California State Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo, D-Chatsworth, representing the 40th Assembly District which includes the Santa Clarita Valley, has announced six out of her nine bills that were placed on the Assembly Appropriations Committee suspense file have advanced to the Assembly floor.

“I am thrilled that many important bills that will help people’s pocketbooks, keep our community safe, address housing affordability and homelessness, and protect seniors and veterans advanced to the Assembly floor,” said Schiavo. “People in our community are struggling, and our legislation is focused on making people’s lives better and tackling the biggest issues we’re facing.”

The following bills passed out of the Assembly Appropriations Committee today:

Veterans

AB 1908: Increasing Transparency for Department of Veterans Affairs

Improves government transparency and performance by requiring the California Department of Veterans Affairs to report to the Legislature on the findings of its internal audits.

Protecting Californian’s Pocketbooks

AB 2135: Protecting Workers from Wage Theft

To ensure workers’ hard earned wages are protected, this bill extends the period of time that the Labor Commission is able to review complaints of wage theft, as well as ensures investigations by the Labor Commission are not unduly cut short, which often leaves victims of wage theft without a resolution.

Healthcare, Mental Health and Abortion Care

AB 2999: Healthy Homework Act to Protect Student Mental Health

Given the current student mental health crisis, and that recent studies show students cite homework as a top three stressor in their life, addressing homework requirements will allow us to protect student mental health. This bill will require school boards to consider mental health, physical health and inequities when creating guidelines for homework, including using research to determine how much homework to assign, grading practices, and if homework is optional and not graded.

AB 2670: Abortion Access Transparency

Launches a public awareness campaign to provide medically accurate information as to the availability of abortions via the abortion.ca.gov web site, so that all people seeking abortion information and resources know where they can find reliable and safe information.

Community Safety and Protections

AB 2499: Crime Survivor Trauma Leave

Will allow employees to take their sick leave if they or a family member was a victim of a qualifying act of violence. It will prohibit an employer from discharging or discriminating against an employee who is a victim, or has a family member who was a victim, of an act of violence after taking time off to obtain relief.

AB 2086: Transportation Funding Oversight

Requires Caltrans to enhance an existing public online dashboard, such as Rebuilding California, to display how annual project investments are advancing the vision and goals of the California Transportation Plan to provide good jobs, protect vulnerable communities and meet environmental goals.