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Creating Change Fall 2024 |
In recognition of Veterans Day, I would to thank our brave and selfless veterans for their service to our country and for ensuring that our freedoms and rights are protected.
In this edition of Creating Change - Fall 2024, I am eager to discuss my legislation that the Governor signed and so many events that were held in the district, including:
- There Ought to be a Law
- Remembering the Mexican Repatriation,
- Town Hall on Cell Phones in Schools,
- Youth Climate Rally,
- Hillsborough Citizen of the Year and Community Care Awards,
- El Camino Real Improvement Project,
- Berkeley Space Center,
- Legislative Update, and
- Virtual Town Hall Cellphone Use in Schools.
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THERE OUGHT TO BE A LAW COMPETITION IS NOW OPEN |
Do you have an idea to improve our community and state? Do you have an idea for a bill that could become a California law? I want to hear your ideas! I am proud to announce that my annual “There Ought to be a Law” competition is accepting submissions. Your idea could become the next bill that I author in the 2024 legislative session. If your bill idea is selected, you will be invited to come to the California State Capitol. I am proud to be carrying on this tradition from my predecessors, former Senators Simitian and Hill.
If you have an idea for a law, you can submit it here. Submissions are due December 10, 2024.
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LEARNING FROM HISTORY: WE MUST REJECT MASS DEPORTATION |
We have just concluded one of the most consequential presidential elections in recent history, and now we must face the reality of one of the most troubling themes of that election that may very well become policy: mass deportation. This is the same kind of rhetoric that led to the Mexican Repatriation of the 1930s, in which approximately two million Mexicans and Mexican Americans were forcibly deported without any due process. And now we are dangerously close to repeating this history.
Today, as we prepare for a new administration to take power that promises to conduct the largest mass deportation of immigrants in U.S. history, we must come together to reject this premise, recognizing the impact of these words and vowing to take action against them.
That is why I passed SB 537, which calls for a statue to memorialize the Mexican Repatriation of the 1930s. I held a press conference at Casa Circulo Cultural in North Fair Oaks with community leaders to raise awareness of this dark chapter in our history, to support the immigrant community, and reject efforts calling for mass deportations of immigrants. Time and time again, immigrants have been scapegoated for the country’s economic issues, and I call on all of us to remember our past and not condemn us to repeat it.
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TOWN HALL ON NEW POLICIES FOR SMARTPHONES IN SCHOOLS |
Increasingly, I hear of concerns about the impact of smartphones in the learning environment and about the impact of social media on the mental health of young people. In response, we passed the Phone-Free Schools Act. This new law calls on public schools to create policies that curb cell smartphone use in classrooms, ensuring students stay engaged and focused on their education.
On October 23rd, I hosted a virtual town hall with First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom and Senator Henry Stern of Los Angeles on this topic. We were joined by two educators – Yvonne Shiu, principal of San Mateo High School and Deidre Monarres of the Ventura Unified School District – who have already instituted restricted cell phone policies. San Mateo High School has been smartphone free from bell to bell since 2019. We also learned about research conducted by Dr. Drew Cingel, an associate professor at UC Davis who studies the effects of social media on adolescents. It was an interesting discussion that we hope answers questions about the need for these policies and their effectiveness.
To view the town hall, please click here.
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MAKE IT REAL: YOUTH FOR YOUTH CLIMATE RALLY |
One of the highlights of my career has been working with the Citizen’s Climate Lobby San Mateo County Youth Rally, and last month I was honored to return as a speaker for their fourth annual rally. I marched through downtown San Mateo alongside the wonderful youth leaders and advocates as we called for urgent action to be taken against the looming threat of climate change. We were also joined by several other local elected officials fighting against climate change, including Pacifica City Councilmember Mary Bier, San Mateo City Councilmember Adam Lorraine, South San Francisco Mayor James Coleman, and San Mateo County Supervisor Noelia Corzo.
I was humbled by the words of Shai Ring, a 17 year old Youth Climate Rally Participant who spoke during the rally:
"Senator Becker is a policymaker that our chapter idolizes as a climate champion. He has been a continued supporter of our youth group, and is someone who truly walks the talk. It’s such a relief that my local legislators care about the issue of climate change as much as I do. I’m relatively new to the field of environmental activism, but so far I’ve found that policymakers such as Senator Becker help make our fight feel real."
What most impressed me was the passion and depth of knowledge demonstrated by the youth speakers from CCL’s San Mateo County Youth chapter. Today’s young people will be facing the brunt of the consequences for the harmful choices made by previous generations, and they are motivated and ready to create a better future for themselves and the children who will come after them. I am so humbled that the work I have done in District 13 and within the California Legislature has inspired these young people to fight for their future, and as a father of two young adults, I will continue to fight for them in kind.
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HILLSBOROUGH CITIZEN OF THE YEAR AND COMMUNITY CARE AWARDS |
I was pleased to join the Associated Parents Group of the Hillsborough City School District in recognizing their Citizen of the Year and Community Care Awards recipients. Former Superintendent Dr. Louann Carlomagno was presented with the Community Care Award. Lisa Edwards was recognized as the Citizen of the Year.
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DELIVERING A BETTER AND SAFER ROADWAY ALONG EL CAMINO REAL |
Some of you will remember I held a town hall to update the community on fixing the atrocious conditions of El Camino Real, starting in Mountain View and through Palo Alto. After years of storm damage, aging pavement and overall wear and tear, this capital project along a seven mile stretch of El Camino Real is a ‘fix-it-first’ program that funds the repair and preservation, safety improvements and operational improvements on the State Highway System. The plan calls for adding bike lanes to selected segments and features the use of alternate paving materials, more visible crosswalks and upgrades to curbs in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
I am pleased that progress is moving as planned and we are seeing real improvements along the northbound and southbound lanes through parts of Mountain View, Los Altos, and Palo Alto. Whether driving, biking or walking along El Camino Real between Palo Alto and Mountain View these days, you’ll notice smoother pavement, upgrades to curbs and crosswalks, improved bike lanes and better ADA access.
I want accountability from CalTrans, and my office is working with them to ensure that this project meets deadlines and is done right. Caltrans sends out weekly updates on the project to notify travelers of construction crew activity, parking restrictions, etc. For more information, go to SR-82 Rehabilitation Pavement Project.
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: MAKING THE $2 BILLION BERKELEY SPACE CENTER IN MOFFETT FIELD A REALITY |
One of my passions is strategic economic development. I served on the California Workforce Development Board for seven years. So much cutting-edge technology is developed here in California, but manufacturing happens in another state, and aerospace was responsible for the beginning of Silicon Valley but many of those companies have left the area. Now we have an opportunity with the over 1.4 million square feet of land available at NASA Ames. We are closer than ever to making the vision of a $2 billion Berkeley Space Center at NASA Ames/Moffett Field in Mountain View a reality. This will be a partnership with Berkeley to develop academia and tech companies.
I had the honor last month of moderating a panel to discuss the plans for this proposed 36-acre innovation center at NASA Ames, bringing academia, private industry and government together to identify, incubate and launch tomorrow’s technological breakthroughs. The panel "Building the Future---The Historic Joint Venture Shaping Silicon Valley's Growth" featured Rep. Zoe Lofgren; Alexandre Bayen, Associate Provost, Berkeley Space Center; Tim Smith, Director of Development SKS Partners. I also had the opportunity to meet astronaut Jose Hernandez, and tour the Lunar Lab and Regolith Testbeds at NASA Ames. With ultra-realistic lighting conditions and terrain features, the lab simulates the surfaces of the moon.
The proposed development will be 1.4 million square feet of office, research and development, and academic space. It’s wonderful to have Berkeley Space Center in my district to continue the innovation and entrepreneurship through partnerships and research collaborations!
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LEGISLATIVE UPDATE |
I am thrilled to announce that 12 bills of mine have been signed by the Governor and will become law in 2025. We have made tremendous progress on combating climate change, putting in responsible safeguards for AI, and reforming our justice system.
Cutting edge tech policy on Artificial Intelligence and protecting neural data:
- SB 942 - The California AI Transparency Act requires large GenAI providers to label AI-generated content and supply an AI-detection tool for users.
- SB 1223 - Protects consumers' neural data and protects it from nonconsensual use.
- SB 1120 - The Physicians Make Decisions Act requires physician oversight when algorithms are used to decide on medical services.
- SB 1288 - Creates the Workgroup on AI use in Education to incorporate the use of AI in education.
Innovative solutions on Homelessness:
- SB 1395 - The Interim Housing Act gives local governments a new and proven tool to address unsheltered homelessness by building more interim housing to do so more quickly and efficiently.
Groundbreaking National Leadership:
- SB 537 - The Mexican Repatriation Memorial Act commemorates the approximately two million of Mexican descent who were illegally deported from the United States during the Great Depression.
Human services and better re-entry for incarcerated individuals:
- SB 1254 - The FRESH Act allows incarcerated people to apply for CalFresh benefits up to 90 days before their release to better prepare them for reentry and connect them to housing and employment services.
Juvenile Justice Leadership:
- SB 1161 - The Juvenile Justice Omnibus Reform improves the efficacy of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
| In the News |
Becker: We Must Learn From History, Reject Trump’s Talk Of Mass Deportation
(The Mercury News, November 7, 2024)
Trump’s mass deportation plans stir emotions in Peninsula’s ‘Little Mexico’
(The Mercury News, November 4, 2024)
San Mateo County Leaders Join Senator Josh Becker In Reaffirming Support For Immigrant Community
(Peninsula 360 Press, November 1, 2024)
CA leaders rally against mass deportation efforts
(KRON, October 31, 2024)
(Cronkite News, October 28, 2024)
High school student's report shines light on Mexican Repatriation 1930s
(NBC News, October 11, 2024)
California Passes Law Protecting Consumer Brain Data
(New York Times, September 29, 2024)
San Mateo County legislators celebrating bill signings
San Mateo Daily Journal, October 5, 2024)
New California law aims to protect brain data
(MassDevice, October 2, 2024)
California cracks down on artificial intelligence
(FOX LiveNow, September 27, 2024)
(CapRadio, September 20, 2024)
AI Briefing: How state governments and businesses are addressing AI deepfakes
(DigiDay, September 2, 2024)
Sincerely,
Senator Josh Becker