Happy 2023! I hope you all had a safe and fun holiday season. The Assembly has returned to Sacramento for Session. I am excited to get back to the Capitol to work on the issues most important to SELA and California. Yet, I'm also excited to be back in the Capitol to get to work alongside you on the issues most important to SELA and California.

Every January 18th, we celebrate the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. who was an activist and minister who was a leader during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. In 1957, King founded and led the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, a group that would harness the power of Black-led churches to organize non-violent protests in the interest of civil rights reform. From bus boycotts, to sit-ins, to peaceful marches, King forged a peaceful path towards progress. Often, however, many of King’s peaceful protests were met with violent retaliation by local police forces and community members. King was arrested 29 times protesting racist laws and segregation practices. King persisted, continuing his role as an outspoken activist against the Vietnam War and racist institutions throughout the American South and the rest of the nation. In 1963, King delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC after the March on Washington in which over 100,000 citizens took the street to peacefully demonstrate for civil rights reform.

King's legacy lives on still in our fight for equality in America. This year on Martin Luther King Jr. Day let us remember the foundation he laid down in the name of justice, and let us keep on this path towards progress until his dream is realized.

Here are some ways to celebrate MLK Day this year:

1. Support Black Businesses
2. Volunteer with organizations that directly provide services and give back to the Black community directly.
3. Learn about MLK's history and the racial justice movement.
4. Have meaningful conversations about racial justice and equality.
5. Donate to organizations working for racial justice.

When the clock struck midnight on January 1st some new laws took effect here in California.

Here are five important new California laws.

• Abortion: Several new laws have expanded abortion access in our state, including a ban on prosecuting miscarriage, stillbirth, or failed/terminated pregnancies. Nurse practitioners, nurses, and midwives can provide abortions without fearing for their medical licenses. A new grant program will help healthcare providers provide abortions to uninsured, low-income patients. And, all California private patient records, including abortions, are protected from out-of-state subpoenas and inquiries.
• Minimum wage increase: The California minimum wage will rise from $14/hour to $15.50/hour. This is in response to high inflation levels that have increased prices across the state. The federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour has been in effect since 2009.
• Decriminalized jaywalking: The "Freedom to Walk" Act prevents police from issuing jaywalking citations if pedestrians cross the street when it is safe. Now, police can only intervene in dangerous situations.
• Gender-Affirming Refuge: As some states move to criminalize gender-affirming care, a new law legally protects trans minors and their families who come to California. This includes protection from out-of-state subpoenas demanding private healthcare information, family separation, and arrest because of gender-affirming care.
• Walkable Communities: New housing and commercial construction in areas connected to public transit will no longer be required to construct a minimum number of parking spaces. Even though each parking space costs tens of thousands of dollars to build, some parking lots stay empty. Builders can now decide how much parking to construct, based on local demand.