Legislative Update 2018

This year I sent 7 bills to the Governor and I am happy to report he signed 6 of those bills. The first, AB 1775 (Off-Shore Drilling) protects California’s coast and economy from Trump’s plan to expand offshore oil drilling and production in California waters.  Second, surfing is now the official state sport of California thanks to AB 1782 (Surfing).  To help continue our state’s climate change goals, AB 1796 (Electronic Vehicle Parking) expands electric vehicle charging stations to promote the use of electric vehicles.  With the signature of AB 2791 (Animal Adoption) thousands of kittens and puppies will be saved by making them available to nonprofit animal rescue or adoption organizations.  Additionally, more children will be protected from exposure to highly toxic pesticides thanks to AB 2816 (Healthy Schools Act) and lastly, to continue my goals of refinery safety for the South Bay, AB 3138 (Hazardous Materials) enforces stricter penalties on facilities that handle toxic or flammable chemicals that pose serious risks to the public and environment.  

The Muratsuchi Monthly

Fun in the Sun!

With AB 1782 passing the Legislature, we are about to have surfing as the official sport of the State of California! To celebrate this, I co-hosted a Family Surf Day at El Porto in Manhattan Beach with Sustainable Surf. We were joined by some fantastic eco-friendly companies and non-profit organizations, such as Surfrider Foundation, Spyder Surf, 7till8 Wetsuits, Suja Juice, Harmless Harvest and Raw Elements. Legendary South Bay shaper Mark Brog and his apprentice Matt Wilson offered free surfing lessons. Finally, Morgan Sliff, a professional surfer from Hermosa Beach who surfed for a record 1000 days straight, was surprised with the first ever Featured Athlete of Assembly District 66 Award.

The Muratsuchi Monthly

Memorial Day Events

On Memorial Day, families across the South Bay enjoyed picnics, spent time with friends and family at one of South Bay's beautiful beaches and parks or spent a day at home enjoying a nice barbecue. But, Memorial Day is more than just that - it is about spending time honoring our fallen soldiers who have given their lives in service to this country. In honor of our proud soldiers in the South Bay, I was honored to participate in events across the South Bay, including a parade in Torrance as well as Memorial Day services in Palos Verdes, Redondo Beach and Torrance.  Here are some highlights:

59^th Annual Armed Forces Day Parade

The City of Torrance hosted the largest and longest running Armed Forces Day Parade in the nation for the 59^th time! I was proud to participate in this parade to honor the amazing veterans and service members that have dedicated their lives to this great country. This year we featured and honored the Montford Point Marines who broke barriers and became the first African-American unit in the U.S. military.

The Muratsuchi Monthly

This month marked the poignant one month anniversary since the tragic shooting of 17 students and teachers at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.  Like many Americans, I was heartbroken for the students, teachers, and parents who experienced these horrific events, and was honored to participate both in the South Bay “March for Our Lives” and the California State Assembly “Student Walkout” in Sacramento.  Both events were part of nationwide events organized to call for an end to gun violence and for common sense gun reform.   

The legislative “Student Walkout” included many members of the California State Assembly, Legislative staff, and Sacramento-area students.  The South Bay “March for Our Lives” was put on by South Bay moms as part of the South Bay Coalition for a Safer Tomorrow.  Over 5,000 of our neighbors and friends attended the march from Manhattan Beach to Hermosa. Together, we called for a nationwide ban on assault weapons and more comprehensive background checks, but words are not enough.  In California, we have introduced legislation to allow school officials to petition a court to remove firearms from an individual when they believe that the person is an “immediate and present danger” to themselves or others.  Together we must work towards a safer school environment so kids can just be kids.