In The News

he sun will continue to set, regardless of what California lawmakers do.

What won’t change is a move by a Golden State legislator to make standard time permanent, as that bill reaching for the horizon died Friday in a key committee.

The chairs of both the Assembly and state Senate Appropriations committees pointed to the newly revealed $12 billion budget deficit as the reason many bills wouldn’t pass Friday’s deadline to reach the floor of their respective houses.

State Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, a Los Angeles Democrat, saw Senate Bill 442 pass. It’s similar to a bill of hers from last session that affects self-checkout stations. This bill would require at least one employee-staffed station in a store with self-checkout and limit someone to 15 items at a self-serve station.

In a soiree intersection of media, labor and real politick, SAG-AFTRA wants to pull the home of Hollywood together to get Tinseltown working again.

“Revitalizing California's most recognizable industry isn't just about making things better for show business, it's about making things better for everyone,” proclaimed Joely Fisher last week at a literal and figurative high level get-together in the penthouse of SAG-AFTRA’s LA HQ.

In a soiree intersection of media, labor and real politick, SAG-AFTRA wants to pull the home of Hollywood together to get Tinseltown working again.

“Revitalizing California’s most recognizable industry isn’t just about making things better for show business, it’s about making things better for everyone,” proclaimed Joely Fisher last week at a literal and figurative high level get-together in the penthouse of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation.

California Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas has introduced Senate Bill 560 to raise the threshold for prosecuting welfare fraud. With this bill, administrative errors in welfare programs will see a reduction in penalties, which Senator Smallwood-Cuevas believes will alleviate the burden on affected families. The proposed law aims to decriminalize fraud involving amounts under $25,000 and eliminate criminal penalties for attempted fraud below $950.

She’d always been told that “Black people don’t get depressed,” so in trying to cope after giving birth, Jessica Walker put on a happy face for her family. Her young son, however, saw through the facade.

“He walked into the room and said, ‘Why are you always so sad?’” Walker said.

Walker, founder of Be Mom Aware and co-chair of the Sacramento Maternal Mental Health Collaborative, joined other mothers, advocates and policymakers at the Capitol this week for “From Pain to Power: A California Storytelling and Advocacy Day” to address the critical issue of perinatal mental health and advocate for systemic change.

To address California’s maternity health crisis, Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles) and Sen. Sabrina Cervantes (D-Riverside) authored Senate Bill (SB) 626.

Turning Point AOD recently held its Spring 2025 Empowering Lives and Inspiring Change Luncheon at a private residence in Windsor Hills, honoring several community leaders for their outstanding contributions.

Honorees included Congresswoman Maxine Waters, State Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, Assemblymember Mike Gipson, and Akuyoe Graham, founder of Spirit Awakening.

A bill that would decriminalize criminal penalties for attempted welfare fraud for cases under $950 and eliminate criminal penalties for overpayments from administrative errors or infractions continued to move up in the Senate this month, with an Appropriations Committee vote now set for May 5th.

Senate Bill 560, authored by Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles), would specifically delete the provision that establishes criminal penalties for an attempt to commit welfare fraud, as well as remove criminal penalties for welfare fraud when the total amount of aid obtained or retained is above or below $950, and instead make welfare fraud when aid was obtained or retained in the total amount of $25,000 or more punishable by specified imprisonment in a county jail and/or fine.