Press Releases

November 14, 2022

SAN DIEGO – Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego), former Senator Christine Kehoe, colleagues, and the community are mourning the passing of Deanna Spehn, a beloved policy director who served both leaders.

November 9, 2022

SACRAMENTO – Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) released the following statement regarding the apparent victory of Proposition 1, which will enshrine the right to abortion and contraceptives in the California State Constitution, and further legislative efforts to protect reproductive rights:

October 10, 2022

SAN DIEGO – Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego), fellow legislators, and reproductive rights leaders from across the state gathered in San Diego today to celebrate Pro Tem Atkins’ bill, SB 1375 being signed into law, as well as the more than a dozen additional pieces of legislation from the California Legislative Women’s Caucus. These laws will work in concert to shore up reproductive rights in California, expanding and protecting access to reproductive health for all who need it.

October 7, 2022

SACRAMENTO – Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) issued the following statement following Governor Newsom calling for a special Legislative session in December to examine gas price gouging:

September 30, 2022

Sacramento –Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) and Senator Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) announced that Senate Bill 1183, their bipartisan legislation in partnership with The Dollywood Foundation to establish the Imagination Library of California Statewide Program, has been signed by Governor Newsom. The Imagination Library of California statewide program will work with local partners in each county to mail free, age-appropriate books directly to California’s early readers every month, from birth until age five.

September 30, 2022

SACRAMENTO – Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) released the following statement following Governor Newsom’s proposal to implement a windfall profits tax, and his announcement directing the California Air Resources Board to immediately take steps necessary to allow early transition to winter-blend gasoline:

September 28, 2022

SACRAMENTO – Legislation written by Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) and Senator Bill Dodd (D-Napa) to add wine and distilled spirits bottles to California’s longtime bottle recycling program has been signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom.

September 27, 2022

SACRAMENTO – Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) released the following statement following Governor Gavin Newsom signing into law SB 1375, which would allow qualified nurse practitioners to provide first trimester abortions without the supervision of a physician:

September 19, 2022

SACRAMENTO – Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) has recently had two San Diego-focused bills signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom this month – SB 1027 and SB 1041.

September 16, 2022

SACRAMENTO — Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) today released the following statement on Governor Newsom signing legislation included in the Senate Democrat’s 2022 Climate Package: