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California Assembly Bill Would Expunge 8 Million Criminal Convictions

Publication: CBS San Francisco Bay Area

Assemblyman Phil Ting joined San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón Thursday to announce state legislation he's introducing that would use technology to clear records for former convicts eligible under existing laws.

Assembly Bill 1076 aims to clear records for an estimated 8 million people in California arrested or convicted of misdemeanor and non-violent offenses by automating the process.

"These are people who have paid their debt to society in many cases or people who were actually arrested and they were never convicted of a crime," Gascón said.

Because of their record, those people, he said, in many cases are excluded from employment in certain fields and from applying for housing, among other restrictions.

First-In-The-Nation Legislation Introduced To Automate Arrest and Conviction Relief

First-In-The-Nation Legislation Introduced To Automate Arrest and Conviction ReliefAB 1076 is a groundbreaking, comprehensive clean slate effort that leverages technology to clear records at scale by automating existing laws

Today, District Attorney George Gascón and Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) announced the introduction of AB 1076, a revolutionary effort to efficiently automate arrest and conviction relief at the California Department of Justice.  Using technology, this policy will automate the process for those who are already entitled to record clearance relief under existing laws.  By eliminating barriers to successful reentry, AB 1076 will provide millions of Californians with renewed employment, housing and education opportunities.

“Millions of Californians are living in a paper prison,” said District Attorney George Gascón.  “A huge number of people are entitled to relief that they’ll never realize because they have to jump through hoops to get it. The system has erected bureaucratic barriers that disproportionately impact communities of color, barriers that undermine the likelihood of successful reentry by limiting access to employment and housing.  With a few key strokes California can enhance public safety and equity while reducing recidivism and taxpayer spending.  AB 1076 will not only modernize our system of justice, it’s a model for the justice system.”

“Everybody deserves a second chance.  We must open doors for those facing housing and employment barriers and use available technology to clear arrest and criminal records for individuals already eligible for relief.  There is a great cost to our economy and society when we shut out job-seeking workers looking for a better future,” said Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), author of AB 1076.

Studies show that lack of access to employment and housing are primary factors that drive individuals to reoffend.  As a result, barriers to criminal record relief reduce the likelihood of successful reentry and harm public safety.  They also perpetuate the long history of disproportionate impact of the justice system on socioeconomically disadvantaged communities, and communities of color in particular. 

Ting Proposal Allows Cannabis Businesses To Make Tax Payments with Cryptocurrency

Ting Proposal Allows Cannabis Businesses To Make Tax Payments with CryptocurrencyCalifornia could become the second state to accept virtual currency for tax payments

It’s hard to believe that paying taxes can be dangerous, but it is for California’s cannabis businesses, which cannot open bank accounts because the federal government still categorizes marijuana as an illegal substance. As a result, the $1 billion industry is run almost entirely on cash and businesses often have to hire armored trucks to deliver hundreds of thousands of dollars in tax payments to state and local governments. Under AB 953, Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) proposes to allow cryptocurrency as an accepted form of payment for cannabis-generated taxes.

“It’s very risky for cannabis businesses to transport large amounts of cash in order to pay their tax bills. Too many things can go wrong. Cryptocurrency offers a solution that’s safer and cheaper for the industry," said Ting, author of the landmark bill. "Lowering the cost to pay taxes will also help combat black market activity and encourage more businesses to get licensed.”

Ting Announces $4.5 Million in New State Grants to Bring Fresh, Healthy Foods to Underserved Neighborhoods

Ting Announces $4.5 Million in New State Grants to Bring Fresh, Healthy Foods to Underserved Neighborhoods

Access to fresh, healthy food is a problem for many Californians, particularly those who live in food deserts where no grocery stores or supermarkets are located. But help is on the way! Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) today announced the availability of $4.5 million in state grants to enable corner stores and small markets to purchase energy efficient refrigeration units. In return, beneficiaries of the Healthy Stores Refrigeration Grant Program agree to carry California-grown produce and other healthier options.

“Your address shouldn’t determine your diet,” said Ting, who helped create the program and secure grant funding as Chair of the Assembly Budget Committee. “The state is stepping in to ensure more people have access to healthy and nutritious foods no matter where they live.”

Without grocery stores close by, residents of underserved communities have no choice but to shop at corner markets, which do not always have the resources to stock fresh food. This void contributes to diet-related diseases and, ultimately, poor health. The Healthy Stores Refrigeration Grant Program enables existing markets to offer residents better choices.

California Gun Confiscations Increase Sharply Under Restraining-Order Law

Publication: San Francisco Chronicle

California police sharply increased gun confiscations last year from people considered to be a danger to themselves or others, state Justice Department figures show.

Law enforcement agencies seized the weapons from people who were subject to gun violence restraining orders, under a law that had been lightly used in its first two years on the books.

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Assemblyman Phil Ting, D-San Francisco, said he is disappointed that his home city has not used the gun violence orders more. The first and only one issued in San Francisco came last year; Santa Clara County obtained 31 in 2018.

Ting has reintroduced legislation this session to give co-workers and school officials the ability to seek the court orders. Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed two similar bills, but Ting sees a new opportunity given Gov. Gavin Newsom’s expressed interest in expanding gun control.

California Lawmakers Make Renewed Push for Gun Control Under Gavin Newsom

Publication: San Francisco Chronicle

California has some of the strictest gun laws in the country, but even as they passed measures in the aftermath of mass shootings, legislators occasionally found themselves frustrated by former Gov. Jerry Brown and his veto pen.

Now they sense fresh opportunity under Gov. Gavin Newsom, a supporter of tightening gun laws who sponsored a successful ballot initiative in 2016 to institute background checks for ammunition sales.

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Assemblyman Phil Ting, D-San Francisco, has also brought back his 2018 bill to allow more people to seek a gun violence restraining order against someone they believe poses a danger to themselves or others. Brown vetoed the measure, which would have permitted co-workers and school personnel to petition a court to temporarily remove firearms from a person. Current law allows only family members, roommates and law enforcement to seek such orders.

Expanded California Earned Income Tax Credit Means More Californians Qualify for a Refund

Claim your money through CalEITC(Sacramento, CA) - The tax season is underway! As many as one million more Californians may be eligible for a state refund under the California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC), which was expanded again for the 2018 tax year. Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), Chair of the Assembly Budget Committee, championed the effort during negotiations in 2018. Research has shown that EITCs are an effective anti-poverty tool. CalEITC put nearly $350 million directly in the hands of 1.4 million people last year, tripling the number of households that claimed the credit when compared to the prior year.

“California’s strong economy enables us to give a modest income boost to the families that need it the most,” said Ting. “The majority of Californians eligible for the state Earned Income Tax Credit are single-income households headed by women with children, and a refund can be life-changing for them. Adding self-employed workers for the first time in the 2017 tax year, particularly those in the gig economy, was especially impactful.”

Workers must file an income tax return in order to get the refund, even if they don’t owe anything. Every year, California leaves $2 billion of unclaimed state and federal EITC money on the table.  Help us spread the word! Numerous non-profits can connect workers with free tax preparation services. This year, taxes are due by Monday, April 15th.

SENATOR MITCHELL, ASSEMBLYMEMBER TING, JLBC MEMBERS ANNOUNCE NEW LEGISLATIVE ANALYST: GABRIEL PETEK

Gabriel Petek Named New Legislative AnalystSenator Holly Mitchell, Chair, Assemblymember Phil Ting, Vice-Chair, and the members of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee (JLBC) today announced that Gabriel Petek has been selected to be the next Legislative Analyst for the California Legislature.

Petek, who currently serves as a Managing Director and the San Francisco Office Head, as well as the Primary Credit Analyst for California, for S & P Global Ratings, will assume the job February 4, 2018. He succeeds Legislative Analyst Mac Taylor, who assumed the post in 2008 and retired at the end of 2018. Petek will be only the sixth person to lead the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) since the office was established in 1941.

The selection of Petek concludes a bipartisan, bicameral, nationwide search conducted by a Subcommittee on the Selection of the Legislative Analyst, which came to a close with official action by the full Joint Legislative Budget Committee. The JLBC’s selection of Petek on January 16 was approved on a unanimous 14-0 vote.

“One of my key priorities throughout this bipartisan process was to identify a new Legislative Analyst who will help the legislature achieve its policy and oversight goals by providing thoughtful analysis and support. Gabriel Petek brings strong credentials and experience to the job. I look forward to engaging him in the budget process, so we can make the smartest fiscal decisions for California,” said Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco).