Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Hard to believe that we are already halfway through 2024! The month of June has been very busy, but in all of the best ways possible. My nephew Jeff Laird and his wife Holly went to great lengths to celebrate Father's Day, by welcoming their first child, Kieran Ori Laird, over Father's Day Weekend. I'm thrilled to share that they are all doing well and that I am now a great-uncle. Let me also take this moment to wish all of the fathers here with us, and watching from above, a happy Father's Day. My father was a longtime educator, and I know he would absolutely be getting a kick out of the fact that his son is helming the Senate Budget Subcommittee on Education.
We all know that education is power. That is why it’s important to recognize Juneteenth and its significance in our country’s history. Let’s continue to uplift the voices and experiences of Black Californians, and celebrate the freedom we should all be afforded.
June is also Pride Month, which commemorates the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan. When I became Mayor of Santa Cruz in the 1980’s, I also became one of the first openly gay mayors in the country. Fast forward to 2024, and my Senate District contains more LGBTQ+ elected officials than were in the country when I was Mayor! This progress is no better personified than with my 2024 Pride Honoree Tyller Williamson, the Mayor of Monterey. His tremendous leadership in the region, including as Founder of Monterey Peninsula Pride, assures me that the next generation of LGBTQ+ leaders will continue to thrive and achieve great things for our communities.
Please make sure to take in the beautiful California sunshine and enjoy the best this district has to offer. My office remains open and my staff are ready to assist with any state matters you may be facing.
Warm Regards,
John Laird
Senator, 17th District
Every year I have an opportunity to honor a nonprofit in my district at the Capitol, and it was my pleasure to recognize Transitions - Mental Health Association based out of San Luis Obispo County as my 2024 Nonprofit of the Year. Its mission is dedicated to eliminating stigma and promoting recovery and wellness for people with mental illness through work, housing, community, and family support services. Mental health is an important topic that needs to be discussed more often, especially with our youth. Thank you to Transitions - Mental Health Association for its important work and the positive impact it has achieved in our community.
The Legislature and the Governor have reached an agreement on the Budget Act of 2024. The details of the Budget Act of 2024 have been further developed through public hearings, which are a key part of the Legislature's budget process. Those hearings focused on the Budget Bill Jr and several trailer bills. Along with the Budget Bill and the trailer bills passed on June 13, these components make up the Budget Package. Please click here for key highlights.
I want to thank Governor Newsom for signing my bill SB 1278 into law just this week. SB 1278 would require the Governor to annually proclaim December 1st as World AIDS Day, a day of remembrance and solidarity for those across the globe who have been affected by a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. As Executive Director of the Santa Cruz AIDS Agency in the 1980s, my mission was to keep people alive. Forty years into the AIDS epidemic, our efforts to educate and spread awareness are as important as ever. World AIDS Day allows us to stand with those living with HIV or AIDS and honor the lives we've lost.
People always tell me after visiting the Central Coast that they can’t get enough of the beauty and that they will be returning as soon as possible. I guess that logic is the same for animals as well since after nearly a 5 month break, Otter 841 is back! As always, please keep a safe distance and as the U.S Fish & Wildlife Service says, Give wildlife the space to be wild.
The Alfred Diaz Infante Apartments provide affordable housing to families in Monterey County. I was proud to work with CHISPA to ensure families could move in before the holidays last year.
Wonderful to meet the new Chief Administrative Officer for San Luis Obispo County, Matt Pontes, and welcome him to the Central Coast. Quick trivia: Do you know where we are? *hint* look at the goblet.
It was a delight to attend the 36th Annual Santa Cruz Japanese Cultural Fair (JCF) with Deputy Consul General Kishimori and Sister City Association Chair Linda Snook to discuss the importance of grassroot exchanges and the California-Japan relationship.
The College Lake project in Watsonville will help reduce groundwater extraction in the Monterey Bay Area. Wonderful to join Pajaro Valley Water Director Brian Lockwood to see the project up close. Progress of the construction can be found here.
My team met with community members and elected officials and/or their representatives in New Cuyama learning about the struggles associated with its critically overdrafted groundwater basin, in an area that covers four different counties: San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Kern.
Proud to present a resolution to Nepenthe Restaurant in Big Sur for their unwavering commitment to the local community. With spectacular views and rich history, they're truly a Central Coast gem.