YOU ARE INVITED TO HEAR STATE SENATOR LELAND YEE ADDRESS STATE BUDGET DEFICIT CAUSES, SOLUTIONS AND KEY LEGISLATION AT PACIFICA DEMOCRATS JUNE 19TH MEETING

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Barbara Arietta
President - Pacifica Democrats
415-246-0775
email: barietta@hotmail.com


On Saturday, June 19th, State Budget deficit causes and potential solutions, along with information on key legislation, will be the main topics of discussion when State Senator Leland Yee, PhD. speaks at the Pacifica Democrats 9:30a.m.-11:30 a.m. monthly breakfast meeting, being held in the rear banquet room of the Sharp Park Golf Course Restaurant, Francisco and Sharp Park Blvds in Pacifica. 
Dr. Yee, representing District 8, which includes San Francisco and San Mateo Counties, is the first Chinese American ever elected to the California State Senate and the first Asian American elected to the Legislature's upper house in forty years. After serving four years in the California State Assembly, he was elected to the State Senate in November 2006, garnering over 78% of the vote - the largest percentage for any Democratic candidate with a Republican challenger.

During his tenure in the Legislature, Senator Yee has fought for children, mental health services, working families, open government, consumer protection, the environment, and civil rights. He has consistently voted against budget cuts to education, social services, and health care.

Prior to serving in the Legislature, Dr. Yee spent eight years in the San Francisco Unififed School District Board of Education, where he fought to streamline bureacracy, direct funds towards higher standards in core curriculum, update educational materials, reduce class sizes, and increase public access to school services. In 1996, Dr. Yee was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. As Chair of the Finance Committee, he championed fiscal responsibility and accountability and established the largest "Rainy Day" budget reserve in San Francisco's history.

Since 2003, Dr. Yee has one of the best track records in getting his bills passed and signed into law. In fact, he has successfully passed 110 pieces of legislation, of which 82 have been chaptered into law.

In 2009, Senator Yee had 9 bills chaptered into law. Most notably, SB 13 restores $16.3 million for 94 domestic violence shelters and centers throughout California. SB 340 protects consumers by requiring businesses to clearly and conspicuouslly enumerate all automatic renewal offer terms and obtain customers affirmative consent. SB 447 helps protect children from sexual predators and other violent criminals by reforming the criminal background check law at youth organizations. SB 786 protects the right of individuals to enforce open government laws without fear of a significant financial burden and ensures that public entities act with greater transparency. SCR 48 makes California the first state to officially declare October as Filipino American History Month.

Three keys pieces of key legislation that Yee also plans on covering at the the Pacifica Democrats meeting, in addition to the State Budget issues, are: SB 662, SB 920 and SB 840.

Senate Bill 662 will increase the existing marriage license fee that goes to domestic violence shelters by $10, which would increase the collection from $23 to $33. The fee hasn't been increased since 1993 so the funding of the shelters has not kept up with the cost of living increases, nor with the demand for these life saving services.

SB 920 requires any telephone corporation or third party telephone book vendor to allow a telephone customer to opt-out of receiving a phone book. According to the Product Stewardship Institute, telephone books represent significant tonnage in the waste stream (660,000 tons per year). According to the California Department of Resources Recovery and Recycling, phone books and directories comprised an estimated 24,149 tons of the total disposaed waste stream in 2008.

SB 840 would update the Sherrie Iverson Child Victim Protection Act in the light of the alleged rape in Richmond, CA. This bill requires, with specified exceptions, any person who reasonably believes that he or she has observed the commission of either a murder, rape or a lewd or lascivious act committed on a child under the age of 18 years to notify a peace officer by telephone or by any other means. The failure to notify, as required, would be a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of $1,500 or imprisonment in a county jail for up to six months, or both.

All Pacifica Democrat meetings are open to the General Public. One neither needs to be a a member of the club, nor a Democrat to attend. A full breakfast is offered for $12; Continental Breakfast for $6; Coffee for $3. Doors open at 9:00 a.m. Seating is between 9:00 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. RSVP's are requested. To RSVP please contact Barbara Arietta, President, at 415-246-0775 or email: barietta@hotmail.com .