Recent News in the 7th District

An increased awareness of sustainable agriculture and what it means to our health, environment and economic vitality is now fueling a growing awareness of obstacles faced by those who wish to farm sustainably.

Challenges to our food system and the lack of access to healthier food for many remain key issues for people seeking to live healthier lives. To address these as well as related issues, Assemblymember Michael Allen (D – Santa Rosa) has invited a diverse lineup of individuals from academia, local governments, non-profit organizations, public health experts, working farmers and ranchers, specialists in climate change and more, to speak at a community forum on sustainable agriculture and food in the North Bay.

Read more...

(Sacramento) – The playgrounds at fast food restaurants may not be as safe as they look.   A mom on a crusade swabbed a Northern California restaurant playground and found “high levels of bacteria… and the likely presence of E-coli and STDs.”  California State Assemblymember Michael Allen (D-Sonoma County) agrees something needs to be done to protect our kids from these harmful infections.  That’s why he authored AB 1513.  KOVR 13 News in Sacramento featured the story.  Learn more in this Assembly Assets Video.

SAN FRANCISCO — A homeless man plagued by schizophrenia is beaten to death by police in Fullerton. A man from Fort Bragg fixates on aliens for years while denying he is ill, then kills two men before dying in a gunfight with law enforcement. A Nevada County mental health client who had refused additional care storms into a clinic and kills three workers.

Those headline grabbers, according to a task force pressing to change the California law that governs involuntary civil commitment to psychiatric hospitals, were merely the most visible signs of a broken system.

Read more...

(Sacramento) – PG&E has a decades old tree trimming policy, in which the agency trims trees around power lines.  However, PG&E may be taking their “right of way” too far in Sonoma County.  Residents say the agency plans to cut down trees on private property, even some not directly in the path of power lines.  California State Assemblymember Michael Allen (D-Sonoma County) is trying to bring some reason to the process with his legislation, Assembly Bill 2556.  AB 2556 would prevent the unnecessary removal and trimming of trees that pose no significant threat to power lines.  Learn more in this Assembly Access Video.

Hundreds of immigrants, farm workers and their supporters are expected to march through downtown Santa Rosa Sunday as part of a statewide United Farm Workers campaign aimed at providing farmworkers with overtime pay and enhancing their safety on the job.

The march starts at noon in the parking lot of the Old Albertsons supermarket on Sebastopol Road. From there, it winds through Historic Railroad Square and into Old Courthouse Square, where a rally will be held.

Read more...

PG&E officials will host a community meeting Thursday to address concerns from landowners that a revamped maintenance plan will mean cutting down thousands of trees in a 39-mile stretch of high voltage lines through Sonoma County.

The plan has come under criticism in recent weeks as landowners have discovered in some cases hundreds of trees marked with tell-tale blue paint that PG&E said means the trees are targeted not for pruning, but removal.

Read more...

Hot-air balloon operators in Napa County and throughout California are lauding a bill from state Assemblyman Michael Allen, D-Santa Rosa, that they say will keep their companies afloat and insured.

From the late 1990s until 2005, the California Public Utilities Commission set the insurance requirements for hot-air balloon operators. The commission had rules that insurers in the state felt were onerous and made them unwilling to renew the operators’ liability insurance policies, said Gabe Gundling, president of Napa Valley Balloons.

Read more...

Sacramento – Assemblymember Michael Allen today recognized Santa Rosa resident Elizabeth Basile as the 2012 “Woman of the Year” for the 7th Assembly District.

The Legislative Woman of the Year event began in March 1987 to celebrate the contributions to society by remarkable women throughout the state. This yearly event, sponsored and organized by the Legislative Women’s Caucus, honors women who selflessly contribute to their communities.

Read more...

(Sacramento) -- "Must be currently employed to apply." It's a catch 22 that many unemployed Californians face while searching for jobs. California Assemblymember Michael Allen (D-Sonoma County) wants to stop the practice of discriminating against the unemployed in want ads. That's why Allen introduced Assembly Bill 1450. AB 1450 would help the unemployed be eligible to apply for a position, without interfering with a potential employer's ability to look at an applicant's full employment history. Learn more about this important piece of legislation in this Assembly Access Web Report.

SACRAMENTO — State lawmakers are wading into the ongoing battle over corporate money in politics.

The California Assembly passed a resolution Thursday calling for a constitutional amendment to overturn the 2010 Citizens United decision, which held that corporations can spend unlimited sums to influence elections.

Assemblymen Michael Allen of Santa Rosa and Bob Wieckowski of Fremont, both Democrats, say that their resolution is necessary to preserve the integrity of elections. It requests that Congress undo a U.S. Supreme Court decision making it easier for businesses and wealthy donors to pour millions into political campaigns.

Read more...