Representing the 7th District

Sacramento – Today, Assembly Bill 2241 and Assembly Bill 2242 by Assemblymember Roger Dickinson (D-Sacramento) were approved by the Assembly Education Committee. The bills are aimed at fixing California’s broken school discipline practices. The bills are an outcome of the Assembly Select Committee on Delinquency Prevention and Youth Development hearing in December 2011 on school-based youth development and discipline.

“AB 2242 would reduce the number of expulsions and out-of-school suspensions and the accompanying poor outcomes for students. It would also reduce the extent to which these practices disproportionately impact students of color,” said Dickinson, Chair of the Assembly Select Committee on Delinquency Prevention and Youth Development. “This will result in more appropriate types of intervention with less academic student disruption, and better student outcomes.”

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Sacramento – Today, Assemblymember Roger Dickinson (D-Sacramento) released the following statement on the revised California High Speed Rail business proposal:

“The revised plan is a more fiscally cautious and realistic plan that will move this transformative project forward. I support the use of a blended system to merge the high speed rail with existing urban commuter rail lines. The improved urban rail lines will serve more people sooner. Completion by 2028 is an ambitious timeline that will need continued and reliable support from the Administration, the Legislature, the Federal Government, stakeholders, investors, and the public.

High Speed Rail is an historic and long overdue infrastructure investment that will have lasting economic benefits, employ hundreds of thousands of Californians, and improve mobility throughout our state, linking our communities for generations to come. We hold a vision of a transportation future for our state, and I look forward to continuing to be among many local and state leaders who are committed to bringing the vision to reality.”

Sacramento – Assembly Bill 1917 by Assemblymember Roger Dickinson (D-Sacramento) was approved today by the Assembly Education Committee on a 7-3 vote. The bill would ensure that public education facilitates are informed of and remitted any discounts, rebates, allowances, and incentives received by a service contractor from its supplier. The bill will next be heard in the Assembly Higher Education Committee.

“With this bill, we will ensure that overburdened school officials who negotiate food service contracts are aware of off-invoice rebates and what they are worth, and will make sure that our already cash-strapped California schools get their fair share of those rebates,” said Assemblymember Dickinson.  “AB 1917 will bring some long-overdue transparency and accountability to this opaque process,” he added.

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Sheila Boxley, Woman of the Year in the Ninth Assembly District, being escorted by Assemblymember Roger Dickinson (D-Sacramento) at today’s ceremony on the Assembly floor.

Sacramento – In recognition of Women’s History Month, Assemblymember Roger Dickinson (D-Sacramento) named Sheila Boxley as 2012 Woman of the Year in the Ninth Assembly District today in a ceremony on the California State Assembly floor.

Sheila Boxley, CEO of the Child Abuse Prevention Center in Sacramento, is a statewide leader in child abuse prevention efforts, and is committed to policy and system improvements, analyzing child death review data, leveraging federal funds for prevention services and education, and legislative advocacy – all to produce healthy and socially productive, children and families.

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Sacramento – Today, Assemblymember Roger Dickinson’s (D-Sacramento) Assembly Bill 1643 was approved by the California State Assembly on a bipartisan vote of 67-3. The bill would address a public safety need in Sacramento County by allowing increased security of critical facilities such as airports, oil refineries, and nuclear and conventional fuel power plants by expanding duties to some security officers. The bill will next be heard in the Senate.

“In Sacramento County there are several properties important to national security, or which, if compromised or attacked, pose a severe threat to public safety,” said Assemblymember Dickinson.  “AB 1643 will protect the public by keeping these facilities secure and preventing a potential catastrophe.”

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Sacramento – Today, Assemblymember Roger Dickinson (D-Sacramento), Chair of the Assembly Committee on Accountability and Administrative Review, released the following statement on the California Public Utilities Commission’s (CPUC) proposed regulations to increase transparency:

“It is encouraging that the CPUC is taking a proactive role in increasing transparency for utilities and expressing an interest in adhering to the intent of the California Public Records Act. This does not diminish the need for legislation that would codify these reforms in statute. I will monitor the CPUC process but continue to pursue a legislative solution via AB 1541 which would permanently subject the CPUC to the state’s Public Records Act, making information submitted by utilities to the CPUC available for public review, and bringing the CPUC into line with the policy and practice of other public agencies in California.”

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Sacramento - Triple digit fee increases and the struggling economy are squeezing middle class Californians out of the opportunity to get a higher education. Assemblymember Roger Dickinson (D-Sacramento) is joining Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez in an effort to renew the promise of a higher education for middle class students and their families. Speaker Pérez has introduced the Middle Class Scholarship Act (www.middleclassscholarship.com) to reduce the cost of attending a CSU, UC or community college by two-thirds, saving thousands of students thousands of dollars every year. Assemblymember Dickinson says the Middle Class Scholarship Act is an incredible opportunity to make college more affordable for thousands of students and their families. The program will be funded by closing a wasteful tax loophole for out-of-state corporations. Here’s more from Assemblymember Dickinson in this Assembly Access Video.

Sacramento – Today, Assemblymember Roger Dickinson (D-Sacramento) released the following statement on the 2012 State of the Judiciary Address given by Chief Justice of California Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye:

“The Chief Justice’s remarks highlight the challenges our trial courts struggle with in a period of transition in the face of the state’s budget problems. I agree with her sentiments about the vital importance of our courts to the future of California’s justice system. I applaud the Chief Justice on her efforts to increase efficiency, collaboration, and oversight in the court system. I look forward to working with the Chief Justice and my colleagues in the Legislature to craft a plan to ensure that our courts stay open in a fiscally constrained environment. Our ultimate duty must be to ensure equal and timely access to justice for all individuals as guaranteed in our federal and state Constitution.

I wholeheartedly agree with the Chief Justice’s concerns about youth in our juvenile justice system, specifically the overuse of out-of-school suspensions and expulsions in our school system. This year, I introduced AB 2242 which would reduce the number of expulsions and out-of-school suspensions and the accompanying poor outcomes for students. It would also reduce the extent to which these practices disproportionately impact students of color. AB 2242 will result in more appropriate types of intervention with less academic student disruption, and better student outcomes.”

Walk MS in Sacramento Coming up on Sunday, April 29

Sacramento –Today, the Assembly unanimously voted to approve Assemblymember Roger Dickinson’s Assembly Concurrent Resolution 113. The resolution declares this week, March 12 through March 16, 2012, Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week in recognition of the importance of finding the cause and cure for multiple sclerosis and to express appreciation to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and its California chapters.

“ACR 113 will enhance knowledge throughout the state about the important issues impacting people living with MS and give a voice to all of those affected by this devastating disease,” said Assemblymember Dickinson (D-Sacramento).

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Assemblymember Dickinson Examines Rebates and Transparency in K-12 and Higher Education Food Service Contracts

At a time of painful budget cuts throughout public education, food service companies are collecting potentially millions of dollars a year in off-invoice rebates from national suppliers through contracts with California schools, community colleges and public universities, a months-long investigation by the Assembly Committee on Accountability and Administrative Review has found. On Wednesday, March 7, Assemblymember Roger Dickinson will convene a hearing of the Committee to discuss rebates and transparency in K-12 and higher education food service contracts.

The Committee's investigation was inspired by a $20 million settlement that the New York Attorney General's Office reached in July 2010 with Sodexo. The settlement resolved allegations that the giant, France-based company had overcharged New York public schools and universities by not remitting rebates collected from national and regional suppliers.

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