San Francisco, CA – Over 100 people joined Assemblymember Philip Y. Ting (D-San Francisco) last Saturday at the San Francisco County Fair Building for his third community meeting to help San Franciscans learn about the Obamacare healthcare open enrollment period.  The event provided translation services to ensure that limited English speakers could participate.

“Obamacare is revolutionizing healthcare and we must be ready for the changes ahead,” said Ting. “I’m committed to giving people the facts so they can get the best coverage possible.  My passion is to ensure that language barriers do not marginalize members of our diverse community.” Ting’s town hall educated attendees about their health care options and enabled them to pre-enroll with Covered California – the state’s new marketplace for private healthcare coverage created by the state legislature to implement President Obama’s Affordable Care Act.  The event featured a panel discussion with representatives from Chinese Community Health Plan, Healthy San Francisco, and AARP.  The panelists discussed a health care enrollment services available to Chinese speakers, how Obamacare affects those currently receiving health care through San Francisco’s Department of Health but must obtain health insurance during Obamacare’s open enrollment period, and Medicare changes.

“Many people took their first step in obtaining affordable, quality health care,” added Ting.  “We must seize the moment and help each other because this is a life-changing opportunity.  We all know someone with no insurance or inadequate care.  That is why I am organizing more of these community gatherings in the future.”

(San Francisco, CA) – Assemblymember Philip Y. Ting (D-San Francisco) hailed San Francisco’s Trade and Friendship Mission to China last week as “a huge success.”

“Our countries have much to learn from each other,” said Ting.  “As the world’s largest economies, the future of our relationship will change the world.”

As a member of the Trade and Friendship Mission, Ting met with a range of Chinese business leaders and dignitaries representing infrastructure development, telecommunications, green technology, and film.  In Mayor Edwin Lee’s absence, in Beijing, Ting was asked to lead the delegation and represent the delegation through many speeches in English and Mandarin.

SACRAMENTO –  Governor Jerry Brown signed legislation authored by Assemblymembers Philip Y. Ting (D-San Francisco) and Jimmy Gomez (D-Northeast Los Angeles) that will hold gun owners criminally responsible for not storing their weapons outside of the reach of children.

“This will save the lives of innocent children across California,” said Ting.  “When unsupervised children get their hands on guns, their curiosity can lead to disaster.  Gun owners must be held to account for failing to properly store deadly weapons.  Now, a disaster need not occur for an irresponsible gun owner to be prosecuted.”

SACRAMENTO, CA –  Governor Jerry Brown signed legislation authored by Assemblymember Philip Y. Ting (D-San Francisco) to provide tax fairness for same sex couples after the United States Supreme Court overturned the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and Proposition 8.

“Same sex couples in California can finally choose marriage but our tax policy penalizes them for being unable to marry until now,” said Ting. “This new law is the first of its kind to ensure that all couples are taxed equally by the state, regardless of who they love.  It also provides same sex couples a window of time to transition to marriage, which shows California’s commitment to fairness for its lesbian, gay and bisexual residents in spite of continued federal discrimination.”

Sacramento – Legislation by Assemblymember Philip Y. Ting (D-San Francisco) that will help transform 13 acres of polluted and nearly unusable San Francisco waterfront at Piers 30-32 into a world class public attraction – if local and state regulatory approval is granted to the project – was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown today.

The bill, AB 1273, authorizes the State Lands Commission to approve a proposal that would privately finance restoration and revitalization of the property by the Golden State Warriors, and includes construction of a new arena for the franchise.  The measure further specifies that any such project must provide significant public access and public amenities.

Sacramento – A bill by Assemblymember Philip Y. Ting (D-San Francisco) to give property tax breaks to owners of vacant or blighted property who allow urban farming on their land earned final approval in the legislature today, and now heads to the Governor’s desk for signature.

The bill, AB 551, allows localities in urban areas with a population of 250,000 or more to offer reduced assessed values to property owners who transform their properties into urban farms. It passed concurrence in the state Assembly today with strong bipartisan support.

Sacramento – Legislation by Assemblymember Philip Y. Ting (D-San Francisco) that will help transform 13 acres of polluted and nearly unusable San Francisco waterfront at Piers 30-32 into a world class public attraction – if local and state regulatory approval is granted to the project – won final approval in the legislature today and now heads to the Governor’s desk.

The bill, AB 1273, authorizes the State Lands Commission to approve a proposal that would privately finance restoration and revitalization of the property by the Golden State Warriors that would include construction of a new arena for the franchise.  The measure further specifies that any such project must provide significant public access and public amenities.