Press Releases

Leader Atkins Comments on Next Steps for Housing Production Legislation

January 30, 2020

SACRAMENTO – California Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) issued the following statement regarding SB 50 failing to secure enough votes to pass the Senate:

“I took the step of removing SB 50 and bringing it to the floor to give us all the chance to see if additional time and discussions would generate enough support to move the bill forward.

Senate Leader Atkins Reacts to U.S. Supreme Court Ruling on Public Charge Rule

January 27, 2020

SACRAMENTO – California Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) issued the following statement on the U.S. Supreme Court allowing the Administration to implement the ‘public charge’ rule:

Leader Atkins Responds to Trump Administration’s Abortion Threat to California

January 24, 2020

SACRAMENTO – California Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) issued the following statement on the federal Health and Human Services Notice of Violation to California for its Abortion Coverage Mandate:

Leader Atkins Statement on SB 50 Returning to Senate Rules Committee

January 17, 2020

SACRAMENTO – California Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) issued the following statement on moving SB 50 from Appropriations Committee back to Rules Committee:

Greater Transparency on Deferred Blood Donations the Focus of New Bill

January 13, 2020

SACRAMENTO – California Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) today introduced SB 851, calling for greater transparency when an individual’s blood donation is deferred.

Senators Atkins, Allen, Portantino and Stern Welcome Governor’s Climate Bond Proposal Alongside Senate Plan

January 10, 2020

SACRAMENTO – California Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego), Senator Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica), Senator Anthony Portantino (D-La Cañada-Flintridge) and Senator Henry Stern (D-Canoga Park) issued the following statement in response to Governor Newsom’s inclusion of a climate resiliency bond in his 2020-21 proposed budget: 

Leader Atkins Commends Governor Newsom for Forward-Thinking Budget Proposal

January 10, 2020

SACRAMENTO – California Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) issued the following statement in response to Governor Newsom’s proposed budget: 

California Senate Continues Its Work to Prepare for California Wildfires

December 11, 2019

SACRAMENTO – Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) has announced that the Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee will hold an oversight hearing to discuss cellular and telecommunications service outages during wildfires on Wednesday, January 8, 2020 at 9 a.m. in Room 3191.

STATEMENT: Leader Atkins commends Governor Newsom and impacted cities and agencies in San Diego County for joining together on cross-border pollution

December 4, 2019

SACRAMENTO – California Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) issued the following statement commending Governor Gavin Newsom and impacted cities and agencies throughout San Diego County for historic partnership around cross-border pollution:

STATEMENT: Trump Administration Rule Change on SNAP for Able-Bodied Adults is Wrong

December 4, 2019

SACRAMENTO – California Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) issued the following statement regarding a Trump administration’s Rule Change for out-of-work or under-employed SNAP benefit recipients:

“Today’s announcement by the Trump Administration to cut food assistance benefits to as many as 700,000 Californians is cruel and inhumane. The proposed rule ignores the local needs of Californians and removes state flexibility currently allowed under existing law and guidance as it relates to able-bodied adults.