Assemblyman Scott Wilk

Assemblyman Scott Wilk is gearing up for his second term in Sacramento with several committee appointments that will help him serve his Santa Clarita Valley constituency, he said.

With technology and laws pertaining to online activity being on the vanguard of much legislative discussion, Wilk is especially pleased with his appointment to the Committee on Privacy and Consumer Protection.

“From the Target shoppers who have had their private information stolen, to the cyber-attack on Sony, it’s clear as technology improves our quality of life, there is also greater risks as well,” Wilk said. “We need to do all we can to protect the privacy of our citizens, while not crippling technological advances, or picking winners and losers in the marketplace.”

Wilk, who was named caucus chair for Assembly Republicans in December, is set to serve on the Business and Professions Committee, the Governmental Organization Committee, a budget subcommittee that handles fiscal oversight for state agencies, a joint committee on arts, and the newly minted Committee on Privacy and Consumer Protection.

The Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee has as-yet undefined jurisdiction for the state’s Legislature, but it’s expected to handle a number of growing concerns for consumers statewide, Wilk said.

Some of the areas that might be addressed by the committee include the protection of personal information in the digital age and data security, he said.

His budget subcommittee for state agencies appointment was something he looked forward to because it would enable him to keep an eye on how legislation he worked on in other Assembly committees was enacted.

“All those jurisdictions come under the budget subcommittee 4,” he said, “so I’m going to see whether the legislation is being implemented properly.”

The Governmental Organization Committee works to address legislation concerning alcohol, tobacco, horse racing and gaming, as well as the Public Records Act and outdoor signs, he said.

The Business and Professions Committee has responsibility over the Department of Consumer Affairs and the state’s professional licensing agencies, such as occupational licensing for medical and non-medical purposes, including private postsecondary and vocational education.

Wilk was on the Rules Committee and the Higher Education Committee for the last session, but he said he did not request those two for the current session.

For committee appointments, a member of the Assembly submits his or her committee requests to a respective member’s party leader, which for Assembly Republicans is Kristin Olsen, who then puts in requests to the Assembly speaker, who has the final say.