Sacramento – With 9 bills being successfully chaptered into law, Assemblyman Devon Mathis leads the GOP Caucus with the most bills signed by the Governor. Assemblyman Mathis issued the following statement upon the signing of the bills:
“I am pleased that the Governor has signed all 9 of my bills that passed the State Legislature. These bills will positively impact the livelihoods of all Californians, especially for our Veterans, farmers, and those in the Intellectual or Developmental Disability (IDD) community. Unfortunately, there were many bills introduced by my fellow Republicans that would have also significantly improved the quality of life for Californians, but the Legislature killed them before the Governor even had a chance to consider them. Nonetheless, I am grateful that Governor Newsom signed my bills and I look forward to continuing my work in the upcoming Legislative year.
As the first millennial combat veteran with a Purple Heart to serve in the Legislature, I know firsthand the issues that many Veterans face when transitioning back to civilian life. This is why I introduced AB 322 and AB 883, both of which will go a long way to improving Veteran education and employment. AB 322 would help Veterans who go on to pursue post-secondary education by ensuring that they are informed about the services and resources available to them and to their dependents during student orientation. AB 883 would also help ease the transition back to civilian life by requiring the Department of Consumer Affairs to expedite the business licensure process for Veteran applicants enrolled in the Defense Department’s Skill Bridge Programs. The Governor also signed 2 of my bills that would honor the services of our Veterans. AB 298 would construct a monument in the State Capitol to honor the services of our blind Veterans. Furthermore, AB 1452 would construct a monument on Capitol grounds to honor the services of our Veterans who served in Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan. On top of the bill which help Veterans transition back into civilian life and honor the sacrifices they made, I am most pleased with the Governor signing AB 988, which would address Veterans’ suicide. This bill would require providers that deliver mental health services through the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline to report on the number of Veterans and active duty military personnel who utilized the hotline, therefore providing a crucial step forward in understanding the unique mental health needs and challenges among our Veteran community.
Alongside these successes, the Governor also signed a further 4 pieces of legislation, which relate to CEQA exemptions, the IDD community, agriculture, and water infrastructure. AB 248 would remove the offensive and outdated terms “retard”, “retarded” and “retardation”, which shockingly were still used within the California code sections, and replace them with “individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities.” AB 356 would extend a CEQA exemption and continue to streamline the refurbishment of abandoned or dilapidated buildings. This bill would allow for increased housing development and prevent unnecessary litigation. AB 606 extends an important provision within the California Endangered Species Act that provides legal protection to farmers and ranchers for the accidental take of an endangered species, as long as they report it. Lastly, AB 682 would require the State Water Board to update its online search tool to improve the processing of applications for the state drinking water system. Given the increasing challenges of both flooding and drought within California, it’s urgent that we ensure regulatory freedom so we can better deliver clean and safe water to Californian households, businesses, & farms. The Governor made the right decision in signing these bills and I look forward to continuing to provide for Valley families.
It is a great honor to have the most bills signed by the Governor out of all Republicans in the State Legislature this session. It’s a testament to the hard work of my Capitol and District staff and I want to thank them dearly for their dedication. I also want to thank the many organizations and community groups for their support and collaboration. I look forward to working with members on both sides of the aisle this upcoming Legislative year so we can fulfill our obligation as Legislators and deliver for Californians.”
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