46th District Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian marks successful year in the California Legislature.
SACRAMENTO, CA — Last week, Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian marked the end of a very successful and highly productive year in the California State Assembly. The Assemblymember passed nine bills from both the Assembly and State Senate; three of which have already been signed into law.
“This session, we reaffirmed California as a leader of forward-thinking policy. We passed vital legislation to help our film and aerospace industries become competitive and bring jobs back home. We passed a landmark ban on single-use plastic bags and passed the first ever kill switch for smartphones – protecting consumers from identity and property theft. We also passed legislation providing paid sick days and ensuring rental units remain affordable to help hard working families,” stated Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian.
Assemblymember Nazarian supported critical bills to address some of California’s worst crises, including its struggles with water and job losses to other states. AB 1739 and the recently-passed Water Bond are focused squarely on ensuring that our state has enough water to satisfy its needs going forward. AB 1739 authorizes local and state agencies to provide technical assistance to entities that extract or use groundwater, in an effort to promote water conservation and protect dwindling groundwater resources. The Water Bond will be on the ballot this fall, and if approved by the voters, will fund many new projects to help California’s water resources keep up with demand.
As part of Assemblymember Nazarian’s efforts to grow and retain jobs in our state, he successfully advocated for the expansion and extension of the film credit. AB 1839, a bill that extends tax credits for certain qualified motion pictures made in California was approved by the Legislature. “My district, and our state, benefit tremendously from this industry. We must do all we can to create new jobs and keep existing ones in California,” said Assemblymember Nazarian. “And this bill, if signed by Governor Brown, will do just that.”
Assemblymember Nazarian is especially proud to have played such a key role in spearheading a new law to devote more funds to supporting the arts. “I have long been a strong supporter of the arts,” said Assemblymember Nazarian, adding: “I was thrilled to see the increased investment of $5 million in the state budget, which is the first funding increase for the arts in fourteen years. I also authored AB 1625 to position the California Arts Council to leverage private and public donations.”
Two other bills written by Assemblymember Nazarian this year have been signed by the Governor as of today: AB 1825, which will clear the way for the Office of the Inspector General of the LAUSD to continue operations, and AB 577, a measure lifting the ban on light rail in the San Fernando Valley, opening the door for smarter transportation options for commuters.
A number of bills authored by Assemblymember Nazarian have also been passed by the Legislature and are awaiting the Governor’s signature. They include:
AB 2222, a bill that requires developers to both preserve existing affordable housing units and meet any pre-existing price or rent control requirements, if they wish to be eligible for a density bonus. This change, along with the others included in the legislation, will ensure that rental units remain affordable for a longer period of time.
AB 617, which contributes to California’s long-standing efforts to shore up the Affordable Care Act by ensuring that no matter where or how a consumer decides to apply for health care coverage, there will be a defined process in place to clearly lay out the steps to be taken during the appeal process. This change will be an enormous help to consumers should any of them need to appeal a decision later on.
AB 1723 protects all California workers from wage theft by ensuring that the Labor Commissioner has the legal authority to recover applicable ‘waiting time’ penalties during a site investigation.
AB 1915, a bill to encourage the inclusion and teaching of the Armenian Genocide in the Social Science course curriculum of study for 7th – 12th grades in California. It also encourages the use of “oral testimony,” or first-hand accounts told by victims themselves, when teaching about human rights and genocides throughout history.
AB 1979, which will amend the California School Finance Authority Act by streamlining the process of issuing bonds; thus, allowing the bonds to be issued at a notably reduced cost. This will lower costs for charter schools and provide additional funding for core classroom programs.
Finally, AB 505, which will strengthen the ability of Californians with limited English proficiency to access quality health care. This potential new law, along with the Driver’s License Forum (discussing the impact of AB 60) hosted over the summer, is part of Assemblymember Nazarian’s broader efforts to make California more welcoming to immigrants.
Assemblymember Nazarian also played a key role in the passage of many important bills to improve the lives, well-being, and security, of California’s families. These include AB 1522, a bill mandating that employees who work for 30 or more days after the commencement of employment are entitled to paid sick days. Another is SB 270, which adds a 10 cent fee to paper bags and enacts a state-wide ban on single-use plastic bags, and is just the latest example of Assemblymember Nazarian’s long-standing commitment to the protection of our environment. SB 926, a bill to extend the statute of limitations for the prosecution of crimes related to sexual abuse from a victim’s 28th birthday until their 40th. While all of these bills have yet to be signed by the Governor, one major piece of legislation that Assemblymember Nazarian supported that is already in law is SB 962, which requires that all smartphones manufactured after July 1, 2015, include a pre-equipped theft-deterring technological solution that renders the device inoperable, if stolen. This law will do much to discourage theft and help deter crime in the process.
Unfortunately, Assemblymember Nazarian’s AB 612 did not garner the votes needed to pass the Legislature. AB 612 was a public safety bill that simply required drivers of charter party carrier including, app-based carriers such, as Uber and Lyft to enroll in a continuous check of driving records through the DMV, undergo a Department of Justice background check, and participate in a routine drug testing program. “California has been a place for new ideas to grow and thrive from its inception, and I believe that we can and should continue this proud tradition. But I also believe that we do not need to risk public health and safety to do so. That is why; I am committed to continue my efforts to push for public safety for all Californians,” stated Assemblymember Nazarian.
Adrin Nazarian represents the 46th Assembly District, serving the San Fernando Valley communities of Hollywood Hills, Lake Balboa, North Hills, North Hollywood, Panorama City, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Toluca Lake, Universal City, Van Nuys, and Valley Village.