It is an honor to serve and represent the 57th Assembly District. The 2011 legislative year has been a remarkable one for California. The California State Legislature approved major job creation legislation on a bipartisan basis to put Californians back to work. We have approved regulatory reforms that will make it easier for businesses to invest in California. For the first time in 25 years, the Legislature approved a comprehensive, balanced budget that dramatically reduced our ongoing structural deficit-and earned California an upgrade from the ratings agencies.

As your Assemblymember, I have worked tirelessly to bring my ideas and the ideas you came to me with to Sacramento and make California work for you. My legislative package has faced many challenges as it was vetted through the Legislature, but it has been marked with many successes. At the end of the 2011 legislative year, my staff and I sent eight bills to the Governor's desk.

Recent signings include:

Hernández Bill to Extend Labor Protections for Public Employees
AB 195: This bill would prohibit false information from being given to bargaining units by employers during public agency labor negotiations, and provide consistency with labor negotiation protections given to public education employees. For more information, click HERE.

Hernández Bill to Provide Maternity Services to Expectant Mothers

AB 210: AB 210 replicates a provision under the historic health care reform signed by President Barack Obama in 2010. This bill would require every group health policy to cover maternity services. This proposal will be implemented on July 1, 2012, and will serve as a safety net for expectant mothers until the federal law is enacted in 2014. For more information, click HERE.

Hernández Bill will Uphold Prevailing Wage for Construction Workers
AB 514: This proposal will close a loophole to ensure that construction workers are getting paid prevailing wages for the delivery and removal of refuse. For more information, click HERE.

Hernández Bill to Advance Truth in Advertising for Marriage and Family Therapist Interns
AB 956: This truth-in-advertising measure will require Marriage/Family Therapist Interns to represent themselves as Interns, ensuring that consumers know when they are receiving mental health care from a licensed professional. For more information, click HERE.

Hernández Bill to Champions Clean Water Legislation
AB 1292: This bill is sponsored by the California Department of Public Health, and will allow the Department to sell revenue bonds and draw down federal dollars for groundwater cleanup. California now stands to receive approximately $90 million from the federal government to repair and improve our aging water systems. For more information, click HERE.

Hernández Bill to Codify Fair Land Appraisal Process in State Redevelopment Law
AB 1338: This bill requires independent land appraisals of properties considered for acquisition or purchase by a redevelopment agency. For more information, click HERE.

Hernández Bill to Promote Hepatitis-C Prevention
AB 1382: AB 1382 would update current regulations to allow HIV counselors, who currently administer HIV and Hepatitis C tests, to administer rapid Hepatitis C tests. For more information, click HERE.

I'm thrilled that, to date, Governor Jerry Brown has signed seven out of eight bills. These bills are a solid first step toward securing that taxpayer dollars are being used effectively and in the best interest of the people of California. In addition to these important pieces of legislation, I authored the Kelly Abraham Martinez Act, which recognizes the month of May as Perinatal Depression Awareness Month. There is a need for our communities to work together in order to raise awareness and prevention of perinatal depression.

Help me keep the momentum going. Next year, I plan on continuing the work I started this year by making sure that government is held accountable and that California continues to position itself for economic recovery by strengthening critical social safety nets. Please do not hesitate to contact my office to share your ideas and concerns. You can reach me at (626) 960-4457 or my Capitol office at (916) 319-2057. I look forward to continuing to serve you as the 2012 legislative session approaches.