11-15-11 – Over 200 residents turned out to learn more about the recently released business plan from the High-Speed Rail Authority.

Click here to watch the news video.

Click here to learn more about the business plan and submit your public comment which is due by January 15, 2012.

10-10-11 – I joined Governor Brown and BOE Member Betty Yee in announcing global solar leader SunEdison's corporate headquarter relocation from Maryland to Belmont which will bring hundreds of jobs to the region. The move was made possible through legislation I authored which clarified the types of financing mechanisms that can be used to reduce the costs of solar installations for homeowners and businesses.

Click here to watch the news video.

Click here to watch the announcement video.

Click here to read the article.

On June 28th the Governor signed my legislation which clarifies the types of financing mechanisms that can be used to make it more affordable for people to install solar on their homes. Not only will ABX1 15 provide tax certainty for solar companies located within California, but it will also help our state be more competitive with other parts of the country. One example is Maryland-based SunEdison, one of the world's largest solar firms, who plans to relocate their corporate headquarters to the city of Belmont. SunEdison, which is continuing to work with state officials to complete the relocation, plans to move about 100 employees from Maryland and San Francisco to its new Belmont facility and add more than 400 new staff.

Click here to read the article.

On May 20th I partnered with State Controller John Chiang and the Governor's Office of Economic Development to help local businesses utilize financing programs and learn about tax compliance issues, tax incentives and much more. The event was attended by over 100 people and featured presentations by the Franchise Tax Board, IRS, State Board of Equalization, Employment Development Department, and a Small Business Development Center.

Click here to access the state's Small Business Assistance Center.

Click here to access the Governor's Office of Economic Development.

On May 13th I joined labor leaders and Brisbane officials to introduce legislation eliminating a tax break which allows companies to fire employees in one part of the state then move locations and receive $37,000 in taxpayer dollars for each employee hired at the new location.

Click here to watch the video.

Click here to read the article.

Jerry Hill spoke with youth at the Mid-Peninsula Boys and Girls Club for the unveiling of his legislation to reduce the sale of tobacco to minors. Under current law, a store has to get caught selling cigarettes to minors eight times in a two-year period before its license to sell tobacco products can be revoked.

"With 90 percent of adult smokers having started before the age of 19, it's imperative that the state fully utilize its laws to prevent the sale of cigarettes to minors," Hill said. If a store gets caught selling to minors three times they get their license suspended. According to a 2009 survey by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one out of four high school students were current tobacco users. Smoking-related diseases remain the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, claiming the lives of 438,000 Americans annually.

Hill was joined by the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office, local police chief's, Youth Leadership Institute, Asian American Recovery Services, San Mateo County Tobacco Education Coalition, American Lung Association in California, Breathe California, and the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office.

Click here to watch the video (Spanish).

Click here to read the article.

3-21-11 - Assembly Bill 56, which would place new safety standards on utilities and regulators to hold them more accountable, was approved by the Assembly Committee on Utilities and Commerce by a 9-0 vote. "This bill makes regulators more accountable for ensuring the safety of our state’s aging pipeline infrastructure and makes a number of common sense reforms based on what we've learned from the San Bruno explosion," said Hill, who represents the city.

Assembly Bill 56, which Hill introduced after the explosion of a Pacific Gas & Electric Co. pipeline killed eight people and destroyed 38 homes last Sept. 9, would require the PUC to consider the safety record of utilities when determining the rates that they will be allowed to charge customers. If utilities are penalized by the PUC for violating safety standards, the responsibility for paying the fines would fall on shareholders of the companies, not ratepayers. The legislation also would require the PUC to establish minimum standards governing the installation of either automatic and/or remote gas pipeline shutoff valves when feasible.

Click here to read the article.

Click here to read the editorial.

Jerry Hill introduced legislation capping pensions for all public employees in California who make more than $245,000 a year. Assembly Bill 89 would close a loophole that allows tax-exempt institutions like the University of California to award pension benefits to public employees above the federal limit.

Click here to read the San Francisco Chronicle Article

Jerry Hill joined Doug and Linda Studebaker at a news conference in Burlingame with law enforcement officials to discuss Assembly Bill 45. The Studebakers' 19-year-old son, Brett, died Feb. 6 when he crashed his car into a sound wall on Highway 101 near San Mateo after hours of drinking on a "booze cruise" bus to celebrate a friend's birthday. AB 45, named in the memory of Brett, would require operators of these increasingly popular buses to ascertain if they have passengers under 21 and read a statement that says consuming alcohol on board is unlawful. Passengers under 21 would have to sign the statement. Bus drivers who break the law would be subject to fines starting at $2,000 for a first offense and license suspensions or revocations and misdemeanor criminal charges for further violations. If any underage passenger drinks alcohol, the driver would be required to terminate the ride and return passengers to the pickup location.

San Mateo Daily Journal Editorial (12-15-10)

"Assemblyman Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, should be applauded for standing up to San Francisco officials and suggesting a regional approach to solving transportation issues. By standing up to the Board of Supervisors and threatening legislation that would prohibit such a proposal, Hill proved he has the interests of his constituents in mind. We are encouraged that the Board of Supervisors killed the proposal and ended a nasty fight before it had to begin and that there is a local legislator who sees the importance of communication and cooperation and the need to force it if necessary."

Click here to read about Jerry Hill's gas pipeline reform legislation.

Click here to watch the public hearing Jerry Hill hosted in San Bruno on December 7, 2010 to question utilities, the PUC and pipeline experts.

Click here to watch TV coverage of the Dec. 7 hearing.

Click here to read the editorial Jerry Hill wrote on September 11, 2010 regarding the San Bruno disaster.

On October 9, 2010 I finally had the opportunity to vote on a budget. Despite the record-setting budget delay, major reforms were accomplished. Here's a brief overview:

• Cuts state programs by $7.5 billion including $1 billion in cuts to our prison system
• Provides $300 million more to K-12 education than the Governor's proposal and $200 million more for higher education
• Pension reform
• Ends pension spiking
• Reduces pension benefits for new state employees
• Budget reform
• Improves and protects state's rainy day fund
• Places a spending cap proposal on the 2012 ballot to pay off debt when revenues increase
• Preserves safety net and health care services for seniors, children, disabled, and low-income Californians
• Provides increased funding for Operation Welcome Home services for returning veterans
• Preserves funding for local governments

Here's an interesting overview of recent state budgets:

• From 2004 to 2008, General Fund spending in the state budget increased from $79 billion to $102 billion.
• When I arrived in the Legislature in 2008 I helped reduce state spending and brought General Fund expenditures back down to $86 billion.

Click here to take the Next 10 budget challenge - an interactive online program that allows you to try and solve the state's budget deficit.

On September 27, Governor Schwarzenegger signed my legislation to take repeat DUI offenders off the road.

Click here to view video

• KTVU: Assemblyman Introduces Legislation To Toughen DUI Laws
• Sacramento Bee: San Mateo lawmaker wants tougher DUI rules
• Daily Journal: Tougher DUI penalties proposed
• San Mateo County Times: Bill would allow driver's licenses of 3-time DUI offenders to be permanently revoked

The 2009-2010 legislative session adjourned in October. This year 20 of my bills passed out of the legislature with 95% of them receiving bipartisan support.

Click here to read about all of the legislative reforms I introduced.

First episode aired on November 24th focusing on state government reform

The goal of this show is to keep you connected to the latest information about critical issues impacting our state and our region. Ultimately it's you, the voter, who decides what's best for California. I want to make sure you have access to all the information so you can make an informed decision.

As a member of the newly formed 'Committee on Improving State Government', I've been participating in hearings throughout the state developing reforms that will make government more efficient and transparent. If you have specific improvement ideas please submit them here.

Click here to view video

(Sacramento) - The Legislative Budget Conference Committee has produced a plan that solves California's deficit responsibly and still leaves a healthy reserve in place. Assemblymember Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo) says the Conference Committee plan is the balanced approach Californians want: Real cuts, limited new revenues and other solutions that help California ward off a cash crisis later this summer. Assemblymember Hill also says Democrats have accepted the Governor's realistic budget proposals to solve the deficit but, in standing up for California families, we have rejected his over-the-top proposals for eliminating the safety net in California. Assembly Speaker Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles) has announced the Assembly and Senate will vote on the Conference Committee plan next week.