News from the District

Sacramento - Legislation authored by Assemblymember Bill Monning (D-Carmel) to help California consumers access information and assistance about their health plans and providers was signed by California Governor Jerry Brown on October 7, 2011. (Chapter 552, Statutes of 2011)

"I am extremely pleased that Governor Brown signed AB 922. This enables the state to provide Californians with a single source of correct and current information about health care coverage," said Assemblymember Monning. "There are numerous governmental and non-profit entities that currently provide help and AB 922 provides consumers with a one-stop location for assistance."

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Dear Friends,

In this edition of my newsletter, I provide some brief reports on recent visits and meetings around the district. The newsletter also provides dates and locations for upcoming events I am hosting and attending. As always, I greatly appreciate the hard work and volunteerism of so many in our community. Please feel free to drop me a line through the website. Thank you to all of you who work to make our communities a better place to live.

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(Sacramento, CA) – – Legislation authored by Assemblymember Bill Monning (D-Carmel) to assist California consumers access information and assistance about their health plans and providers passed off the Assembly Floor and on to Governor Brown.

The federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as federal health care reform, will expand health care coverage to over 4 million Californians through public program expansions, a temporary high-risk pool, a mandate to purchase coverage, and by requiring guaranteed issue of coverage.  AB 922 will streamline the confusing and burdensome number of agencies that currently exist to assist consumers by making the Office of Patient Advocate a one-stop-shop for that assistance, as well as ensure that Californians get clear and understandable consumer information and assistance by strengthening current programs consistent with the federal requirements.

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March Storm Update

As many residents are aware, the 2011 March storm caused destructive flash flooding in the downtown area of Capitola, as well as major debris flows that damaged roads and infrastructure throughout Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties. In the Central Coast area, more than $16 million dollars in damage occurred.

I hosted Mike Dayton, the Acting Secretary of the California Emergency Management Agency (Cal EMA), on a tour of the local storm damage. He visited the City of Capitola and the Nelson Road Debris Flow area to review the extent of remaining repair work that is needed. Acting Secretary Dayton and Cal EMA have been diligently working as advocates for federal financial assistance to offset the recovery costs incurred by the affected communities and local governments that are struggling to address the damage with extremely limited fiscal resources.

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Assemblymember Monning on a tour of Ecology Action’s new headquarters in Santa Cruz with Chuck Tremper, Vice President of General Services for Ecology Action.

Welcome to my July E-Newsletter!

May and June have been busy months around the Central Coast and in Sacramento. In this edition of my newsletter you will find news from the district, updates on legislation, and announcements about upcoming events. The state budget has been at the forefront of the news, so I will start with a budget update.

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(Santa Cruz, CA) - Assemblymember Bill Monning (D - Carmel) thanked the Governor today for appealing the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA's) June 21, 2011, decision to deny a Presidential Declaration of a Major Disaster for the series of severe storms that occurred in March of 2011. The storms seriously impacted the City of Capitola, Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties.

"I want to thank Governor Brown for appealing FEMA's initial denial of California's request for federal assistance to fund the recovery and repairs associated with damage sustained from the severe winter storms this past March," stated Assemblymember Monning. "I also want to thank Mike Dayton, the Acting Secretary of the California Emergency Management Agency (CalEMA) and his staff for all their hard work in gathering additional documentation to submit to the Governor's Office. We will continue to work together to assist the communities impacted by the March storms."

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Gov. Jerry Brown recently signed an on-time balanced budget, passed by majority vote. This first on-time budget in years positions California to begin to restore its bond ratings and continue the governor's commitment to eradicate the years-old structural deficit. Despite these achievements, though, this balanced budget is hardly cause for celebration.

During the budget debate I received hundreds of communications from people concerned about cuts to education, health care, mental health, public safety, state parks, environmental programs and redevelopment agencies. As a member of the Assembly Budget Committee, I also heard hours of testimony from citizens who described the impact of painful cuts to essential safety net programs.

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(Sacramento, CA) – Today, the California State Senate Committee on Judiciary passed Assembly Bill (AB) 753, known as the Raechel and Jacqueline Houck Auto Rental Car Safety Act, authored by Assemblymember Bill Monning (D-Carmel). AB 753 will prohibit rental car companies from renting or selling vehicles to the public until safety recall work has been performed.

"AB 753 is important because consumers should be able to rent a car without worrying about safety defects that have not been repaired," stated Assemblymember Monning. "This landmark legislation will be able to provide assurances to consumers that vehicles they rent are indeed safe."

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June 15, 2011 – We recommend USDA include the following points when writing the new SNAP-Ed Regulations and guidance.

• Target SNAP-Ed funds to communities of greatest need, i.e., communities with high rates of poverty, hunger, and obesity;
• Support the involvement of the SNAP-Ed community by requiring local coalitions with low-income membership as a condition of grant;
• Allow funds to be used to improve access to healthy food and physical activity;
• Require implementing agencies to award some of the funds based on a competitive process that would consider factors such as readiness and proven success and define local governments, public health, universities, and non-profits as eligible entities to apply for such funds; and
• Require evaluation of nutrition education and policy and environmental change.

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(SACRAMENTO, CA) – Legislation authored by Assemblymember Bill Monning (D-Carmel) to protect California's threatened sea otter population passed the California State Assembly earlier this week with a 72 to 3 vote.

Assembly Bill (AB) 971 would keep the California Sea Otter Fund voluntary tax check-off program in place for another five years. Money collected from the voluntary tax check-off program supports research and protection efforts for sea otters. Legislation enacted in 2006 created the initial program.

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(Sacramento, CA) - Assemblymember Monning (D-Carmel) has selected Heller Estate Organic Vineyard of Carmel Valley, California, to be honored at the California Small Business Day luncheon on June 6, 2011, at the Sacramento Convention Center.

"I selected Heller Estate as the 27th Assembly District's Small Business of the Year because of its long term commitment to making environmentally friendly wines and to creating a safe work environment," stated Assemblymember Monning. "I have had the opportunity to visit Heller Estate and was impressed by what the Hellers have done to implement these best management practices."

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(SACRAMENTO, CA) – Today, the Assembly Committee on Revenue and Taxation moved Assembly Bill (AB) 669 by Assemblymember Bill Monning (D-Carmel) to their suspense file. AB 669 would levy an excise tax of one penny per fluid ounce on sugary drinks, such as sodas, energy drinks, sweet teas, and sports drinks, distributed in California. The revenues generated would be directed to the newly created Children's Health Promotion Fund and allocated to statewide childhood obesity prevention activities and programs.

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