Fighting for UC, Other News from Sen. Blakespear

Greetings!

Our nation’s universities are facing serious threats to their academic freedom and future prosperity. That includes the University of California‚ the country’s premier public university system and the pride and joy of this state‚ now the world’s 4th largest economy.

I am so proud that one of the system’s 10 campuses – UC San Diego – is in the heart of my district. Attending UCSD‚ or UCLA or UC Berkeley‚ consistently ranked the top 1 and 2 public schools in the nation‚ can have a generation-changing effect on a student’s life. These universities are engines of the state’s innovation economy‚ and their academic freedom is paramount. 

When Harvard University received what was in effect a ransom demand letter from the Trump administration and refused to comply‚ my heart swelled with pride that our nation’s oldest and richest university was standing up for itself and for its students and faculty. 

They refused to allow the federal government to dictate who they hire and how they teach. The stakes are very high for them — with billions of federal dollars in the balance — but they simply cannot and should not accede to the administration’s completely unacceptable demands. 

The University of California is facing similar threats‚ which have not escalated to the same degree (yet). However‚ damage is already being done to the UC system.

• Cuts to National Institutes of Health research funding jeopardizes hundreds of millions of dollars in funding for UC schools that pays for vital research‚ lab operations and important graduate programs. (UCSD to lose $102 million‚ UCLA $65 million‚ UC Irvine $41 million‚ UC Berkeley $25 million.)
• That includes eliminating funding for UCSD research into HIV prevention and violence against pregnant women‚ among other topics.
• In March‚ UC instituted a hiring freeze and instructed campuses to cut costs however possible‚ including by deferring maintenance‚ reducing travel and delaying construction projects.
• This‚ in turn‚ is expected to reduce the number of graduate students being admitted to UCs‚ make it tougher to replace staff in labs and hurt private industries‚ such as life sciences companies‚ that work with university researchers.

The California Legislature and I remain committed to our premier educational system. There can be no California‚ as we know it‚ without the University of California‚ its academic excellence and its ability to educate and develop the state’s future leaders in industry‚ business‚ government‚ arts and sciences.

My office was delighted to host students from UCSD’s School of Global Policy and Strategy (GPS) who visited Sacramento to get a better understanding of how state policymaking works. My Chief of Staff Jack Christensen and District Representative Aurora Livingston are graduates of GPS and organized a day of activities for students to get a firsthand look at democracy in action. I participated in a panel discussion with them and was glad to take them to the Senate floor for a photo. Thank you to UCSD Chancellor Pradeep Khosla and GPS Dean Caroline Freund for your leadership‚ and thank you GPS for training the next generation of leaders! 

I was happy to discuss my legislation to address homelessness on KUSI News recently. To watch the segment‚ click on the image above. 

In the busy spring season at the state Capitol‚ my bills continue to progress through the legislative process. I’m particularly focused on ending street homelessness and am making this a top priority this legislative session.

We are complicit in the suffering that we see on our streets. Voters are fed up‚ and so am I. 

What’s most galling is despite all the focus on homelessness the last decade – and the billions of state dollars spent – we are still failing to address the most basic needs of at least 200‚000 people in this state‚ the need to have shelter. 

This is a humanitarian crisis. California needs to do better. We need to house our unsheltered‚ and we need to do it now! That’s why I am pushing so hard to support cities providing interim housing and for the state to make ending street homelessness a concrete goal. 

SB 16‚ legislation requiring the state to develop a financing plan with the goal of ending chronic and unsheltered street homelessness within 10 years‚ passed the Senate Housing Committee this week. The bill would also require small- and medium-sized cities to report biannually on the actions they are taking to end homelessness. This is important for fostering better regional planning and coordination. A previous version of the bill called for counties to pay for 50 percent of the operational cost of interim housing and shelter operations in cities‚ but that provision was eliminated due to the lack of state funding available. Read more here. 

SB 569‚ legislation to speed up removal of homeless encampments located near state roads and highways‚ passed the Senate Transportation Committee this week. The bill would require the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to respond more quickly to city requests to remove homeless encampments and allow it to contract with cities to do the work. My bill also tells Caltrans to prioritize clearing homeless encampments that pose environmental hazards‚ such as those that may lead to heightened fire risk. Read more here. 

SB 99‚ legislation to provide more child care options for military families‚ passed the Senate Human Services Committee this week. The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) provides many types of child care for military personnel‚ including child development centers on bases and family child care (FCC) provided in homes. SB 99 would make it easier and quicker for those approved by the DOD to provide family child care to start operating in California by exempting the requirement for a state license. This is essential‚ because right now long wait times for child care are common for military families. By making it easier for FCCs to provide care‚ finding childcare for non-military families will also get easier. Read more here.

Stephen Mayfield‚ CEO for Algenesis Labs‚ shows my son Oliver and me biodegradable plastic created by the company. 

I am strong advocate of protecting California’s beautiful environment. I have fought to reduce plastic waste and push the state toward smarter practices that emphasize recycling and reuse. 

So I was thrilled to see the work that Algenesis Labs is doing in San Diego. The company has developed groundbreaking biodegradable materials using its patented Soleic® technology. 

Unlike traditional petroleum-based plastics that can persist in our environment for hundreds of years‚ these materials fully degrade within months. This technology has already been applied to compostable shoes and surfboards‚ and the company is working with manufacturers to incorporate it into other products. 

By doing so‚ Algenesis is proving that we can transition to sustainable alternatives without sacrificing performance. 

Reducing plastic consumption isn’t just about individual choices‚ it’s about holding producers accountable for the lifecycle of their products. That’s why I’ve championed Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policies that force companies to take responsibility for the waste their products create. 

I left Algenesis inspired by its commitment to harmonizing science with nature and hopeful about what we can achieve together. Thank you to the brilliant team at Algenesis Labs for your leadership in creating a cleaner‚ greener future! 

I was glad to see my Community Champion of the Month‚ Laura‚ at the 12th Annual Zero Waste Symposium earlier this year. 

I am delighted to name Laura Anthony as Senate District 38’s Community Champion of the Month for April in recognition of her outstanding contributions to sustainability and environmental education‚ making her an ideal honoree during Earth Month. 

As the founder of Zero Waste San Diego in 2007‚ Laura has been a driving force in educating the community about zero waste practices‚ going beyond recycling to emphasize reducing consumption‚ repairing‚ repurposing and composting. 

Her commitment to sustainability is further demonstrated by her launch of the San Diego Fixit Clinic in 2015‚ which brings together volunteers to repair and restore malfunctioning items‚ giving them a second life instead of sending them to landfills. 

Thanks to her leadership‚ these clinics have successfully diverted over 30‚000 pounds of waste‚ with an average of 500 pounds per event‚ showcasing the power of community action in promoting a circular economy. 

Laura’s dedication to environmental stewardship and hands-on solutions to waste reduction make her an exemplary champion for Earth Month and beyond. I am proud to highlight her efforts and the lasting impact she has on our community. 

Visit the Creek to Bay Cleanup website above by clicking here.

I Love A Clean San Diego’s 23rd annual Creek to Bay cleanup is being held on Saturday (April 26). 

You’re invited to join Team Blakespear to divert litter and debris at Encinitas Community Park from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. We could use your help to remove trash‚ support the community and protect our region’s watersheds. 

Healthy public spaces means healthier creeks and oceans for all of us! Register here to join my office‚ or visit go here to sign-up for another location. 

With more than 100 sites across the region‚ Creek to Bay is San Diego’s largest environmental cleanup effort during Earth Week. Every gutter‚ street‚ park‚ canyon and beach is located in or near one of the county’s 11 watersheds. Volunteers of all ages are invited to grab buckets and work gloves and participate. 

A California Real ID has a bear with a star in it in the upper right-hand corner. A Real ID‚ or a current passport‚ will be required to enter a federal building or board a domestic flight beginning May 7. 

Due to the rush to meet the deadline for a Real ID‚ the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is booked solid for appointments statewide through June. 

The DMV advises Californians who need a Real ID immediately to walk in and wait for assistance at a DMV location. You can utilize a “get in line” tool here to virtually wait in line‚ instead of physically waiting at the DMV. 

Here is more about Real IDs and a list of DMV offices extending their hours. 

Go here to visit the DMV website and learn about getting a Real ID.

With Ramone Russell‚ director of product development for PlayStation‚ and Tara Ryan‚ director of U.S. public policy for Sony. 

Southern California’s economy is robust and diverse‚ and that’s in part due to the creative and cutting-edge industries that thrive here. 

I recently toured Sony Interactive Entertainment’s San Diego Studio to better understand how it develops popular video games‚ such as “MLB The Show.“ I was surprised to learn of all the games that have been created there‚ including “The Mark of Kri‚“ “PAIN‚“ “High Velocity Bowling‚“ “ModNation Racers“ and “Little Big Planet Karting.“ 

Interactive video games are big business‚ of course. I’m glad that San Diego is home to some of the most innovative companies in the world. I am committed to supporting them‚ and fostering a business climate that encourages and fuels innovation and creativity. 

Trestles Beach in San Clemente is in my Senate District and it’s amazing to know an Olympic sport will be convening here in a few short years! (Photo courtesy of LA28.org.)

The organizing committee of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles (LA28.org) has announced that Trestles Beach in San Clemente will be used for the surfing competition. This is exciting news that means some of the Olympics will take place in Senate District 38! I look forward to it.

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