Dear Friends and Neighbors,

The final weeks of session are always busy, and this year has been no exception. We returned from summer recess at the beginning of the month with just a few weeks to finish our work for the year. Today marks the final scheduled day of the 2025–26 legislative session, and we are working through the final hours to send legislation to the Governor’s desk, and finish some last remaining budget issues. As we approach the finish line, I’m pleased with the progress we’ve made on issues affecting communities throughout the Central Coast and across California.

XXX bills I authored have now been signed into law, and XXX have made it through the state Legislature and are on Governor Newsom’s desk. They cover everything from sea otter conservation and Pajaro River flood protection to supporting small wineries and the California Conservation Corps. I share more on those bills below, along with two resolutions adopted by the Legislature to protect and celebrate California’s coast.

Closer to home, August brought major developments in San Luis Obispo and Monterey counties. I secured an important agreement with PG&E that will provide $16.6 million to San Luis Obispo County to help offset the local impacts of Diablo Canyon Power Plant’s extended operations. And the Timber Fire in Big Sur prompted evacuations and a major response from local, state, and federal firefighters.

In the final budget, I have been able to include support for Bixby Bridge traffic enforcement, land for an affordable housing project in Santa Cruz, support for a dining facility serving people experiencing homelessness in Paso Robles, support for the next development phase for soccer fields in Salinas, help for the San Benito Community Foundation in drawing more resources to San Benito County, and much more.

There is much more from a busy August below – both from Sacramento and throughout the 17th Senate District. Thank you, as always, for reading and staying engaged.

Sincerely,

JOHN LAIRD
Senator, 17^th District

Today marks the final scheduled day of the 2025–26 legislative session, as we work to complete our remaining business before adjournment.

So far this year, XXX bills I authored have been signed into law, with another XXX bills sent to Governor Newsom for his consideration. As we close out the session, I wanted to share a few highlights from our work this year.

Key legislation includes SB 575, which restores the California Sea Otter Voluntary Contribution Fund and allows Californians to once again support sea otter conservation and research through voluntary contributions on their state tax returns; SB 917, which expands opportunities for California wineries to sell wine and offer tastings at certified farmers’ markets; SB 1055, which gives the Pajaro Regional Flood Management Agency additional tools to move critical flood protection projects forward; and SB 1207, which supports the California Conservation Corps and Corpsmembers who continue their careers in state service.

The California Legislature also adopted two coastal measures I authored this year. SJR 12 expresses bipartisan opposition to new federal offshore oil and gas leasing off California’s coast, while SCR 136 commemorates the 50^th anniversary of the California Coastal Act and Coastal Conservancy Act and five decades of work to protect our coastline and public access.

These measures cover very different issues, but they have something in common: each responds to a practical need or priority facing communities in Senate District 17 and across California. As the Legislature finishes its work, attention will turn to the Governor, who will consider the bills sent to his desk in the weeks ahead.

Beyond my legislative package, we also tackled some of the biggest issues facing the state this year. We passed a balanced budget for the next two years, cut the projected structural deficit roughly in half, and maintained about $35 billion in reserves. It was a difficult budget year that required real choices, but we worked to protect important healthcare and food assistance programs from deeper cuts.

I was also pleased to secure more than $10 million in state funding for 19 projects across Senate District 17. The funding includes $1.8 million for coastal protection near the Carmel River, $1.2 million to expand the Salinas Regional Soccer Complex, $1.6 million to help the City of Santa Cruz acquire land for affordable housing, $550,000 to support Meals on Wheels operations throughout Santa Cruz County, and $250,000 to modernize Santa Cruz METRO’s radio system and improve communications during emergencies. In San Benito County, funding will support renovations to the Youth Alliance Youth Impact Center, a new food storage facility to bring more locally grown food into schools and expanded grant-writing capacity for local nonprofits. In San Luis Obispo County, investments will help advance the Avila Beach and Hearst Ranch trails, study conservation opportunities along the Salinas River, complete a permanent dining facility at ECHO in Paso Robles, and complete Pacific Wildlife Care’s new regional wildlife rehabilitation center.

Beyond these local project investments, the budget also includes $3.3 million I secured to expand PRIME Central Coast, building on $1 million in state funding secured last year and serving as a first step toward a medical school in the region, creating a local pathway for future physicians to train and practice here on the Central Coast. The budget also includes an additional $4.5 million for the Santa Cruz Downtown Library Mixed-Use Project, bringing the state’s total investment in that project through the Building Forward program to $9 million.

As Chair of the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee, I helped advance the Senate-led Fair Share from Big Corporations Act, included in the state budget signed by Governor Newsom this summer. The measure lays the groundwork to hold California’s largest corporations accountable for the taxpayer cost of providing Medi-Cal to their employees and has gained backing from former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary and current gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra.

Finally, the Senate considered a resolution to move lifeguards to first responder status. This was front and center after Santa Cruz lifeguard Ryder Williams received national recognition for saving a 10-year-old boy in pounding seas off our coast. You can see the video of his amazing rescue here.

Senate President Pro Tem Monique Limón and I presented my Senate Fellow, Samantha Guerrero, with a Senate resolution during a floor ceremony recognizing this year’s Senate Fellows.

I was honored to receive the California Conservation Corps’ 50th Anniversary Legislative Champions Award. For five decades, the CCC has given young Californians the opportunity to serve their communities, gain valuable experience and do important work protecting our natural resources. I’ve been proud to support the Corps and its mission over the years, both as Secretary for Natural Resources and as a legislator, and I’m grateful for this recognition.

It was great meeting with Consul General of Japan Kotaro Otsuki during his visit to Sacramento. We discussed issues of shared interest between California and Japan.
 

This month, I secured an important agreement with PG&E that will provide $16.6 million to San Luis Obispo County to help offset the local impacts of Diablo Canyon Power Plant’s extended operations. When the plant’s operations were extended through 2030, the community funding intended to offset those impacts was not extended along with it. I introduced SB 931 to address that gap, and after months of work, PG&E agreed to voluntarily provide two payments of $8.3 million for local governments, schools and essential services. Importantly, those funds will come from PG&E – not state taxpayers or utility ratepayers.

The agreement addresses the first two years of the five-year funding gap. It is an important win for San Luis Obispo County, but the work is not finished. I will continue working to secure support for the remaining three years.

There was also an important development regarding the future of Diablo Canyon when Governor Newsom announced that the state will not pursue an extension of the plant’s operations beyond 2030 this year. I believe that is the right approach. Any consideration of operating Diablo Canyon beyond 2030 raises significant questions involving affordability, seismic and reactor safety, spent nuclear fuel storage, conservation of the surrounding lands, worker protections, and impacts on local communities. Those issues deserve a thorough public discussion rather than a hasty decision in the final weeks of the legislative session, and I look forward to that conversation in 2027.

The Timber Fire in Big Sur also demanded significant attention this month, prompting evacuations as local, state, and federal crews worked in steep, difficult terrain to protect residents and communities. I’m grateful to the firefighters, first responders, emergency personnel and local officials who responded, and to the Big Sur community for once again looking out for one another. Conditions can change quickly, so I encourage residents to continue relying on official information from Ready Monterey County, CAL FIRE, InciWeb and Big Sur Fire for the latest updates on the fire, evacuations, and community resources. We have also added a page on our Senate website for Timber fire resources. 

This month, I also spent a busy weekend in San Luis Obispo County meeting with people doing important work across the region. I joined local labor leaders at the Central Coast Construction Trades Labor Appreciation Breakfast, met with the County’s Adult Services Policy Council to discuss issues affecting older adults and seniors, and visited City Farm SLO to learn more about its work with young people, small farmers and the community. I toured the Stenner Creek Watershed Restoration Project, got a firsthand look at new housing under construction with the Housing Authority of San Luis Obispo, and visited the proposed route for a trail connecting Avila Beach and Port San Luis. I also had the opportunity to sit down with local leaders and visit the GALA Pride and Diversity Center. I always enjoy seeing the work on the ground and hearing directly from the people doing it.

While in North San Luis Obispo County, I was glad to visit the El Camino Homeless Organization’s (ECHO) new Balay Ko Family Resource Center in Atascadero ahead of its grand opening. My District Director, Kara Woodruff, returned later in the week to represent our office at the ribbon-cutting celebration. I’ve been proud to support ECHO over the years, including recognizing the organization as Senate District 17’s first Nonprofit of the Year in 2021 and helping secure $150,000 in state funding for improvements at its Paso Robles campus. The new center is an exciting addition to ECHO’s work supporting families and individuals throughout San Luis Obispo County.

And in Santa Cruz County, I enjoyed attending the CASA Imagine! dinner at Cabrillo College, celebrating the achievements of young people involved in the foster care and juvenile probation systems, and appreciated the shout-out for the CASA money we just included in the state budget. I also joined O’Neill Sea Odyssey to celebrate its 30^th anniversary. I’ve been fortunate to serve on the organization’s Advisory Council and to be part of its history. For three decades, O’Neill Sea Odyssey has connected young people with the Monterey Bay and introduced generations of students to the importance of protecting our marine environment. Congratulations to Executive Director Tracey Weiss, the board, staff, and everyone who has helped make those 30 years possible.
 

I appreciated the opportunity to visit the GALA Pride and Diversity Center in San Luis Obispo and hear more about its work supporting and empowering the LGBTQ+ community across the Central Coast. For nearly three decades, GALA has been an important home for advocacy, education, and community building in the region.

My District Director, Kara Woodruff, who also serves as vice chair of ECHO’s board, joined ECHO President and CEO Wendy Lewis at the grand opening of the new Balay Ko Family Resource Center in Atascadero.

With my colleague Assemblymember Gail Pellerin, I was proud to recognize the O’Neill Sea Odyssey at its 30th anniversary event – and proud to have supported the program through my service on its Advisory Council. Since 1996, nearly 135,000 students have taken part in its ocean education programs. Congratulations to Executive Director Tracey Weiss and the rest of the OSO team. And here’s to another 30 years!

I joined Congressman Jimmy Panetta, former Assemblymember Mark Stone, and other community leaders at the CASA Imagine! dinner at Cabrillo College honoring the achievements of young people involved in the foster care and juvenile probation systems.

Our Santa Cruz County District Representative Kameron Tessier joined Santa Cruz County Supervisor Justin Cummings and other local leaders to celebrate the completion of the new Panther Beach parking lot and restroom facilities along the North Coast. The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission-led project provides safer, more accessible public access to this beautiful stretch of coastline near the Cotoni-Coast Dairies National Monument. Glad to see this important project completed and open to the community.

A view of the Timber Fire burning in the rugged Big Sur area. I’m grateful to the firefighters, first responders, and emergency personnel who worked in difficult conditions to protect nearby communities. My heart goes out to Big Sur residents and businesses who have yet again been hit by a natural disaster. Photo courtesy of California State Parks.

Our Monterey County District Representative Marisa Hernandez presented a Senate Certificate of Recognition on my behalf to longtime Soledad resident and community leader Pauline Tomasini in celebration of her 90th birthday. Pauline has spent decades giving back to Soledad and South Monterey County through her work in healthcare, local organizations, her faith community, and civic life. Happy 90th, Pauline, and thank you for your many years of service to the community.

Our San Benito County District Representative Natalie Boston joined California Water Service’s annual Emergency Operations Center Exercise in Salinas, where Cal Water’s Emergency Response Team, California Highway Patrol, Salinas Fire Department, and Monterey County Office of Emergency Management practiced how they would work together to protect access to water during a disaster. 

Natalie, pictured here with Vanessa Gonzalez from Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas’ office and Victoria Montoya from the San Benito Health Foundation Board, attended the San Benito Health Foundation’s Feeding the Frontline event, where she helped share resources and information about constituent services available to the community.