transparency and risk mitigation‚ not yet liability — essentially‚ the state saying “tell us what your safety plans are so we can be knowledgeable about what you’re doing.” In addition‚ the state’s attorney general will begin releasing anonymized annual reports in 2027 drawn from whistleblower disclosures.

Looking at where the laws are headed across multiple states‚ the next likely step is a requirement for independent safety audits‚ to confirm companies are actually following through on those plans. Given the external pressures companies face to cut corners‚ that oversight matters. As was noted several times‚ government wasn’t able to keep pace with social media’s risks — particularly for youth — and there’s a shared determination not to repeat that mistake with AI.

One helpful analogy is car safety — automakers must submit approved safety plans‚ and third parties conduct crash testing to independently assess and report on risk. AI could benefit from a similar model. 

Collectively the companies need to earn trust and the oversight agencies need to adapt as the technology and its threats surface. 

If you’d like to build your AI knowledge and literacy‚ join our next “Our California! Book Club” where we’re reading “Empire of AI: Dreams and Nightmares in Sam Altman’s OpenAI” by Karen Hao. The book club is low stress and a great motivator to read a book‚ instead of reading only social media and AI generated short summaries! You can sign up to get the details here.

I serve as the Co‑Chair of the Committee on Technology and the Future of Work alongside Rep. Justin Wilmeth (left) from Arizona and we moderated a discussion on quantum computing and data centers.

Executive Director and Founder of the North County LGBTQ Resource Center‚ Max Disposti (to my right) and his team toured me around their new space.

The legislature officially recessed for the summer on July 2 through August 2. This month‚ recess offers time for legislators to break from the routine of convening in Sacramento each Monday through Thursday to spend time in their districts‚ do study trips‚ and reconnect with their families‚ constituents‚ and organizations. I’m grateful for the time to spend with so many amazing organizations in the district that give back so much to the community. This weekend‚ it’s San Diego Pride‚ so I visited the North County LGBT Resource Center‚ for a tour of their new 18‚000 square foot property in Oceanside. The Center provides not only a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community‚ but also offers housing supports‚ health care services‚ food programs‚ homeless serving programs‚ and more‚ to the north county region. In 2024‚ the Center helped 600 families out of homelessness‚ provided free therapy to over 250 individuals‚ distributed over $120K in rental assistance and housing related services‚ connected 56 individuals with substance use disorders to proper detox centers‚ and case managed over 2‚000 individuals. Thousands more have been referred to services‚ resources‚ and lifesaving programs. Happy Pride!

The San Diego County Regional Airport Authority President & CEO Atif Saeed and me‚ in front of the iconic RISE jellyfish‚ designed after the local purple striped jellyfish off the San Diego coast. 

The first phase of the San Diego Airport Terminal 1 project is complete and the new space has transformed the travel experience. The project added 19 new gates‚ new amenities‚ and boasts an incredible arts program. I recently had a walking tour with Atif Saeed‚ the new President & CEO of the Airport Authority‚ and his team to hear about the public art program at the airport. 

One of my favorite pieces was Sandcast (in photo below) which pays tribute to San Diego’s role in aviation history in the form of a classical bas‑relief sculpture. Artist Charles Faust captures key milestones in the region’s aeronautical innovation from the birth of naval aviation at North Island in 1911‚ to the construction of the Spirit of St. Louis by Ryan Aeronautical in 1927‚ to the city’s wartime aircraft production boom and later contributions to space exploration through the Atlas rocket program. The artwork was created using Faust’s signature sand casting technique which includes pouring plaster into sand‑lined molds to replicate the texture of eroded sandstone. The sculpture consists of nine segments‚ each weighing 225 pounds. Together‚ they form an 11‑by‑18‑foot mural that evokes both the physical landscape of Southern California and the enduring legacy of flight that helped shape the region. You can find this piece right as you exit the terminal. 

Next time you’re at the airport‚ take a moment to take in the incredible art – both permanent and temporary – that fills the airport. It is just another reason why SAN is one special airport.

Manager of Arts at San Diego County Regional Airport Authority Tiffany Beres (left) talking about Sandcast.

I joined representatives from the City of San Juan Capistrano and Jamboree Housing for a tour of the Salida del Sol project‚ a 50‑unit affordable housing and mixed‑use civic development on City Hall property. From left: Sean Allin‚ my intern; Ben Siegel‚ city manager; Derrick Gaffnery‚ government affairs manager; Councilmember Sergio Farias; me; Kelsey Brewer of Jamboree Housing; my intern‚ Kate Mazzela; and Rodrigo Nadres of Jamboree Housing.

Here I am looking at one of the affordable units. 

Salida del Sol shows what can happen when cities use public land thoughtfully and partner with experienced affordable housing providers to meet the needs of the community. The project adds 50 affordable homes‚ including permanent supportive housing for veterans and people who have experienced homelessness‚ while also creating a new City Hall and shared community spaces. By bringing housing‚ public services and civic life together in one place‚ San Juan Capistrano has created a more diverse‚ community‑focused civic center and an innovative model for addressing multiple community needs through a single project.

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‚