Sacramento – Today, 5 of Assemblyman Mathis’ bills unanimously passed their respective Committees. These bills dealt with key issues impacting the state, including security, nursing, incarceration, Veterans, and State parks.
AB 2532, which passed the Assembly Higher Education Committee, would allow Community College nursing programs to consider residence of applicants within the college district as a factor within the multi-criteria screening process.
“For far too long, the State has been suffering from a nursing shortage that has disproportionately hurt the Central Valley. A major factor is that many nursing applicants from outside the Valley apply to our low-cost nursing programs, take up much of the limited spots, and then go back to their home cities after graduation while Valley hospitals deal with nursing shortages. My bill helps combat this crisis by allowing Community College nursing programs to consider residence within the college district as a positive factor in the admissions process,” said the Assemblyman.
“Community colleges serving our local healthcare workforce need to have the ability to admit students from the region. The best nurses for our underserved areas are home grown and they represent the diversity of the community we serve. The role of the community college is to meet local workforce needs and there is no greater need than to train our local nursing workforce! I thank the Committee for passing AB 2532, which will go a long way to improving our Community College nursing programs while also helping combat the nursing shortage in the Central Valley,” said Jonna Schengel, who testified in support of AB 2532 to the Assembly Higher Education Committee. Ms. Schengel is the Dean of Nursing & Allied Health at the College of the Sequoias.
- AB 2818, which passed the Assembly Human Services Committee, would require county jails to provide detained individuals with the contact information for various local social and human services that may be available to them in conjunction with their release from custody.
“We must make every attempt possible to keep Californians out of prison without sacrificing public safety. Unfortunately, many of the repeat offenders in our prisons, which include people suffering from mental health disorders, poverty, homelessness, and substance abuse, don’t understand the potentially-life changing resources that are available to them. My bill provides soon-to-be released inmates with the contact information of various local social support services so they can get the support they need while being diverted away from a life of crime & incarceration,” said the Assemblyman.
- AB 2567, which passed the Assembly Military & Veterans Committee, would require higher education institutions to include data pertaining to housing for students that are Veterans in existing reports published to their websites and submitted to the legislature.
“AB 2567 would allow for greater insight into how students that are Veterans fare in our higher education institutions. Data drives great public policy, and we as a Legislature need to make sure that the policies we enact are not leaving Veterans behind when they attempt to pursue higher education. As a Veteran myself, I am fully aware of some of the challenges Veterans face when pursuing higher education so I look forward to this bill being passed into law so we can help take care of those who risked their lives to take care of us,” said Assemblyman Mathis.
- AB 2306, which passed the Assembly Military & Veterans Affairs Committee, would authorize the California Military Department to develop a Statewide policy regarding prohibited foreign actors owning property within 50 miles of a U.S. Military base or California National Guard base.
“Our Military installations train & house our State and Nation’s Service Members and should be treated as the sensitive areas they are. There are many instances where hostile foreign actors have purchased land not too far from critical military installations. Currently, there is no State policy to prevent aggressive foreign actors from acquiring such sensitive lands. AB 2306 will keep nefarious foreign actors, from gaining access to some of our most sensitive locations. In our highly evolving technological world, it is paramount that we take the necessary steps to ensure our safety,” said the Assemblyman.
- AB 3163, which passed the Assembly Military & Veterans Affairs Committee, would authorize the Department of Parks & Recreation to offer to a Veteran or an active member or reserve member of the Armed Forces a reduced fee or free day use pass for California state parks on any day the department finds appropriate.
“Currently, Veterans and active duty service members are offered free or reduced fee passes on Memorial Day and Memorial Day. While commendable, for the sacrifices that they have made for our nation, Veterans deserve more than two opportunities for the State to say thank you for their service with free access to the beautiful parks within the state park system. This legislation gives California the chance to thank our Veterans for their service and offer them a critical tool that they can use to improve their mental health,” said Assemblyman Devon Mathis.
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