The Legislature returns to the Capitol on January 3^rd to start a new session. In addition to the normal business, the Senate is scheduled to hold a vote to elect a new leader, the president pro tem.

In December, current President pro Tem Kevin de León, who will be termed out of his Senate seat in 2018 and is currently running for U.S. Senate, announced that the Senate's Democratic caucus had reached a consensus on choosing me to succeed him as leader.

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Each January 1st, a new batch of laws takes effect. Here is a rundown of some of what will happen on the first day of 2018:

Proposition 64: Approved by voters in 2016, Prop. 64 makes it legal starting January 1st for adults in California who are 21 or older to purchase and use marijuana recreationally - limited to use in a person's private residence or a licensed facility. It establishes regulations and restrictions for vendors and initiates a 15-percent sales tax levied on all recreational transactions within the state. A separate measure, SB 65, amends an existing law that prohibits alcohol consumption in vehicles to include a prohibition on marijuana use.

SB 3 (2016): On January 1st, the California state minimum wage will increase to $10.50 for companies with 25 or fewer employees and $11 for companies with 26 or more employees.

SB 17: Requires that prescription-drug manufacturers must alert the state of California and various other prescription-drug purchasers if the wholesale price of a drug costing more than $40 increases by more than 16 percent over a two-year period.

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You might be aware that California has a mutual-aid system, under which local agencies from around the state send personnel and resources to areas where natural or manmade disasters are a major threat to public safety.

But did you know that our country has a similar system on the national level?

Under the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, ratified by Congress in 1996, states send people and equipment to other states when disaster strikes.

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There's still time to sign up to volunteer during "We All Count," the San Diego County Regional Task Force on the Homeless' annual survey of people living on the streets, in their cars, or in shelters.

The count will take place on January 26^th, and if you are interested in dedicating your early-morning hours (4 to 7 a.m.) for this important event, you have until January 15^th to sign up.

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Just a friendly reminder that the open-enrollment period for the Accordable Care Act (ACA) ends on January 31^st.

My support for the ACA is unwavering. Although its implementation can be improved in some parts of the country, it has been enormously successful in California. Under the ACA, we have provided access to care for 5 million additional people in our state, including roughly 350,000 residents of San Diego County.

Healthcare reform continues to be a topic of debate in Washington, D.C., and here in California. I will continue to both speak out in defense of the ACA and work to expand access for universal care.

Visit Covered California to find out what healthcare programs under the ACA you qualify for and apply.

My district staff is always available to help constituents navigate a complex web of state agencies. If you're having trouble working out an issue with any state agency, please call my office at 619-645-3133, and my staff will do everything in their power to help.

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