After today’s concurrence vote by the California State Assembly, drivers may soon see changes to the way late fees and penalties are assessed on unpaid tolls. AB 2594 by Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) is now headed to the Governor, who will consider whether to bring more fairness and equity into the way outstanding toll charges are handled.

“While I applaud the use of technology for toll payments, we’ve disproportionately impacted drivers who don’t have debit or credit cards. The fines and penalties imposed on unpaid tolls can total more than a ticket for traffic violations,” said Ting. “We shouldn’t saddle Californians with unrelenting debt just for going to work.”

California may soon be legalizing safe street crossings after final legislative approval was given today to AB 2147, The Freedom To Walk Act by Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco). The bill now heads to the Governor, who has until September 30th to act.

In Ting’s continued efforts to seek fairness in fines and prevent potentially escalating police stops for jaywalking, his legislation ends law enforcement’s ability to cite pedestrians for jaywalking when roadways are clear. Jaywalking is arbitrarily enforced throughout California, with tickets disproportionately given to people of color and lower-income individuals who cannot afford tickets that often total hundreds of dollars.

Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) issued the following statement regarding today’s California Air Resources Board action on zero-emission vehicles: “I have always believed California should lead the clean car movement. That was the idea behind my 2018 bill, AB 1745, which banned the sale of new, gas-powered vehicles in our state by 2040. While the legislation stalled, it sparked conversations about how we can move in that direction. Since then, our climate crisis has worsened with transportation remaining a top contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Today’s vote by the California Air Resources Board is a necessary step to accelerate our efforts to save the environment and protect our health. It will also create good-paying clean energy jobs and reinforce our state's role as a global climate leader.

According to nonprofit, Self Help For the Elderly, the fastest growing demographic is seniors, and by 2030, nearly one-third of the city’s residents will be at least 60 years old with nearly half identifying as Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI). In order to meet the growing needs of AAPI seniors living in San Francisco’s Sunset District, Assembly Budget Chair Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) announced $3.5 million from the California budget to enhance and improve services at two facilities serving this population.

“I want our elders to age with dignity and enjoy their independence. That means we must invest in community spaces where they can live out their golden years in safe, nurturing environments among people they know and in neighborhoods they’re familiar with. Not only does the state funding I secured provide options for a healthy lifestyle, but it also enables them to thrive,” said Ting, whose district includes the Sunset.