Press Releases

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.

As the State Legislature seeks to expand enrollment at its public universities, some students and schools still grapple with a lack of affordable student housing. Assembly Budget Chair Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) today announced two new state-supported projects on the San Francisco State University campus, which will bring much-needed, affordable housing to students, while creating a more equitable opportunities for student success at the City’s largest university.

SAN FRANCISCO -- The state of California has allocated funds to continue both the California Peer-Run Warm Line and the CalHOPE Warm Line, providing residents in every county with all-hours non-crisis emotional support from peers by phone and chat, and adding text access by 2023.  

“Now more than ever, having a resource to support a person’s emotional health is a critical part of bolstering our overall health and well-being,” said Assembly Budget Chair Phil Ting (D-San Francisco). “These additional resources for the California Peer-Run Warm Line will ensure that those who are not in crisis, but still need support, are able to get the help they need.”  

Pedestrians will soon be able to cross the street outside of an intersection without being ticketed, as long as it’s safe to do so. Governor Newsom signed AB 2147, The Freedom To Walk Act by Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), which legalizes safe street crossings. The bill defines when an officer can stop and cite a pedestrian for jaywalking - specified as only when a reasonably careful person would realize there is an immediate danger of a collision.

“It should not be a criminal offense to safely cross the street. When expensive tickets and unnecessary confrontations with police impact only certain communities, it’s time to reconsider how we use our law enforcement resources and whether our jaywalking laws really do protect pedestrians,” said Ting. “Plus, we should be encouraging people to get out of their cars and walk for health and environmental reasons.”

Drivers will soon be seeing changes to the way late fees and penalties are assessed on unpaid tolls. The Governor today signed AB 2594, a bill by Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) seeking to reform the way outstanding toll charges are handled. The current system has disproportionately impacted workers who cannot afford the outstanding invoices that keep escalating for nonpayment.

“We shouldn’t be saddling Californians with unrelenting debt just for driving to work. By switching to electronic payments, we’ve shut out an unbanked individual’s ability to pay their tolls simply because they don’t have debit or credit cards,” said Ting. “I thank the Governor for seeing the undue hardship being put on lower income drivers. His signature on my bill brings more fairness and equity to our toll systems.”

The Golden State continues to crack down on the use of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), chemicals that put our health and the environment at risk. Governor Newsom tonight signed AB 1817 by Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), which bans the use of these harmful substances in fabrics by 2025. They’re commonly added to clothing and household items to make them water or stain resistant.  

Assembly Budget Chair Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) announced today that the state will provide an additional $6 million in state funding to help keep a Japantown project on track. Unexpected costs threaten to impact the renovation and redesign of Peace Plaza as envisioned.

“We must see this project through to completion. This isn’t just about modernizing a public space. It’s also about making amends to Japanese Americans who were forced out of Japantown not once, but twice. The state should be a partner in these efforts to make things right, and I was determined to fight for this funding,” said Ting.

Asm. Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) and the Stop AAPI Hate Coalition announced today that Gov. Newsom signed Assembly Bill 2448 into law, which requires the California Civil Rights Department (formerly the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing) to create and implement a first-of-its-kind pilot program that motivates businesses to create a safer environment for customers.

"Customers have the right to feel safe in businesses, and workers need training on ensuring that. Right now, our state’s civil rights laws do not adequately protect people who are verbally harassed and intimidated while grocery shopping or eating at a restaurant,” said Ting. “My bill allows businesses to lead the fight against hate and create more welcoming and safe spaces for all Californians.”