Press Releases
Negotiations with Bay Area Legislators and Governor’s Office Lead to Increased Funds for Vaccine Distribution to Integrate Hardest-Hit Communities in the Bay Area
Today, Assemblymember’s Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens) and Evan Low (D-Campbell) announced the introduction of AB 812, and Senator Dave Cortese (D-San Jose) introduced SB 530; both are bills that aim to bring California’s rape statues into parity by requiring the same standards for spousal rape that are currently in the penal code for rape. These bills will eliminate the “spousal rape exception” in the California Penal Code (Section 262) to ensure that “spousal rape” is treated and punished as seriously as rape of a non-spouse.
Senator Dave Cortese (D-San Jose) issued the following statement regarding a Bay Area-wide effort led by State Legislators, community leaders, and community-based organizations, urging the state to reformulate the latest state vaccine distribution plan unveiled late in the week of March 1st. Even though the Bay Area accounts for 20% of the population of California and includes many hard-hit communities with COVID-19 infection rates that are twice that of the state's overall rate,
Senator Dave Cortese (D-San Jose) issued the following statement about School Reopening Legislation, SB/AB 86 as amended March 1st, 2021, that would provide funding to open California schools and aid in learning recovery efforts: