Press Releases

May 4, 2017

The California Senate today passed SB 548, legislation by Sen. Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) that will allow local firefighters to take claims of unfair labor practices to court if the Public Employee Relations Board (PERB) is unable to rule on their grievances within 150 days or opts not to issue a decision. The vote was 30-4.

May 1, 2017

The California Senate today passed SB 230, legislation by Sen. Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) that will help prosecutors convict predators who traffic in sex slavery. The bill passed by a vote of 36-0.

SB 230 adds the crimes of sex trafficking, pimping and pandering to the list of exceptions to the rule prohibiting the introduction of character evidence during trial. The other exceptions to this rule include cases involving sexual offenses and cases of domestic violence, elder or dependent abuse and child abuse.

April 27, 2017

Ten pieces of legislation authored by Sen. Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) moved forward this week – highlighted by bills that would establish a universal, single-payer healthcare system in California; give prosecutors an additional tool to bring sex traffickers to justice; and ease the name- and gender-change process for transgender, nonbinary and intersex people.

April 24, 2017

The California Senate today passed SB 214, legislation by Sen. Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) that will strengthen the capacity of the San Diego River Conservancy to  protect and enhance historic, cultural, and natural resources within the watershed along the 52-mile San Diego River. The vote was 33 to 5. The measure now moves on to the Assembly.

SB 214 adds representation from the City of Santee and the Kumeyaay Diegueño Land Conservancy to the conservancy’s Board of Directors. It also provides the conservancy with greater ability to enter into joint-powers agreements.

April 19, 2017

The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Department of California, will name state Senator Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) and Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks) “Legislators of the Year” at its annual Legislative Day Reception tonight in Sacramento.

April 18, 2017

Senator Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) has issued the following statement in response to the announcement today by the San Diego LGBT Center Board of Directors that Dr. Delores Jacobs will not renew her contract as CEO of the Center in 2018:

“I want to acknowledge and thank Delores Jacobs for her leadership at the helm of the LGBT Center these last 16 years. I was the District 3 City Council member when the Center’s Board brought in Dr. Jacobs at a crucial time in the organization’s history.

April 6, 2017

This week, three bills authored by Sen. Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) cleared key policy committees.

March 21, 2017

Dear friends and neighbors,

I am pleased to announce that the California Senate Health Committee will be holding a special hearing this Friday, March 24, in San Diego, focusing on the impacts that the proposed American Health Care Act are likely to have on our state.

The hearing will take place from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. in the Fowler Family Ballroom, in the Parma Payne Goodall Alumni Center, at San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive.

March 15, 2017

The Senate Governance and Finance Committee today voted 5-2 to pass SB 2 – the Building Homes and Jobs Act – legislation authored by Senator Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) that will create a permanent source of funding for affordable housing.

The bill was previously endorsed by the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee and now moves on to the Senate Appropriations Committee, the last step before consideration by the full Senate.

February 28, 2017

The Senate Transportation and Housing Committee today voted 9-3 to pass SB 2 – the Building Homes and Jobs Act – legislation authored by Senator Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) that will create a permanent source of funding for affordable housing.