Recent News in the 7th District

The state Assembly has approved a bill by Assemblyman Michael Allen, D-Santa Rosa, that would give up to $250 to farmers who seek to get their crops certified as organic.

The measure would use industry and private sources to fund the program, similar to a federal program that allocates up to $750 to farmers who are going organic.

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A proposal to create a new fund to financially assist farmers with the first year of certification costs they must pay to transition from conventional farming practices to certified organic farming practices has been approved by the state Assembly 47-18.

AB 1625, authored by Assemblyman Michael Allen, D-Sacramento, now moves to the state Senate for further consideration.

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The Assembly voted 65-3 Thursday to extend by four years, a statute called "Laura's Law," by approving a legislation by Assemblyman Michael Allen, D-Santa Rosa.

AB 1569, extending the sunset date for "Laura's Law," allows counties to implement court-ordered assisted outpatient treatment programs for the seriously mentally ill, from Jan 1, 2013, to Jan. 1, 2017, Allen's office announced.

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SACRAMENTO, Calif.—Whether forced treatment helps those with severe mental illness or violates their rights is at the heart of the debate over a bill passed Thursday by the Assembly.

AB1569 extends until 2017 a law that allows courts to mandate treatment for people with severe mental illness if they have history of violence or hospitalization. Laura's Law, which passed in 2002, is set to expire next year.

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Sacramento – The State Assembly voted 65-3 today to approve AB 1569, legislation by Assemblymember Michael Allen (D – Sonoma County) extending the sunset date for California’s “Laura’s Law,” which provides counties with the option to implement court-ordered assisted outpatient treatment programs for seriously mentally ill individuals, from January 1, 2013, to January 1, 2017.

“Laura’s Law,” first enacted in 2002, permits counties to provide outpatient services to people with serious mental illnesses. A court must first find that a person's recent history of hospitalizations or violent behavior, and noncompliance with voluntary treatment, indicates the person is likely to become dangerous or gravely disabled without the court-ordered treatment.

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Sacramento – The California State Assembly voted 47-18 today to approve AB 1625, legislation by Assemblymember Michael Allen (D – Sacramento) to create a new fund to financially assist farmers with the first year of certification costs they must pay to transition from conventional farming practices to certified organic farming practices.

Now that it has received the approval of the Assembly, AB 1625 – known as the “Transition to Organics Act,” moves to the State Senate for further consideration.

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Legislation that would provide small businesses with the ability to access alternative sources of capital has been approved by the California Assembly Banking and Finance Committee.

Assembly Bill 2081, authored by Assemblyman Michael Allen, D-Sonoma, and sponsored by Small Business California, would remove the preclusions from accessing private capital by reversing the requirement in the federal securities law that a business must either personally know each Accredited Investor or hire an investment banker that can bridge the relationship gap.

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Sacramento – Legislation to provide small businesses with the ability to access vital alternative sources of capital passed the Assembly Banking and Finance Committee last week with bi-partisan support. Assembly Bill 2081, authored by Assemblymember Michael Allen (D – Sonoma County) and sponsored by Small Business California, will remove the preclusions from accessing private capital by reversing the requirement in the federal securities law that a business must either personally know each Accredited Investor or hire an investment banker that can bridge the relationship gap. AB 2081 will be heard in the Assembly Appropriations Committee in the coming weeks.

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Jerry Brown's administration is to be commended for trying to turn around California's long-troubled state hospital system. But improving state hospitals should not entail limiting the amount of legitimate information provided to the public.

More than 90 percent of the 6,000-plus patients in California's five state hospitals have committed a criminal act, many of them violent. As the Legislative Analyst's Office noted last month, violence directed toward patients and workers has been on the rise, averaging 23 incidents each day. The state will need to spend millions to update security and make the hospitals safer for staff and other patients. The transition won't be smooth. There will be bumps, understandably so.

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An increased awareness of sustainable agriculture and what it means to our health, environment and economic vitality is now fueling a growing awareness of obstacles faced by those who wish to farm sustainably.

Challenges to our food system and the lack of access to healthier food for many remain key issues for people seeking to live healthier lives. To address these as well as related issues, Assemblymember Michael Allen (D – Santa Rosa) has invited a diverse lineup of individuals from academia, local governments, non-profit organizations, public health experts, working farmers and ranchers, specialists in climate change and more, to speak at a community forum on sustainable agriculture and food in the North Bay.

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