Commentary: A look at some recent state Assembly achievements

California has long been a place at the forefront of people’s dreams and imaginations; its history is filled with wave after wave of migrants coming to pursue a particularly idyllic future for themselves. From the Gold Rush, to Hollywood, to the simple pursuit of our Edenesque lands and climate — our state has been, for as long as we can remember, a place where the brightest of dreams can come true.

Given our heritage, it is no surprise that the work we have been doing in the Legislature is reflecting that same visionary identity. I feel so fortunate to have been given an opportunity to be part of this moment in California politics, and would like to take a moment to share with you some of the major victories we have achieved in the Assembly so far this year.

One particularly major accomplishment that was made just a little over a week ago was a first-of-its-kind overhaul of our state’s water management system. My bill, AB 1668, along with Sen. Hertzberg’s SB 606, were passed by both houses and signed into law by Gov. Brown, paving the way for a more sustainable future for California.

Together, these bills will set new efficiency standards for water agencies across our state and make water efficiency a way of life in California. For too long we have relied on an outdated and inefficient “boom-and-bust” practice of water management. When times are good and there is plenty of water to go around, we allow for water to be wasted. But when times are bad, we impose overly austere measures and force dramatic reductions in individual water use — both of which are extremely costly and difficult for the state, businesses and individual users.

These bills will have all stakeholders examine a locality’s unique needs, infrastructure and hydrology so that effective and common-sense efficiency goals can be set and help foster robust long-term planning. These are goals that will help us with drought-resiliency and create more sustainable communities.

We have also been able to make other great strides toward ensuring a clean and sustainable future for our state by passing landmark legislation to protect our wild and scenic lands as well as set new goals to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. My AB 3232 will partner with innovators and industry leaders on setting new green-energy standards for all new buildings, so that together we can reduce greenhouse-gas emitting sources and jump-start investments in new clean technologies. Just a few weeks ago, my colleagues in the Assembly passed that bill which now awaits a vote in the Senate. Likewise, the Assembly also passed my AB 2975, which updates the state’s protections on designated “Wild and Scenic” rivers to make sure our precious natural resources remain preserved for future generations.

Our efforts to build a better California go beyond our work in environmental policy. We’re also developing measures to create safer workplaces for all. Since first convening in light of the string of controversies involving sexual harassment in the Capitol, the Joint Rules Subcommittee on Sexual Harassment Prevention and Response that I have the privilege to lead has been hard at work putting what we have learned into action with solutions that are real, effective and lasting. AB 403 (Melendez), which implements new whistle-blower protections for legislative employees, an effort that has failed passage for nearly a decade, finally passed both houses and has been signed into law by the governor. Other bills that will change the way we prevent and respond to harassment in the workplace include: AB 1870 (Reyes, Friedman and Waldron), which will extend the statute of limitations for employees to report harassment from one to three years, and AB 3080 (Gonzalez-Fletcher), which ensures that an employee is not forced to waive their civil rights when signing a contract. Both have passed the Assembly and are awaiting votes in the Senate. With these measures, we are taking steps to address the legislature’s role as an employer as well as make sure all employees, in every workplace, have protections.

As you can probably tell, it has been a busy legislative session. There are hundreds of bills I could highlight, and there are also countless other challenges your Legislature is working to address.

The scope of this Legislature is ambitious, but it has also been very collaborative, with the central goal of working towards solving the problems of our present in order to secure the brightest possible future for all Californians.

LAURA FRIEDMAN (D-Glendale) represents La Cañada Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, Glendale, Burbank and neighboring communities in the the 43rd Assembly District.