Dear Friends and Neighbors,

As we wrap up 2025, I want to take a moment to wish you and your families a joyful and safe holiday season. This year has been full of meaningful work for our Central Coast, from securing protections for the lands around the Diablo Canyon Power Plant and advancing affordable housing, to advocating for clean energy and standing strong against proposals for offshore oil drilling along our beautiful coast. These efforts reflect the values we share as vibrant Central Coast communities.

I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to make a difference where I can, whether through investments in our local libraries and food banks, expanding housing for students, or supporting the creation of a new medical school to serve our region.

As California continues its transition to clean energy, I’ve worked to ensure that our state’s energy storage systems are safe, reliable, and environmentally responsible -- helping prevent outages, supporting renewable power, and keeping our communities secure into the future.

On these and so many other issues, it has been your voices and engagement that made progress possible. You wrote, you called, you showed up, and together, we moved the work forward.

There is still much more to do, and with your continued involvement, I look forward to building on our progress in the year ahead.

Warm Regards,

JOHN LAIRD
Senator, 17th District

Looking ahead to 2026, I want to share a brief update from the Capitol and what the upcoming legislative session means for our Central Coast communities.

The Legislature reconvenes on January 5, and the year ahead will bring both new opportunities and important responsibilities. The State Senate has welcomed new leadership, with Senator Monique Limón selected as the next President pro Tempore -- making history as the first Latina and second woman to serve in this role.

This transition reflects a continued focus on priorities that matter deeply to our communities, including climate action, housing affordability, and a reliable, clean energy future. It’s also an opportunity to strengthen collaboration and bring fresh perspectives to the work ahead while maintaining steady commitment to California’s long-term goals.

As your representative, I will continue working to ensure that our region’s priorities -- from land conservation and coastal protection to affordable housing and energy reliability -- remain front and center in the legislative process. I look forward to working closely with Senator Limón and my colleagues to advance practical solutions that support families, protect our environment, and strengthen our local economy.

At the same time, developments in Washington, D.C. are already shaping the policy and funding landscape for California. Federal decisions related to health care, food security, housing, climate, energy, and infrastructure have real impacts on our communities, influencing everything from local projects to long-term planning.

I remain committed to ensuring California secures the resources, flexibility, and protections we need to meet these challenges. That means advocating for continued clean energy investments, supporting affordable housing programs, and defending our coastlines and natural lands. I will keep working closely with state and federal partners to make sure Central Coast priorities are represented and that federal opportunities translate into tangible benefits at home.

 

Of course, the work at the Capitol is only part of the story. Here at home, my team and I have continued to focus on the needs of communities throughout the Central Coast.

I am pleased to share that the Coastal Commission acted to protect the lands surrounding the Diablo Canyon Power Plant -- a decision that came with a significant expansion of permanent land conservation and public access protections for the surrounding properties. Thanks to years of advocacy and coalition-building with local leaders, environmental groups, and community members, thousands of acres that were once off-limits will now be conserved for wildlife habitat and public recreation, with new trails and open space for all to enjoy.

At the same time, recent federal proposals to expand offshore oil drilling and seabed mining pose real threats to our marine sanctuaries, coastal economies, and environment. These plans -- if allowed to move forward without strong safeguards -- would endanger fisheries, tourism, and our cherished shoreline. We have been fighting this since I was a coastal mayor and city councilmember in the 1980s, and I have joined local elected officials, tribal representatives, and community advocates to oppose these initiatives and revive a statewide coastal coalition dedicated to protecting California’s coast. We will continue this fight together to keep our ocean and coastline safe, clean, and accessible for generations to come.

In addition to coastal and environmental protections, this past year brought meaningful investments right here at home that will strengthen the quality of life across the Central Coast. We secured key funding in the State Budget for local priorities, including millions of dollars to support healthcare access and improved library services, such as re-appropriated funding for the Santa Cruz Public Library system and support for the PRIME Central Coast medical training program, a major step toward expanding medical education and care in our region.

Across the region, transportation planning and climate resilience funding is moving forward as well, with state planning grants helping local agencies prepare for more sustainable mobility options, including safer bicycle and pedestrian facilities and stronger disaster-preparedness planning. And I join with Big Sur and San Luis Obispo County residents in being excited that Highway 1 along the Big Sur Coast should open in the next few weeks -- the three-year outage has been a such a difficult situation for those who depend on this stretch of highway.

These investments reflect the Central Coast’s wide-ranging needs -- from education and healthcare to housing and safer streets. We will continue advocating for smart, community-focused resources that help our communities thrive.

No, your eyes aren’t deceiving you -- that really is an Assembly certificate from 2006! Nearly 20 years later, I finally had the chance to present it in person to Chief Ranger Mike McMenamy, recognizing him as Peace Officer of the Year. It was well-deserved then, and it’s just as well-deserved today.

No, your eyes aren’t deceiving you -- that really is an Assembly certificate from 2006! Nearly 20 years later, I finally had the chance to present it in person to Chief Ranger Mike McMenamy, recognizing him as Peace Officer of the Year. It was well-deserved then, and it’s just as well-deserved today.

It was great to visit Pure Water Monterey with Mayor Tyller Williamson –- who’s also Chair of the Monterey One Water Board of Directors -- and Monterey One Water Executive Officer Paul Sciuto. The expanded project is a major step forward for regional water security, improving drought resilience, protecting local ecosystems, and ensuring a reliable water supply for the Monterey Peninsula well into the future.

In Imperial Beach, I met young constituent Alyssa at a California Coastal Commission meeting. She spoke about enjoying the Pecho Coast Trail on the South Ranch lands and asked for a photo after learning about my work to protect these lands. It was inspiring to see the next generation so engaged in conservation -- thank you, Alyssa!

I was honored to visit Castro Adobe State Historic Park near Watsonville, where the walls truly tell stories. Thank you to Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks’ Executive Director Bonny Hawley and Historic Preservation Project Manager Jessica Kusz for sharing the history of the Castro family and others who lived here. From artifacts beneath the floors to the vibrant layers of adobe and graffiti on the walls, this visit reminded me why protecting our shared heritage matters. I’m grateful for the Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks for working so hard to build community support for the restoration efforts.  

I was proud to recognize Antonio Mendoza, the new Executive Director of the Community Food Bank of San Benito County. The food bank’s focus on fresh, local produce and strong community partnerships makes a real difference, especially when families need help the most.

I had a great visit to Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital, where I learned about the hurdles the hospital faces, from seismic updates to Medicaid funding concerns. Touring their upgraded lab was inspiring, and it’s a reminder of how programs like the Distressed Hospital Loan Program help hospitals stay open and continue serving the community.

I had the pleasure of touring La Bahia Hotel & Spa with Markus Krebs, General Manager, and Dan Smart, Hotel Manager. After decades of unrealized proposals, it’s great to see this historic beachfront property transformed into a vibrant hotel that will boost our local economy and community.