Recent News in the 7th District

Job applicants sought – but only if they don't need work.

The message in some job advertisements these days is pretty blunt: Don't bother sending a résumé if you're not bringing home a paycheck already.

The ads list current or recent employment as an eligibility requirement, a screen to narrow the pool of candidates in a rocky economy that often leads to dozens of applicants for a single job.

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(Sacramento) – California State Assemblymember Michael Allen (D-Sonoma County) thinks Governor Brown is making some tough but responsible moves to close California’s 9.1 billion dollar budget gap.  Assemblymember Allen was heartened to hear the balanced approach in the Governor’s State of the State Address.  He agrees that finding new revenue to avoid even further devastating cuts to schools and public safety is the only way to get California back on the road to a bright future.  Hear more in this Assembly Access Video.

(Sacramento) - Laura's Law, a California statue that allows counties to be more assertive in their care of outpatient mentally ill people, is set to expire next year.  However, California State Assemblymember Michael Allen (D-Santa Rosa) is stepping in with legislation that would extend Laura's Law, and perhaps make it even more effective.  Sacramento's News 10 interviewed Allen about issue.  Learn more in this Assembly Assets Video.

Assemblymember Michael Allen, D-San Rafael, has introduced legislation meant to stop employers from refusing even to consider applicants who are unemployed.

Saying he's open to hearing arguments against his bill, Allen said that so far, "most people on first impression, on both sides of the aisle, say this is something we want to do something about."

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Assemblyman Michael Allen, D-Santa Rosa, has had just two years to do what he can for Vallejo and Solano County before redistricting moves his boundaries farther west.

Following his 2010 election to the 7th Assembly District, Allen is now partly focused on his campaign for the new 10th District created after the latest Census data.

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Assemblyman Wes Chesbro, D-Arcata, is calling on Gov. Jerry Brown to restore home-to-school transportation funding in a letter signed by State Sen. Noreen Evans and 2nd District Congressional candidate Jared Huffman.

According to Chesbro's office, the assemblyman pointed to the detrimental impact eliminating state transportation funding would have on low-income students and students who live in rural areas. Assemblymembers Luis Alejo, Michael Allen, Betsy Butler, Paul Fong, Alyson Huber, Bill Monning, Kristen Olsen, Henry Perea and Mariko Yamada have co-signed Chesbro's letter.

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SACRAMENTO -- On January 10, 2001, 19-year-old Laura Wilcox and two other people were shot to death by Scott Harlan Thorpe, a 41-year old a mental patient who resisted his family's attempt to seek treatment.

Both families were on News10@9 a.m. on Tuesday.  During the emotional interview, they talked about what has been done and how much more needs to be done.

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It's the ultimate dilemma for job-seekers: To get a job, some employers require you to have a job.

Such hiring policies would be illegal under a bill proposed by Assemblyman Michael Allen, D-San Rafael.

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Even though the labor market is improving, thousands of unemployed Californians are caught in a bind: Some employers only want to hire them if they already have a job.

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Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed budget would cut services to more than a thousand Napa County residents, including the elderly and disabled and those on the state’s welfare-to-work program.

Brown unveiled his 2012-2013 budget Thursday and included billions of dollars in cuts to California’s education and health and human services systems as he attempts to close a $9.2 billion shortfall projected through June 2013.

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