NORWALK, CA—Two bills authored by Assemblymember Tony Mendoza were passed out of their respective committees yesterday, taking both one step closer to becoming law.

Mendoza’s AB 785, requiring elected officials to abstain from voting on contracts that would financially benefit family members, passed the Assembly Committee on Elections with a vote of 6-0, and clean air bill, AB 937, requiring the California Air Resources Board to recognize bonnet technology as an acceptable method to decrease vessel emissions, passed the Assembly Committee on Transportation with a vote of 10-3.

Following yesterday’s action AB 785 will head to the Assembly Committee on Local Government and AB 937 will be sent to the Assembly Committee on Appropriations.

AB 785 would expand the list of family members that the law would recognize as constituting a conflict of interest, when those immediate family members stand to gain financially from a contract under review in an official’s elected capacity. The bill states that elected members of any state or local body, board or commission shall abstain from voting on any contract that could financially benefit their spouse, child, parent, or sibling, or the spouse of the child, parent or sibling.

AB 937 would alter current at-berth regulations aimed at reducing emissions from some ocean going vessels while docked at a California port, to include alternatives that can cost-effectively treat additional vessel types and allow more vessels to be covered by the regulation.

“I couldn’t be happier with the progress my legislation has made,” Assemblymember Mendoza said. “Both of these bills work to advance fairness, trust in government and safety in California and I am proud to have introduced them.”

Assemblymember Mendoza, a former public school teacher and current Chair of the California Latino Legislative Caucus, proudly serves the 56th District.