2024 May Newsletter

Dear Friend, 

We're halfway there! We have reached the halfway mark of the 2024 Legislative Schedule, when bills introduced earlier this year come before the full Senate for a Floor vote and, if passed, move forward to the State Assembly. 

I am so proud to announce that my team and I passed a total of ELEVEN bills that build on a number of Orange County priorities, including measures to provide small business relief, climate action, and e-bike safety. 

Additionally, my prior work to ensure that Orange County needs are addressed is being seen.  Just last week in Laguna Beach, $1.2 million in state funds provided for the wholesale renovation of the historic Moss Street Beach access point. A new stairwell and lifeguard tower were completed on budget and ahead of schedule—just in time for summer. 

Lastly, your feedback and input into the legislative process is encouraged. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to share your views on bills and any other issues that are important to you. 

 

Thank you for the honor of representing you and our Orange County community.
 

Sincerely,

Dave Min
Senator, 37th Senate District

 

From small business relief, to e-bike safety, to climate action, to gun violence prevention, my bill package this year will make a direct and lasting positive impact on all Californians. I am proud to share that the Senate approved 11 of my bills, which will now be heard in the Assembly.  Should they successfully pass out of the Assembly, they will then move to the Governor’s desk. At a time when it is imperative that the State be fiscally responsible, I am grateful to my colleagues for their support of Orange County priorities.

SB 1078: New Office of Language Access - Creates a new Office of Language Access within the California Health and Human Services Agency (CalHHS) to ensure that CalHHS is providing translations for information about healthcare, grants, and programs for those who need it.

SB 1174: Voter ID Ban - Prohibits local governments from imposing their own voter identification requirements in local elections.

SB 1271: E-Bike Battery Safety - Sets safety standards for lithium-ion battery powered e-bikes and e-scooters to help prevent fire risk and further clarifies that these devices cannot exceed the speed or limits of their classification.

SB 1286: Debt Collection Protections for Small Business – Protects small business owners from predatory, abusive, or misleading debt collection practices by extending the existing protections that apply to individual consumers to small business owners who cosign for their commercial loans.

SB 1221: Pipeline Replacement Projects - Requires the California Public Utilities Commission to analyze zero-emission alternatives (ZEAs) to gas pipeline replacement projects and allows investor-owned-utilities to pursue cost-effective ZEA pilot projects while phasing out aging natural gas infrastructure.

SB 1242: Prosecuting Retail Theft - Authorizes higher sentences for arson related to retail theft to deter crime and allow law enforcement to prosecute those that are putting local communities and retailers at risk. This bill is part of the Senate’s comprehensive Safer California Plan.

SB 1111: Expanding Anti-Nepotism - Would expressly prohibit state and local officials from voting on public contracts that benefit their adult children, spouse, parents, siblings, in-laws, or other relatives.

SB 1402: California’s 30x30 Initiative - Requires all state agencies and conservancies to consider California’s 30x30 goal when adopting regulations that directly affect land use, management of natural resources, water use and quality, or biodiversity conservation.

SB 965: DOJ Gun Dealer Inspection Study - Requires the California Department of Justice to provide annual reports to the Legislature about its inspections of firearm and ammunition dealers.

SB 972: Lowering Landfill Methane Emissions - Speeds organic waste reduction by allowing local landfill operators to request technical assistance from CalRecycle. While a majority of cities have residential organic waste collection in place, the bill bolsters these local programs to ensure the state’s 75% reduction targets are met.

SB 1394: Vehicle Technology Protection for Survivors - Empowers abuse survivors with greater control over their privacy and mobility, preventing abusive partners from exploiting vehicle technology as a means of continued abuse.
 

For the past three years, I have been proud to host an annual AAPI Empowerment Summit to celebrate local leaders, community organizers, and students as we mark AAPI Heritage Month. As the son of Korean immigrants, I believe our diversity makes us better and stronger. From business, sports, medicine, to politics, AAPIs have contributed much to our country.

Tune into our 3rd annual AAPI Empowerment Summit held in the 37th Senate District here.

Pictured from left to right: Daniel Kim, Julie Tran Tomanpos, Priscilla Huang, Dr. Jeannie G. Kim, State Senator Dave Min, Geraldine Larson, Will Han, Jeffrey Wu, Ualani Ho’opai

The 2024 AAPI Heritage Month honorees include:

• Geraldine Larson, President of the Filipino American Chamber of Commerce 
• Ualani Ho’opai, Executive Director of the Pacific Islander Health Partnership
• Daniel Kim, Co-Founder & Chairman of the Board at the Dragon Kim Foundation
• Julie Tran Tomanpos, Associate Vice President, Philanthropy at Wells Fargo
• Priscilla Huang, Founding Executive Director of the Center for Asian Americans in Action
• Jeffrey Wu, President of the Asian American Senior Citizens Service Center
• Will Han, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer at Genesis Bank
• Dr. Jeannie G. Kim, President of Santiago Canyon College
• Harish Murthy, Executive Director of the Ektaa Center

Earlier this month, the Joint Legislative Audit Committee approved an audit of the City of Huntington Beach’s settlement agreement with Pacific Airshow LLC, on a bipartisan vote. The California State Auditor will now review the public funds that were used to compensate the Airshow for revenues lost due to the cancellation of one day of the 2021 Airshow and the closure of local beaches following the oil spill off the coast of Huntington Beach.

My official statement:

 

"Like hundreds of businesses along the Huntington Beach coastline, there is no doubt that the Pacific Airshow lost revenue during the beach closures that followed the 2021 oil spill. But it is unclear that they were owed any damages from the City for its decision, made in conjunction with the State and the County of Orange, to shut down its beach, and it is also unclear whether their lost revenues were anywhere close to the amount provided by the City’s settlement.

At a time when public trust in the integrity of our governments is at an all-time low, it is more critical than ever that we provide transparency and assure the public that their tax dollars were not used in inappropriate or illegal ways. I’m grateful to my Democratic and Republican colleagues for voting to authorize this audit, which will hopefully get to the bottom of this.”

 

It remains unclear how the settlement payments were calculated, as neither the City nor the Pacific Airshow have publicly shown any evidence of lost profits. Read more about the audit here.

 

Senator Min pictured with the Laguna Beach City Council and Asm. Dianne Dixon.

Summer is just around the corner and the grand opening of Moss Street Beach Access could not have come at a better time. I’d like to thank the City of Laguna Beach for partnering with my office to secure $1.2 million in State funds to bring this project to life. Local infrastructure has the ability to transform communities, and both local residents and visitors alike will benefit from this new pathway to the shoreline.

The new Moss Street Beach Access improvements include the replacement of the existing stairs with new stairs, walkways, bike racks, and enhanced landscaping. The design incorporates colored concrete steps, board-formed concrete retaining walls, and black anodized aluminum handrails. Read more about the project here.

Good news! The Wetlands & Wildlife Care Center released 20 brown pelicans back into the wild, with around a 100 more pelicans waiting to be released. Back in April, hundreds of brown pelicans began turning up on the California coast emaciated, hypothermic, or tangled up in fishing gear. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of many, some of these animals have been fully rehabilitated and are set to return to their habitats over the coming weeks. Thank you to the incredible staff and volunteers who have cared for and rehabbed these protected species after a devastating starvation event. Team Min was honored to have taken part in the first Pelican release!

OC Register - New Design for Moss Street Beach Unveiled

Courthouse News - Senate Advances Safer California Plan

KTLA - California Auditor to Probe $5.4 million Huntington Beach Airshow Settlement

Courthouse News -  Bill Targeting Voter ID Heads to Senate Floor

LA Times - Bill to Reconfigure the Orange County Board of Education

LAist - Anti-Nepotism Bill Sparked by LAist Investigation