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En la cabecera de una larguísima mesa se sientan cuatro: el Presidente (speaker) de la Asamblea Legislativa de California y de hecho, el latino de más poder en el estado: Robert Rivas. A su lado los asambleístas Celeste Rodríguez, que como organizadora  funge como portavoz del grupo, y sus colegas Mark González y Juan Carrillo. Carrillo es el Vicepresidente del Caucus Legislativo Latino.

California's Democratic-dominated Assembly endorsed up to $50 million in funding Monday to defend the state's progressive policies against challenges by the Trump administration.

The legislation sets aside $25 million for the state Department of Justice to fight legal battles against the federal government, and another $25 million for legal groups to defend immigrants facing possible deportation.

Standing outside of the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Thursday, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas said he wants to work quickly to expand housing options for those impacted by the fires in Los Angeles.

“If we need to pass legislation quickly, we will do it,” Rivas said. “If existing laws are throwing up roadblocks to relief, then we will work to remove those roadblocks.”

Lawmakers announced they will soon introduce bills to fastrack development for accessory dwelling units so that those displaced can live on their property while they rebuild. 

More than 20 state lawmakers gathered with Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Hollister) on Thursday to telegraph their commitment to the fire-ravaged Los Angeles region and announce a sweeping legislation package to aid recovery efforts.

The Palisades and Eaton fires are “a catastrophe at an unprecedented scale in California’s history: thousands of homes and businesses gone, more than 100,000 people displaced, too many precious lives lost,” Rivas said.

Legislation in the realm of criminal justice has a history in California of swinging back and forth like a pendulum, overcorrecting itself each time. Tough-on-crime gets too tough, locking people away; reformers go too far, allowing crime to get out of hand; and the cycle repeats.

SACRAMENTO — Two approaches are gaining traction as California confronts the issue of retail theft, which was propelled to the top of the state’s political agenda this year by viral videos of smash-and-grab robberies and the proliferation of drugstores locking up basic goods.

SACRAMENTO, California — It’s the first time in more than 50 years that both of California’s legislative leaders hail from rural districts. Local politicians accustomed to being on the outskirts of Sacramento policymaking are enjoying the view from the inside.

Rural interests, particularly agriculture but also forestry and local government, see an opening to finally make their mark on nation-leading policies, especially on the environment.

Planning for the levee's 100-year flood protection project has been decades in the making with construction finally marked for a 2025 start date, but with California Assemblyman and Speaker Robert Rivas' AB 876 signed into law last October, work on the new levee is to begin this year instead.

(CBM) – Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas shared his legislative priorities and vision for the future of California during a luncheon hosted by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) in downtown Sacramento.

Titled a “Conversation with Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas” for PPIC’s 2024 Speaker Series on California’s Future, the 44-year-old Democrat lawmaker from Hollister, who represents the 29th Assembly District, is the 71st speaker of the Assembly.

Perhaps the newest news from Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas on Wednesday: He and his wife are in the process of adopting a seven-month-old baby.