(SACRAMENTO, CA) – Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), Chair of the Assembly Budget Committee, released the following statement about the State Legislature’s passage of the 2019-2020 budget for California.  An Assembly Budget Committee overview of the spending plan is available here.  Ting’s statement is as follows:

“California’s long-held values and priorities are prominently reflected in the new state budget. Strong revenues allow us to make investments that ensure our state’s unparalleled prosperity touches all Californians. That includes strengthening social infrastructure to lift families from homelessness and poverty, opening the door to more educational opportunities from pre-school to college, and closing the gap on universal health care. We accomplish all this while still having healthy reserves to protect these programs through the next economic downturn. This is how we demonstrate leadership in California.”

The California State Assembly paved the way for more housing units in the state by approving three proposals by Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) before a key legislative deadline. Two bills (AB 68 & AB 69) encourage greater adoption of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), commonly known as “in-law units” or “granny flats,” while the third, AB 1486, gives priority to more affordable housing projects when surplus public land becomes available. 

“In a housing crunch like ours, all reasonable solutions should be on the table. I’m a big supporter of ADUs because they are one of the fastest ways to expand our affordable housing supply, but we need to do more to spur widespread adoption,” said Ting. “Regarding surplus land, I can’t think of a better use for property the government no longer needs than to build affordable housing on it.”

Ting’s ADU bills aim to make it even easier and faster for homeowners to build livable space on their properties by:

• Speeding up the approval process to 60 days
• Prohibiting restrictive local requirements pertaining to lot size and parking
• Allowing more types of units, such as units in multi-family dwellings, to be approved with less bureaucratic review
• Creating a Small Home Building Standards Code to make construction more cost-effective and safe

Sacramento, CA – The California State Assembly opened the doors to employment, housing and educational opportunities for millions of Californians today by approving AB 1076, a clean slate effort by Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco). The proposal uses technology to automate arrest and conviction relief for those already entitled to record clearance under existing law. The current system is too burdensome and expensive for most people to navigate, resulting in barriers to re-entering society.

“There’s a great cost to our economy and society when we shut out job-seeking workers looking for a better future,” said Ting. “Everybody deserves a second chance. We must use available technology to help people who have already paid their debt to society get back on their feet.”

Studies show that lack of access to jobs and housing are primary factors that drive individuals to reoffend. The obstacles to successful re-entry also disproportionately impact communities of color and those who are socio-economically disadvantaged. By requiring no additional action by petitioners, AB 1076 can make the system more fair and equitable, while also improving public safety through reduced recidivism.

Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), Chair of the Assembly Budget Committee, released the following statement about the 2019-20 Assembly Budget Plan, which was adopted today by the full committee. Ting’s statement is as follows:

"The Assembly Budget Plan continues investing in priorities that strive to make life better for all Californians. With this spending proposal, we renew focus on ending Great Recession Era cuts and put the state on a path that lifts up more Californians by increasing educational opportunities, expanding access to healthcare and strengthening social infrastructure – all while building robust reserves to sustain these investments in the event of an economic downturn. In times of unparalleled prosperity, there’s no reason we can’t help our most vulnerable residents. I applaud Governor Newsom for starting this process with a responsible, progressive vision for California, and I look forward to working with him and the Senate to deliver a balanced, on-time budget.”

A statement from Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) is as follows:

“I’m grateful for the hard work that’s gone into putting forth an Assembly budget package that focuses on the things that will keep California moving forward. Under this budget, we take care of needs, continue strengthening the foundation of early childhood education, and bring $1.5 billion in new, needed cost relief to our school districts, all while adding to our savings for the future. It’s a road map that broadly combines the vision of Governor Gavin Newsom and the ideals valued by the Assembly.”

AB 161 allows for two warnings before a $25 per day, $300 per year fine can be imposed on businesses that don’t comply. Ting’s proposal now heads to the Senate for consideration. All bills must reach the Governor’s desk by September 13.