For Immediate Release
Contact: Richard Stapler, Richard.Stapler@sen.ca.gov
SACRAMENTO, CA – Senator John Laird issued the below statement following Governor Gavin Newsom’s State of the State address tonight:
“Tonight, Governor Newsom shared the exceptional progress California has made in the last year in curbing the spread of COVID-19 through widespread vaccinations, investing in housing solutions for our state’s currently unhoused population, and doubling down on actions taken to address the impacts of climate change.
As California continues to move into brighter days ahead, Governor Newsom highlighted the steps California is taking by investing another historic budget surplus toward transitioning to clean power, health care for all, and preparing our workforce for an economy full of jobs born of statewide innovation and growth.
The COVID-19 Pandemic has irreversibly changed how we work toward a greener, more resilient future and my colleagues and I in the legislature see this in the creative solutions we are crafting to mitigate deadly wildfires, bolster carbon neutral technologies, and rapidly adapt to the changing coastal landscape caused by sea level rise.
I applaud Governor Newsom’s action to save lives and look forward to working together as we move through the legislative session and budget process.”
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Senator John Laird represents the 17th State Senate District, which includes all of Santa Cruz and San Luis Obispo counties, the majority of Monterey County, as well as parts of Santa Clara County. He previously served as the Secretary of the California Natural Resources Agency, member of the State Integrated Waste Management Board, a member of the State Assembly, Executive Director of the Santa Cruz Aids Project, and two terms as Santa Cruz Mayor. His lifetime of public service and social justice advocacy saw him become one of the first openly gay mayors to serve in the United States. Senator Laird has been a long-time resident of Santa Cruz with his spouse John Flores.