Press Releases

SACRAMENTO – The Board of Equalization (BOE) would be dissolved under a constitutional amendment introduced by Assemblymembers Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks), and Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Irvine). ACA 11 would remove the BOE from the state constitution and provide the Legislature the authority to move their remaining duties to the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) and the Office of Tax Appeals (OTA).

“When the BOE was first established in 1879 one of its primary responsibilities was to assess inter-county railroad property, a role that is now obsolete. Today, with the board’s limited duties, California can no longer justify the BOE’s expense or need as it does not provide a significant enough benefit to taxpayers,” said Ting. “ACA 11 ensures that California removes an unneeded elected body while ensuring that taxpayers can still resolve their tax cases with CDTFA and OTA.”

Sacramento – Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) today announced a new bill, AB 642, the Facial Recognition Privacy Act, which sets comprehensive, statewide parameters around law enforcement use of facial recognition technology (FRT). The legislation aims to protect people’s privacy and due process rights, while also helping to keep communities safe with a valuable public safety tool.

“Facial recognition technology accuracy has markedly improved in recent years and can help law enforcement solve cases. With proper regulations, we can strike a balance between using this technology and concerns about protecting people’s privacy,” said Ting. “Independent, substantial evidence - beyond an FRT match - will still be necessary for an arrest and conviction.”

Sacramento, CA – Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) today re-introduced AB 1347, bringing back Skip the Slip legislation that encourages greater adoption of electronic receipts in California. Paper receipts have become obsolete in the digital age. Consequently, there’s no need to use up valuable natural resources and risk the health of consumers and retail workers who are exposed to the toxic chemicals that coat paper receipts.

“When we get coffee to-go or a pack of gum, most of us don’t want or need a physical receipt. It’s time we provide customers with the option to get no receipt or a digital receipt. It doesn’t make sense to kill so many trees and produce billions pounds of carbon emissions,” said Ting. “AB 1347 gives customers a choice and still provides for customers to request a paper receipt when they need it.”

Today, Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) announced on the steps of the Hall of Justice in San Francisco that he has introduced a new state bill—Be The Jury CA (AB 881)—that would raise juror pay to $100 a day for low-to-moderate-income jurors in criminal cases across California. Ting, along with San Francisco Public Defender Mano Raju, San Francisco Treasurer José Cisneros, San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins and Alameda County Public Defender Brendon Woods, spoke about how the bill will ensure that all Californians have access to a jury of their peers, as promised by the U.S. Constitution. Due to the steep financial hardship facing potential jurors, stakeholders agree that juries have become increasingly less diverse.

California’s Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities are trying to process and heal from the tragedies of Half Moon Bay and Monterey Park. On top of that, they are still dealing with the hate incidents against AAPIs over the last three years brought on by COVID. All of these incidents have highlighted the lack of resources available to AAPIs and the need for greater state investment.

In an effort to address the continuing crisis in AAPI communities, Assembly Budget Chair Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) today announced $6.5 million from the state budget for Richmond Area Multi-Services Inc. (RAMS). The funding allows the nonprofit to pursue a permanent space that will centralize their outpatient clinic and wellness centers into one location. Among the culturally competent programs they offer, RAMS specializes in mental health services.

With the Year of the Rabbit underway, California’s community colleges may soon have the option to make Lunar New Year (LNY) as a state holiday, under a bill announced today by Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco). AB 264 gives community college districts the flexibility to observe LNY without increasing the number of days schools are closed. For example, they can combine Lincoln’s and Washington’s birthdays as one holiday and add LNY as another.

“With hate incidents against the Asian American Pacific Islander community still happening, a Lunar Year holiday for college students would be beneficial. It gives them a time to reflect on the special significance of this celebration and to encourage acceptance. We’re better as a society when we create opportunities for communities to learn about each other,” said Ting.

Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), Chair of the Assembly Budget Committee, released the statement below regarding Governor Gavin Newsom’s 2023-24 budget proposal:

California pedestrians and drivers will see big changes in the way some traffic violations are handled under a pair of bills by Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) that are set to become law in 2023. The most significant is how jaywalking will be enforced. AB 2147/The Freedom To Walk Act allows people to safely cross the street outside an intersection when the roadway is clear of moving vehicles. Law enforcement will still be able issue a citation, if the pedestrian causes a hazard.

San Francisco – Over the past ten years, the Assembly has prioritized planning for inevitable revenue shortfalls while ensuring that meaningful progress has been made to serve Californians. In today’s unveiling of his 2023-24 Budget Blueprint, Serving California: Making Government Work, Assembly Budget Chair Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) emphasized protecting the progress made over the last ten years.

“We have spent a decade preparing for revenue shortfalls, and with the robust General Fund reserves and Rainy Day Fund, California is prepared to weather future economic downturns while still prioritizing the gains that we have made in K-12 and early childhood education, our higher education institutions, homelessness support, and health care,” said Ting. “Thanks to this planning and the voters for supporting Proposition 2, there are many solutions available to us to ensure that access to vital services and programs won’t be cut.”

Sacramento – Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) yesterday introduced ABX1 1, which intends to address the record-high gasoline price spikes from earlier this year and aims to ensure that preventable price increases don’t occur again due to supply issues.

“Many Californians faced increased prices at the pump, coupled with growing inflation,” said Ting. “It is unacceptable that at one point drivers were paying at least $2.50 per gallon more than the national average. We need to do what we can to ensure that gasoline prices don’t increase due to preventable supply issues.”

ABX1 1 would ensure that more than one oil refinery cannot be undergoing scheduled maintenance at a time. According to the American Automobile Association, at least six of California’s 14 oil refineries were not operating or only partially operating for maintenance in October when the high price spike occurred, greatly reducing the supply of refined gasoline.