Recent News in the 14th District

BERKELEY—Assemblymember Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) today released the following statement on the groundbreaking of Berkeley Lab’s Computational Research and Theory Facility.

“As the President noted last week fundamental research and scientific discovery are critical to America's economic future.  The CRT is another excellent contribution to our region’s leadership in research.  CRT and the Berkeley Lab Second Campus just announced for Richmond will help California reap scientific advancement and economic gain.  As I continue advocating for cleaner energy and energy storage at the state level, I am encouraged by the leadership Lawrence Berkeley Lab is continuing to show in this area.”

Skinner is the author of AB 2514, which directed the CPUC to assess setting energy storage targets for California’s Investor Owned Utilities.

Assemblymember Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), Chair of the Assembly Select Committee on California's Clean Energy Economy, today released the following statement on Richmond's selection as the site of the second Lawrence Berkeley Lab campus:

"The East Bay sites Lawrence Berkeley National Lab had under consideration were excellent, any one a good choice. I congratulate the Lab for its selection of Richmond as it recognizes the City of Richmond's emergence as one of the green tech centers of the East Bay. This will be a great partnership. Richmond offers LBNL a range of green and clean tech activities, a vibrant and diverse community and access to multiple modes of transportation, and LBNL will bring prestige as well as economic and educational benefits to a community particularly hard hit by the recession.

With 4,200 employees, a more than $800 million budget, and thirteen Nobel Prize winners, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory is truly a jewel of our region, one that is sure to shine through the community of Richmond.

I intend to work hand in hand with the City of Richmond, LBNL, and UC, as we undertake this expansion of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and look forward with great anticipation to the new jobs, enhanced research and scientific gains that are sure to be the result."

(Sacramento) – After the Governor’s State of the State Address, California State Assemblymember Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) agreed that California can build itself back to greatness, but we all need to invest in our state’s future to close California’s huge budget deficit. Assemblymember Skinner was heartened by the Governor’s bold plan and hopes to protect our state’s schools and working families, while keeping cops on the beat. She also believes the most wealthy among us should contribute a little more to California’s recovery. Learn more in this Assembly Access Video.

SACRAMENTO—Assemblymember Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) today released the following statement after Governor Jerry Brown’s State of the State address this morning:

"We Californians are proud folks--we like that we've been the leaders in education, technology, energy and environment. Today, Governor Brown reminded us that if we are willing to be bold, as we have been in the past, California can be on top once again. He challenged us to continue to think big and to reinvest: in our schools, our universities, and our transportation infrastructure. As we recover from the global economic collapse, he reminded us that California's education and infrastructure greatness came from strong public investment. We need to restore that investment as was done in the past when California's millionaires and billionaires paid a greater share. Governor Brown made a clear case for the necessity of new revenue to achieve the California we all believe in. We cannot afford the consequences of further cuts to schools, to public safety, or to what's left of the safety net that helps children, seniors, people with disabilities, and families struggling to work. While we have substantial challenges ahead, Governor Brown helped give us the confidence that we can meet those challenges. I know from talking to the people of the 14th Assembly District, our state of mind is determined, and with this determination we will restore and continue California's dream."

Click here to view the letter online.

SACRAMENTO—Assemblymember Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), released the following statement regarding the initiative proposed by Governor Jerry Brown.

"Our schools and universities are fundamental to California's status as the seventh largest economy in the world. The Governor's proposal provides the reinvestment our education system deserves, while spreading the cost in an equitable manner. As the author of AB 1130, which would restore the income tax rate on super-rich Californians to what it was under Governor Ronald Reagan, I applaud Governor Brown's fair-share approach. After the deep and painful cuts schools, public safety and other services already experienced these past few years, I look forward to working with Governor Brown to bring balance back to California."

The California Progress Report recently ran my opinion piece highlighting AB 1130, legislation that would return California's upper income tax bracket to the level set by Governor Reagan.

In the piece, I discuss the 45th anniversary of Reagan's election as Governor, and note that AB 1130 would restore Reagan's rate on Californians who earn $500,000 or more-- just 1 percent of our residents. Given the recent deficit projections by the Legislative Analyst's Office, AB 1130 is certainly one of the areas that should be under discussion about how to responsibly raise revenues in our state.

You can read the whole piece at: http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/site/if-there-war-wealth-i%E2%80%99m-signing-general-reagan

> Fact Sheet: AB 1130

SACRAMENTO-- Assemblymember Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) today announced that Governor Jerry Brown has signed Assembly Bill 604, her legislation that allows the California Department of Public Health to grant a two-year authorization for health and social service programs to provide syringe exchange services in locations where the conditions exist for the rapid spread of HIV, viral hepatitis or other deadly or disabling infections spread through the use of shared syringes.

“California needs a uniform approach to syringe exchange programs, which are endorsed by all major national, state, and international health and medical associations, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Medical Association,” Skinner said. “By signing AB 604, Governor Brown is helping ensure we have that kind of uniform approach in California, one based on public health instead of politics.”

Existing law permits syringe exchange programs pursuant to a vote of local city or county government. However, among those cities and counties with the highest rates of HIV and viral hepatitis caused by syringe sharing are often those without any legal access to sterile syringes.

Under AB 604 local organizations – with demonstrated ties to the community, drug treatment services, and appropriate capacity – may apply to CDPH for a two-year authorization.  If the application has merit and is from an area of demonstrable high-need, CDPH must contact both the local health officer and local law enforcement leadership for consultation in advance of a 90-day public comment period.  In this way, concerns about impacts of a program and the quality of the applicant will be considered before CDPH makes its final decision regarding authorization.

The use of shared syringes and the failure to prevent infections also creates a long-term burden on the State’s General Fund-supported health insurance and drug programs. The average cost to treat someone with hepatitis C exceeds $100,000; for HIV the cost exceeds $600,000. AB 604 helps California respond to the significant public health concerns and reduce General Fund costs related to the long-term care of those who suffer the lifetime consequences of syringe scarcity: HIV and viral hepatitis.

“The Obama administration has recently approved the use of federal funds for syringe exchange programs,” Skinner said. “So AB 604 will cost nothing to California’s General Fund, yet has the potential to save our state millions in healthcare costs.”

SACRAMENTO-- Assemblymember Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) today announced that Governor Jerry Brown has signed Assembly Bill 982, her legislation that will require the California State Lands Commission to enter into a memorandum of agreement with the United States Secretary of the Interior for the purpose of exchanging lands for renewable energy parks.

“AB 982 brings state and federal agencies together to maximize the opportunities for renewable energy parks in California,” Skinner said. “AB 982 is a win-win because it helps create parcels of land large enough to accommodate new energy parks, and it helps ensure that revenue from that energy comes back to California,” Skinner said.

According to the United States Department of Energy, California has some of the best locations in the world to produce renewable energy. Unfortunately, much of the best renewable energy resource land is held by a patchwork of state, federal and private land owners.

Large-scale renewable energy parks will help the state meet its expanded renewable portfolio standard, as well as AB 32 climate protection goals, and will provide badly needed jobs and revenue for California.  AB 982 ensures development in the renewable energy parks will be consistent with the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan.

SACRAMENTO-- Assemblymember Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) today announced that Governor Jerry Brown has signed Assembly Bill 402, her legislation that makes it easier for families of kids who participate in school lunch programs to access the larger state food program, CalFresh.

“At a time when one in four children live in households where food may not always be available, AB 402 will help reduce the number of children experiencing hunger in the classroom,” Skinner said.  “By promoting effective cooperation between schools and social services offices, AB 402 will also help reduce hunger for vulnerable children year-round, not just on school days.”

As families continue to feel the impacts of the recession, federal programs such as the Free or Reduced Price meal Program and CalFresh (formerly Food Stamps) provide a safety net to ensure children in low-income families receive adequate nutrition.

AB 402 authorizes a school district or county office of education to incorporate CalFresh program information into the School Lunch Program Application for the purpose of streamlining and increasing participation in the CalFresh program.  This approach mirrors information sharing currently in place between schools and the Medi-Cal program.

Although 3.4 million California children are now eligible for school meal programs, a large number of these children and their families are not participating in CalFresh.  California loses nearly $5 billion in federal food benefits and $1.7 billion in generated economic activity due to low CalFresh participation rates.

“In these times of high unemployment we want to make sure families have all the support they need,” Skinner said. “I applaud Governor Brown for signing a strong package of bills to improve food security and support vulnerable Californians, and I am pleased that he included AB 402 among those bills.”

SACRAMENTO-- Assemblymember Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) today announced that Governor Jerry Brown has signed Assembly Bill 509, her legislation that helps low-income families in California get the information they need to determine if they are eligible for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit.

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a federal program that provides direct cash to tax filers who are unemployed or earning low wages.  AB 509 ensures that information about the EITC is sent to Californians who may be eligible, such as those receiving unemployment benefits or who are enrolled in other programs.

“In 2009, 800,000 Californians who could have been eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit failed to claim over $1.2 billion in federal money,” Skinner said. “That money would not only help individual families, it would help stimulate our economy when that money is spent in our communities at local stores and businesses, so it makes sense to make sure every Californian who is eligible knows about the credit and applies.”

AB 509 requires specified state departments and agencies that serve low-income Californians to notify their program recipients about the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Depending on their circumstances, eligible families could receive anywhere from a few hundred dollars to $5600 from the credit.

According to the New America Foundation, if the unfiled refunds for eligible Californians were claimed, it would have spurred over $1.2 billion in business and sales, paid $311 million in wages, and added nearly 7500 jobs to the state economy. These EITC dollars would also have resulted in just under $100 million in additional state and local revenue.

Skinner noted that President Ronald Reagan once famously called the EITC “the best anti-poverty, the best pro-family, the best job creation measure to come out of Congress.”

As one of the principal architects of California’s recently-enacted eFairness law, today I’m pleased to announce that compromise legislation, AB 155, will end Amazon’s challenge to the law and put California on track to closing the loophole that gives out-of-state online retailers unfair advantage over California businesses.  I am proud to be a Joint Author of AB 155.

With the passage of AB 155, California businesses finally have certainty that the unfair tax advantage out-of-state internet retailers have will end, and we won’t have to fight it out at the ballot box. With this legislation, Amazon has agreed to withdraw their referendum ending a potentially nasty and costly ballot fight and to join with brick and mortar businesses to push for federal legislation that will create a level playing field for all—small, large, internet or brick and mortar.

Under the compromise, Amazon will drop its referendum challenge of AB 28x, the bill requiring out-of-state online retailers to begin collecting sales taxes that are already legally owed by California customers.  The new legislation will extend the implementation of the bill until September 2012 in order to give all retailers, online and brick and mortar, the opportunity to join together to seek federal legislation. If successful and federal legislation is enacted, the provisions of AB 155 will still take effect beginning January 2013, thus further ensuring a level playing field for both in state and out of state retailers.

Throughout negotiations we worked to ensure that vague language proposed by Amazon earlier was not included in the final legislation, and that the law’s teeth would remain in place to ensure the sales tax collection actually takes place. I have to thank my fellow negotiators, including Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez, Assembly Majority Leader Charles Calderon, and Senator Loni Hancock for their commitment to the issue and their efforts in negotiating the compromise.

The Contra Costa Times recently ran my opinion piece highlighting my proposal to make sure California’s millionaires and billionaires pay their fair share at tax time.  You may have seen the abundant headlines about how Warren Buffett and regular folks seem to have found a common mantra -- tax the rich.  In California whether you earn $60,000 a year or $500,000, you pay the same state income tax rate. My AB 1130 is a proposal to restore the tax rate for the wealthy that California had under Governors Ronald Reagan and Pete Wilson.  You can read the whole piece at:  http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_18861506

I was proud to introduce ACR 81, which designates September as Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. It is vitally important we increase awareness, detection and prevention of this disease that kills thousands of women every year. If diagnosed early and treated in time, ovarian cancer doesn’t have to be as deadly as it is and it doesn’t have to be as costly as it is. By making September Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and helping step up the pressure to improve diagnoses and treatment, ACR 81 is part of the full court press we must make to stop this growing epidemic. 21,000 women in the U.S. are diagnosed with ovarian cancer every year and 15,000 women die of ovarian cancer every year.

If diagnosed and treated early the five-year survival rate for ovarian cancer is 70%, but fewer than 20% of women with ovarian cancer are diagnosed early. Early detection of ovarian cancer does not always occur because the symptoms are vague and doctors can be hesitant to test for ovarian cancer because of the potential for false positives. Eighty percent of ovarian cancer patients are diagnosed at advanced stages—that has to change. As we work to make sure women know about the threat of ovarian cancer and steps they can take to reduce risk, we also have to keep hammering until we see real advances in early detection of ovarian cancer like we’ve seen in other cancers.

(SACRAMENTO, CA) - Assemblymember Nancy Skinner (D–Berkeley) released the following statement today regarding a proposed referendum filed by Amazon to repeal ABX28:

"Like many other states, California has acted to protect our businesses, large and small, that are being devastated by the unfair tactics used by Amazon. Rather than follow the law, Amazon, a multi-billion dollar company, has decided to declare war on the community shop owners who support our little leagues, scout troops and local economy. Its incomprehensible that a giant like Amazon cannot set up their operation to collect sales taxes, while California’s mom and pop businesses do so every day. Amazon should stop being a bully and play by the rules just like every other business."