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Ting Bill Authorizing San Francisco Pilot Program To Raise Pay for Jury Duty Heads to the Governor

Ting Bill Authorizing San Francisco Pilot Program To Raise Pay for Jury Duty Heads to the Governor

Sacramento – San Francisco is one step closer to implementing a pilot program that aims to see if higher pay leads to more racial and socio-economic diversity in juries. With bipartisan support, the California Legislature today approved AB 1452 by Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), removing a barrier to serve by increasing the daily rate from $15 to $100 for low- to moderate-income jurors.

“Frankly, the current fifteen dollars a day is insulting. It barely covers parking or transportation to the courthouse and lunch,” said Ting. “We lose potential jurors because they can’t afford to miss a paycheck. In order for justice to be administered fairly, juries must be reflective of the communities they serve.”

Aug 31: Virtual Town Hall on Homelessness

Aug 31: Virtual Town Hall on Homelessness

Please join Assemblymember Phil Ting on Thursday, August 31st at 5:00 PM for a Virtual Webinar on his Facebook page or via Zoom for What is Working Now and What Can be Done to Prevent Homelessness.

Panelists:

  • Shireen McSpadden, Executive Director of the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing for the City and County of San Francisco.
  • Margot Kushel, Director of the UCSF Center for Vulnerable Populations and Director of the UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative.
  • Hillary Kunins, Director of Behavioral Health Services and Mental Health SF

Zoom Info
Passcode: 962472
US: +1 669 900 6833
Webinar ID: 946 6295 7633
Passcode: 962472

Ting Secures Funding To Renovate/Repair Buchanan Mall in San Francisco’s Japantown

Ting Secures Funding To Renovate/Repair Buchanan Mall in San Francisco’s Japantown

 

After decades of neglect, San Francisco Japantown’s Buchanan Mall is finally getting a much needed makeover after Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) secured $5 million from the state budget. This open public space, which also serves as a vital commercial corridor, has not seen any upgrades since 1976, despite its historical significance.

“Japantown, like many API communities, has not received the types of investments needed to thrive and provide valued historical lessons that teach us about the mistakes of the past and foster greater understanding. Amid rising Asian hate, this kind of attention and critical support is long overdue,” said Ting, Chair of the Assembly Budget Committee. 

Most Federal Unemployment Benefits Are Expiring Sept 4, 2021

September 4, 2021 is the expiration date for most federal unemployment benefits, including: Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), the $300 Federal Additional Compensation (PAC) supplement, and Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation (MEUC). September 11, 2021, is the end of the Federal-State Extended Duration (FED-ED) extension. Claimants are receiving notices about these changes, with links to the other vital benefit programs that continue.

Frustrated by EDD? Here's Where You Can Go For Help

Publication: KTVU/Fox 2

Raymond Drescher, 45, was laid off as a security guard during the pandemic and had been receiving monthly checks for several months until California's Employment Development Department told him that he was a perpetrator of fraud and they cut him off.

The accusation of theft is bogus, Drescher says. 

... No one is tallying exactly how many people have called their legislative offices, which includes both the Assembly and Senate.

Could Reparations Make For Fairer Juries?

Publication: San Francisco Chronicle

I’ve heard several stories from San Francisco Public Defender Manohar Raju about his courtroom experiences over the years. One that’s stuck is about a man who was excused from jury service because he lived in Bayview, the same neighborhood as the Black defendant.

Raju said the dismissal prompted a different prospective juror to criticize the process.

San Diego Sets Itself Apart As the State's Leader in Using Red Flag Gun Laws

Publication: CBS 8 San Diego

While state leaders are pushing for more widespread use of California's red flag laws, San Diego has set itself apart as the leader in pursuing gun-violence restraining orders: a pro-active law enforcement tool credited with saving lives. 

Last year during the height of the pandemic, handgun sales in California shot up by a record 65% compared to the year before.