Elevate the 28th Newsletter

Welcome

Greetings Neighbor,

Welcome to the latest edition of our monthly newsletter! As your State Senator, it is an honor to serve and represent our vibrant 28th District of Los Angeles.

In this issue, you will find updates on newly introduced legislation, a committee chair appointment, and my support of two special community ventures. Whether at the Capitol or at home in our district, I am committed to advocating for the issues that matter most to our community.

I encourage you to stay informed and share your thoughts or concerns. Please reach our District or Capitol staff if you need assistance with accessing state services. And feel free to visit our website to get more updates, submit scheduling requests or read our recent media coverage.

Warm Regards,

Lola Smallwood-Cuevas
Senator, 28th District

For our 2024 legislative year, I introduced a progressive bill package that addresses critical issues facing communities in our district and across the state. My bill package focuses on empowering California’s workers, providing resources for vulnerable populations, and fostering revitalization and economic growth for marginalized communities.

My proposed legislation includes:

• SB 792 – EDD Building Surplus Property Bill
  Would convert an unused state EDD building in the Crenshaw corridor into mixed-use housing.
   
• SB 828 – Prison Apprenticeship Pilot Program
  Creates a value-based apprenticeship training and hiring pilot program for a women’s prison in California. 
   
• SB 830 – Prevailing Wage for Off-Site Sheet Metal Fabrication
  Pays prevailing wages to off-site sheet metal workers assigned to public works contracts.
   
• SB 864 – Worker Rights Training for WIOA Participants
  Requires career centers to provide worker rights training in such topics as wage theft, the right to organize, and other areas where workers, particularly those from low-income communities, are most vulnerable to be taken advantage of and most dependent on these services.
   
• SB 1026 – Campus Safety
  Ensures school administrators are the first to de-escalate an issue on campus as well as allowing school districts to set perimeters in place for how security agencies operate on K-12 campuses.
   
• SB 1030 – California Workplace Outreach Project in Labor Code
  Requires the state to implement, establish and administer the California Workplace Outreach Project to promote awareness of and compliance with labor protections that affect California workers.
   
• SB 1067 – Expedited Licensure Process for Healing Arts Professionals
  Expedites licensure for the healing arts boards for practitioners who intend to work in a medically underserved area.
   
• SB 1089 – Grocery Stores & Pharmacies to Provide Notice Before Closures
  Requires grocery stores and pharmacies to give 90-day notice about closures to surrounding communities while providing employees with unemployment services information.
   
• SB 1137 – Intersectionality in Anti-Discrimination Law
  Would make California the first state in the nation to recognize intersectionality (e.g., discrimination based on race and gender) within anti-discrimination laws.
   
• SB 1282 –  Public Safety Smash & Grab
  Mandates sentencing alternatives, such as GED completion and/or job training, in lieu of enhanced sentencing.
   
• SB 1340 – Local Civil Rights Enforcement
  Authorizes the state’s Civil Rights Department to strategically partner with local agencies to address discrimination complaints. Also requires contractors to comply with equity hiring metrics.
   
• SB 1345 – Expands the Fair Chance Act for Background Checks
  Requires employers to provide transparency to potential hires about their use and purpose of background checks.
   
• SB 1446 – Self-Checkout Ban
  Creates a narrow ban on self-checkout stations in large grocery and drug retail stores.

I am honored to serve as the new chair of the Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement Committee, as it uplifts legislation that helps empower and protect California’s workers. From my longtime work on the frontlines of the labor movement and steadfast vision for an equitable workforce, I am ready and capable to lead this committee to address critical issues facing workers across our state.

Through my leadership on this committee, I will strive to champion legislation that prioritizes building a workforce where the dignity of labor is upheld. My focus will be advocating for policies that strengthen workers’ rights, ensure fair wages, and foster an inclusive workforce to create a more equitable California for both workers and industry.

I extend my deep appreciation to Pro Tem Mike McGuire for entrusting me to serve in this extraordinary leadership role. I look forward to working collaboratively with my hardworking and committed colleagues to enact impactful policies that will shape a more prosperous future for all Californians.
 

This month, I presented checks totaling $3.5 million – allocated from the state’s general funds – to two deserving organizations based in our 28th District.

I recently visited the Los Angeles Black Worker Center to present them with a $2.5 million check to support their expansion plans and further their efforts to advance economic justice for Black workers. Based in the Crenshaw corridor, the Black Worker Center aims to utilize the funds to secure real estate for a permanent home that will feature a workspace campus for the local community.

I also presented a $1 million check to Play Equity Fund as an investment to create a new recreation space in the Windsor Hills community of South Los Angeles. The proposed park is located on the Los Angeles County-owned land directly adjacent to the Yvonne Brathwaite Burke Sports Complex on Fairfax Boulevard, just north of Slauson Avenue. Through the grant, the Play Equity Fund will lead the assessment, design and development to build the future park.