Press Release Archive
May 2012
Thursday, May 17, 2012
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Today, the State Senate unanimously passed a bill by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) which would make it easier for surplus, unopened medication to be donated to uninsured Californians. The vote was 38-0.
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Wednesday, May 16, 2012
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today that he will hold his eighth annual Ice Cream Social and Open House on Thursday, May 24, from 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM at his office in Santa Cruz. He invites residents of the 11th State Senate District to drop in for informal conversation and ice cream.
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Tuesday, May 15, 2012
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) will hold a community celebration May 22 at the Los Altos History Museum to honor Monique Kane as the 11th State Senate District’s Woman of the Year. Kane is Executive Director of the Community Health Awareness Council (CHAC), a nonprofit mental health services agency in Mountain View.
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Monday, May 14, 2012
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Today, the California State Senate passed Senate Bill 1310, a bill by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) which would strengthen California’s hands-free and no texting laws for motorists. The vote was 24-9.
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Thursday, May 10, 2012
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The Junior League of California, a non-partisan organization with more than 11,000 volunteers throughout the state, has named State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) their "Legislator of the Year." Simitian was honored this week at a luncheon at the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento, where he was singled out for his public policy work on behalf of children and families.
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Tuesday, May 08, 2012
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Today, State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) and State Senator Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa) unveiled a budget proposal to keep open up to 50 state parks slated for closure this year, and reverse the closure of still more in 2013, while providing a stable and long-term funding solution. As many as 70 state parks had been slated for closure beginning July 1, 2012.
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Monday, May 07, 2012
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In a media call 11 a.m. Tuesday, State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) will unveil a budget proposal to stop the shutdown of up to 50 state parks and provide a long-term funding plan to protect them. Simitian will be joined on the call by State Senator Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa), a longtime advocate for the state parks.
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April 2012
Friday, April 27, 2012
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On Monday at 11 a.m., State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) will hold a media call to bring attention to the importance of press freedom and the many countries in which it is threatened.
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Wednesday, April 25, 2012
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) will read to a class of fourth-grade students, taught by Holly Harrison and Jessica Tolerba, at Walter Hays Elementary School on Friday morning.
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Wednesday, April 04, 2012
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today his selection of Monique Kane, Executive Director of the Community Health Awareness Council, a nonprofit mental health services agency in Mountain View, as the 11th State Senate District’s Woman of the Year.
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March 2012
Thursday, March 29, 2012
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Inspired by a breast cancer survivor in his district, State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) is reintroducing legislation to improve breast cancer detection.
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Tuesday, March 27, 2012
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On Wednesday at 10:30 a.m., State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) will hold a media call on a bill that he’s reintroducing to improve breast cancer detection in women with dense breast tissue. A prior version of the bill was vetoed last year by Governor Jerry Brown.
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Thursday, March 22, 2012
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) will speak to Palo Alto High School students on Friday about what it’s like to be a state Senator as part of the school’s annual Career Month Speaker Series.
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Friday, March 16, 2012
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Early Intervention for School Success (EISS), a statewide program dedicated to increasing student achievement and lowering retention rates, has named State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) “Education Advocate of the Year” for his work authoring Senate Bill 1381, the Kindergarten Readiness Act of 2010.
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Thursday, March 08, 2012
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) will convene a Senate Informational Hearing on High-Speed Rail on March 13 in Mountain View to hear from High-Speed Rail experts and officials and to give the public an opportunity for input.
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Monday, March 05, 2012
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A study released today by the California Office of Traffic Safety shows that deaths due to hand-held cell phone use by drivers dropped dramatically following the enactment of the hands-free legislation authored by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto).
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February 2012
Friday, February 24, 2012
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Every year, more than $9 billion in unused medicine and supplies are wasted in the United States. At the same time, studies show that more Americans are going without prescription drugs because of costs.
A new bill introduced by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) would address these two problems by making it easier for surplus prescription medication to be donated to uninsured Californians.
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Thursday, February 23, 2012
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), the author of the state’s online privacy law, today praised Attorney General Kamala Harris for the plan she announced Wednesday to bring the millions of users of mobile device applications, called “apps,” under the law’s protection.
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Thursday, February 23, 2012
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On Friday, State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), in partnership with a Stanford-based nonprofit, will introduce legislation to redistribute unused prescription drug medication to Californians in need. This new measure builds on legislation passed by Simitian in 2005.
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Tuesday, February 14, 2012
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) was awarded a “Making a Difference Award” recently from Friends for Youth, a non-profit mentoring organization based in Redwood City. Simitian was recognized as part of the organization’s 13th annual mentoring conference on February 10.
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Monday, February 13, 2012
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), who authored the California law prohibiting coastal dumping by cruise ships and other oceangoing vessels, praised the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its announcement today that it is finalizing a rule to ban all sewage discharge from large ships in state waters along the California coast.
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January 2012
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) today announced the availability of applications for the 2012-2013 California Senate Fellows program. The program provides college graduates an opportunity to become full-time Senate staff at the state Capitol in Sacramento for 11 months beginning in October 2012.
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Monday, January 23, 2012
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) will hold an “Education Update” meeting on Saturday, January 28th, in Palo Alto to discuss this year’s proposed legislation and the budget challenges facing our public schools.
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Wednesday, January 11, 2012
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The Power Association of Northern California (PANC), a nonprofit energy and utility association, has chosen State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) as their “Person of the Year.” Simitian is being recognized for his work authoring SB 2X, a bill which made California a national leader in its commitment to renewable energy. Simitian will be presented with the award on Thursday in San Francisco.
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Friday, January 06, 2012
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CreaTV San Jose, a nonprofit community media center, will present State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) with its “Community Media Champion” award on Saturday at the historic California Theatre in downtown San Jose.
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December 2011
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
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On issues ranging from clean energy to elder abuse and from drug abuse to consumer protection, these bills authored by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) will become law on or by January 1.
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Tuesday, December 20, 2011
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On January 1, California will become the first state in the nation to prohibit the sale of over-the-counter cold and cough medications containing dextromethorphan (DXM) to minors.
Senate Bill 514, authored by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), will require store clerks to check identification to ensure that no one under 18 purchases these medications, which are known to cause a potentially life-threatening high when consumed in high doses.
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Thursday, December 08, 2011
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) will honor Capitola Book Café as the 11th State Senate District Small Business of the Year on Dec. 12 at the Book Café. At the event, Simitian will present a resolution praising the store’s contribution to the community and its commitment to reading, customer service and high business ethics.
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Wednesday, December 07, 2011
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SolarTech, a national renewable energy consortium, will present State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) with its annual “Solar Hero” award on Thursday in San Jose. As this year’s public sector honoree, Simitian is being recognized for his Senate Bill 2X, which made California a national leader in its commitment to renewable energy.
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November 2011
Monday, November 28, 2011
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) today recognized the California Office of Privacy Protection with a resolution celebrating that Office’s tenth anniversary. Simitian was joined in the recognition by his colleagues on the Senate Select Committee on Privacy and State Senator Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
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Friday, November 04, 2011
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The California Reading Association will honor State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) tonight as its Policymaker of the Year. Simitian is receiving the award for his Kindergarten Readiness Act of 2010 (SB 1381), which requires children to be five years old to start kindergarten and provides an additional year of “Transitional Kindergarten” for children with fall birthdays.
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October 2011
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today that he will extend the deadline for his 11th and final "There Oughta Be A Law" contest, which each year invites Californians to submit ideas for new state legislation. The new deadline is November 15, 2011.
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Tuesday, October 11, 2011
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Governor Jerry Brown has vetoed State Senator Joe Simitian’s (D-Palo Alto) bill to improve breast cancer detection, notwithstanding the bill’s broad bipartisan support (35-1 in the Senate, 66-6 in the Assembly). Senate Bill 791 required that following a mammogram, women with dense breast tissue be informed that: they have dense breast tissue; that dense breast tissue can obscure abnormalities (i.e., cancer) on a mammogram; and that they may wish to discuss the potential value of additional screening(s) with their doctors.
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Tuesday, October 11, 2011
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Legislation that will let California citizens continue making voluntary donations to two worthwhile causes when filing their personal income tax returns was signed by Governor Jerry Brown.
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Friday, October 07, 2011
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Governor Jerry Brown has vetoed Senate Bill 29, legislation that would have protected the rights of drivers by regulating “red-light cameras.” The measure’s author, State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), called the veto “a lost opportunity to help restore public trust in the purpose and operation of red-light cameras by bringing accountability and fairness to the process.”
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Thursday, October 06, 2011
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Governor Jerry Brown has signed State Senator Joe Simitian’s (D-Palo Alto) bill to expand the California Capital Access Program (CalCAP) for small businesses. Through Senate Bill 225, small trucking companies will be able to access financing mechanisms for fleet upgrades necessary to improve air quality.
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Wednesday, October 05, 2011
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Governor Jerry Brown has signed into law State Senator Joe Simitian’s (D-Palo Alto) bill to streamline regulatory and environmental reviews for infill development and renewable energy projects.
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Monday, October 03, 2011
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County governments will be better able to cover the growing number of California children who lack health insurance under legislation signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown. Senate Bill 36, introduced by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), enables counties that provide children’s health insurance to tap additional federal funds at no cost to the state. The bill goes into effect January 1, 2012.
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September 2011
Friday, September 30, 2011
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State Senator Joe Simitian’s (D-Palo Alto) bill to make permanent protections against elder financial abuse has been signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown. The legislation, which makes permanent mandated reporting of elder financial abuse, passed the Assembly and the Senate with unanimous support.
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Tuesday, September 27, 2011
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today a series of eight Town Hall meetings around the 11th State Senate District to talk with community members about state government issues. He invites residents to bring their questions, comments and concerns.
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Thursday, September 22, 2011
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) kicked off his 11th annual “There Oughta Be A Law” contest today. The contest invites Californians to submit ideas for state legislation. Finishing his second and final term in the state Senate next year, this will be the last time Simitian holds the contest.
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Wednesday, September 21, 2011
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Governor Jerry Brown has signed into law a bill by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) to revise and update California’s bond laws. Senate Bill 506 changes existing law to clearly allow the recipient of a registered warrant to use the warrant to offset or pay an existing tax liability.
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Thursday, September 15, 2011
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Legislation that would streamline regulatory and environmental reviews for infill development and renewable energy projects passed the Legislature on a bipartisan vote last week and now heads to Governor Jerry Brown for approval.
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Monday, September 12, 2011
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State Senator Joe Simitian’s (D-Palo Alto) bill to improve breast cancer detection has passed the State Legislature and now goes to the Governor for consideration. Senate Bill 791 requires that following a mammogram, patients with dense breast tissue be informed that they have dense breast tissue, that dense breast tissue can obscure abnormalities (i.e., cancer) on a mammogram and that they may wish to discuss the potential value of additional screening(s) with their doctors.
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Wednesday, September 07, 2011
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Governor Jerry Brown has vetoed Senate Bill 28, which would have strengthened California’s hands-free and no-texting laws for motorists. The measure’s author, State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), called the veto “a lost opportunity to save more lives.” Simitian said he would, “review the Governor’s veto message to see if there is any room for compromise in the coming year.”
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Thursday, September 01, 2011
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Legislation that protects the rights of drivers by regulating “red-light cameras” was approved by the Legislature on a bi-partisan vote, and now heads to Governor Jerry Brown for approval. Senate Bill 29, by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), would establish statewide standards for the installation and operation of traffic enforcement cameras, and make it easier to challenge unjustified tickets.
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Thursday, September 01, 2011
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County governments will be better able to cover the growing number of California children who lack health insurance under legislation that passed the Assembly and the Senate today. Senate Bill 36, introduced by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), enables counties that provide children’s health insurance to tap additional federal funds at no cost to the state. The bill now goes to the Governor for his signature.
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August 2011
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
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Governor Jerry Brown has signed into law Senate Bill 514, by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto). The bill prohibits the sale of over the counter cold and cough medicines containing dextromethorphan (DXM) to minors. California becomes the first state in the nation to take such action.
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Wednesday, August 31, 2011
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Earlier today Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law a bill by State Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) to enhance consumer privacy protection when sensitive data is lost or stolen. Senate Bill 24 strengthens the state’s existing data breach notification requirements by providing consumers with the information they need to protect themselves against identity theft.
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Monday, August 29, 2011
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) today said he welcomes the just- released statement from the California High Speed Rail Peer Review Group that supports “a blended system” for High Speed Rail on the San Francisco to San Jose corridor. The “blended” approach was proposed by U.S. Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, State Senator Joe Simitian and State Assemblyman Rich Gordon earlier this year in order to minimize community impacts and reduce the project’s cost.
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Friday, August 19, 2011
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The California State Legislature has voted to approve Senate Bill 24 by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto); the bill now goes to Governor Brown for consideration. Senate Bill 24 strengthens and improves the state’s existing security breach notification requirements.
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Thursday, August 18, 2011
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The California State Legislature has approved Senate Bill 514, by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), which prohibits the sale of over the counter cold and cough medicines containing dextromethorphan (DXM) to minors.
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Wednesday, August 17, 2011
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State Senator Joe Simitian today said he welcomes the just released statement from Caltrain that its “…findings support a concept proposed by U.S. Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, State Senator Joe Simitian and State Assemblyman Rich Gordon that calls for the project to minimize community impacts and reduce the project’s cost…”
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Monday, August 15, 2011
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Today, the California State Legislature passed Senate Bill 28, by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), which would strengthen California’s hands-free and no-texting laws for motorists. The bill heads to the Governor’s desk for consideration.
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Friday, August 05, 2011
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) will be recognizing Eleventh Senate District Artist of the Year, Steve Curtiss, Friday, August 12th at an event in Los Altos.
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July 2011
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
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Senate Bill 445 by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) to provide 21st century privacy protections for California library patrons, has been signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown. California’s library privacy laws were created before the use of the Internet. As a result, an individual’s interaction with the library outside of the typical library book circulation is not protected under current law.
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Friday, July 08, 2011
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Governor Jerry Brown today signed legislation, Senate Bill 221, by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), to expand access to Small Claims Court, often called the “people’s court.” Senate Bill 221 increases the Small Claims Court jurisdictional limit from $7,500 to $10,000. It follows up on Simitian’s successful 2005 effort (SB 422) which raised the previous limit from $5,000 to $7,500. The bill passed both houses of the Legislature with bipartisan unanimous support.
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Friday, July 08, 2011
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today that he will be adding additional dates to his “sidewalk office hours” calendar. The Senator has scheduled seven additional dates in July and August. Simitian invites community members to visit and voice their questions and concerns about state legislative issues.
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Wednesday, July 06, 2011
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The California Legislature has approved Senate Bill 445 by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) to provide 21st century privacy protections for California library patrons. California’s library privacy laws were created before the use of the Internet. As a result, an individual’s interaction with the library outside of the typical library book circulation is not protected under current law.
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June 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
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The California State Legislature has passed State Senator Joe Simitian’s (D-Palo Alto) bill to expand access to Small Claims Court, often called the “people’s court.” Senate Bill 221 increases the Small Claims Court jurisdictional limit from $7,500 to $10,000. It follows up on Simitian’s successful 2005 effort (SB 422) which raised the previous limit from $5,000 to $7,500. The bill passed both houses of the Legislature with bipartisan unanimous support.
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Wednesday, June 22, 2011
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The Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies (CEERT) named State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) a “Clean Power Champion” for 2011 at their annual awards benefit in Sacramento Tuesday night.
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Thursday, June 16, 2011
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) will be joined by breast cancer survivor and “ARE YOU DENSE?” founder, Nancy Cappello, PhD and radiologist Dr. Judy Dean at a press conference to discuss Senate Bill 173 and the importance of a patient’s right to knowledge about breast density.
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Friday, June 03, 2011
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County governments will be better able to cover the growing number of California children who lack health insurance under legislation that passed the Senate this week. Senate Bill 36, introduced by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), enables counties that provide children’s health insurance to tap additional federal funds at no cost to the state. The bill now moves to the Assembly.
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Thursday, June 02, 2011
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Legislation to curb “pension spiking” in the state’s two largest pension systems has been passed by the State Senate. Senate Bill 27, by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), addresses pension spiking, the practice of boosting an employee’s final salary shortly before retirement. Simitian’s legislation applies to the California Public Employees’ Retirement System and the California State Teachers’ Retirement System.
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Thursday, June 02, 2011
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State Senator Joe Simitian’s (D-Palo Alto) bill aimed to increase breast cancer detection passed the State Senate yesterday on a vote of 34 to 5. Senate Bill 173 requires that following a mammogram individuals with dense breast tissue be informed that dense breast tissue may make cancer more difficult to discern and that they may wish to discuss additional screenings.
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May 2011
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
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State Senator Joe Simitian’s (D-Palo Alto) bill to expand access to Small Claims Court, often called the “people’s court,” passed the State Senate today on a vote of 37 to 0. Senate Bill 221 increases the Small Claims Court jurisdictional limit from $7,500 to $10,000.
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Tuesday, May 31, 2011
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The State Senate voted today 37 to 0 to approve Senate Bill 514, by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), which prohibits the sale of over the counter cough medicine containing dextromethorphan (DXM) to minors.
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Friday, May 20, 2011
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today that he will hold an “Education Update” meeting on Saturday, June 4th in Palo Alto for school board members, superintendents, teachers, parents, and other education advocates.
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Monday, May 16, 2011
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Legislation that protects the rights of drivers by regulating “red-light cameras” passed today on a bi-partisan unanimous vote of 36-0 in the State Senate. Senate Bill 29, by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), would establish statewide standards for the installation and operation of traffic enforcement cameras, and make it easier to challenge unjustified tickets.
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Monday, May 16, 2011
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today that he will hold his seventh annual Ice Cream Social and Open House on Thursday, May 26, from 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM at his office in Santa Cruz. He invites residents of the 11th State Senate District to drop in for informal conversation and ice cream.
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Wednesday, May 11, 2011
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) was recognized as an Environmental Champion by Green California Tuesday night during its Advocacy Day reception in the capital. Green California is a network of more than 70 environmental, health and justice organizations who, with their more than 1 million memberships, support the state’s most pressing environmental issues.
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April 2011
Monday, April 25, 2011
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Today, the State Senate passed Senate Bill 28, by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), which would strengthen California’s hands-free and no-texting laws for motorists. The bill passed by a vote of 24-12 and now moves to the State Assembly for consideration.
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Friday, April 15, 2011
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Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (D-Palo Alto), State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) and Assemblymember Rich Gordon (D-Menlo Park) will join together Monday for a major announcement regarding the state’s High-Speed Rail project.
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Thursday, April 14, 2011
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The California State Senate voted Thursday to approve Senate Bill 24 by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto). Senate Bill 24 strengthens and improves the state’s existing security breach notification requirements.
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Tuesday, April 12, 2011
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Today Governor Jerry Brown signed into law Senate Bill 2X, putting California in the national forefront in its commitment to renewable energy. The bill authored by State Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) requires private and public utilities to obtain 33% of their electricity from renewable energy resources by 2020, raising the target from the current 20%, while providing the flexibility necessary to meet the higher standard.
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Monday, April 11, 2011
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), the author of legislation requiring California to obtain 33% of its electricity from renewable resources by 2020, will be in attendance and available for interviews Tuesday when Governor Jerry Brown signs Senate Bill 2X into law at the SunPower/Flextronics solar manufacturing plant in Milpitas. The Governor and Simitian will be joined by U.S. Energy Secretary Dr. Steven Chu for the signing ceremony and dedication of SunPower’s new facility.
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March 2011
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
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Legislation authored by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) that would put California in the national forefront in its commitment to renewable energy is headed to Governor Jerry Brown. Senate Bill 2X would require private and public utilities to obtain 33% of their electricity from renewable energy sources by 2020, raising the target from the current 20%, while providing the flexibility necessary to meet the higher standard.
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Monday, March 21, 2011
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today his selection of Melinda Cervantes, Executive Director and County Librarian of the Santa Clara County Library, as the 11th State Senate District’s Woman of the Year.
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Thursday, March 03, 2011
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) has announced two winners in this year’s “There Oughta Be a Law” contest. The winning entries would improve screening for breast cancer, suggested by Amy Colton of Soquel, and update privacy protections for library patrons, suggested by Mary Minow of Cupertino. Simitian has introduced bills to turn those proposals into law
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February 2011
Thursday, February 24, 2011
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The California Senate today passed legislation authored by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) that would require private and public utilities to obtain 33% of their electricity from renewable energy sources by 2020. Senate Bill 2X would raise the renewable target from the current 20%, while providing the flexibility necessary to meet the higher standard. The measure passed on a vote of 26-11.
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Monday, February 07, 2011
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“The governor’s budget actually treats K-12 education pretty well,” State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) told an overflow crowd of 180 school board members, administrators, teachers and education advocates at his annual “Education Update” on Saturday, February 5th. “But ‘pretty well’ is in the context of having been beaten about the head and shoulders the last couple years.”
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Friday, February 04, 2011
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) is reminding interested applicants that the deadline to apply for the 2011-2012 California State Senate Fellowship program is approaching. The Center for California Studies at California State University Sacramento is accepting applications for next year’s fellows until
February 23, 2011.
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January 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
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County governments would be better able to cover the growing number of California children who lack health insurance under legislation, Senate Bill 36, introduced by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto). Counties that provide children’s health insurance could tap additional federal funds at no cost to the state.
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Monday, January 24, 2011
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today that he will hold an “Education Update” meeting on Saturday, February 5th, in Palo Alto for school board members, superintendents, teachers, parents, and other education advocates.
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Thursday, January 20, 2011
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State Senator Joe Simitian announced today he has introduced a bill to enhance consumer privacy protection by strengthening the notification requirements when databases of personal information are compromised.
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December 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
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With the start of the new year, maliciously impersonating someone online – with a phony Facebook page or e-mails apparently sent from their account – isn’t just a cruel prank anymore. It’s a crime. Senate Bill 1411, authored by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), becomes law January 1, updating California’s 19th century impersonation law to the Internet age.
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Tuesday, December 21, 2010
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The Consumer Federation of California (CFC), a statewide consumer rights organization, has recognized State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) for his 2010 voting record with a 100% score on its annual legislative scorecard.
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Monday, December 06, 2010
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) today introduced legislation to require private and public utilities to obtain 33% of their electricity from renewable energy sources by 2020. The bill would raise the renewable target from the current 20%, while providing the flexibility necessary to meet the higher standard.
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Thursday, December 02, 2010
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Lauding the efforts of State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) as an advocate for education, the California School Boards Association has honored him as 2010 “Outstanding Legislator of the Year.”
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November 2010
Monday, November 01, 2010
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State Sen. Joe Simitian is holding a reception November 9 to honor two Palo Alto teachers, Diana Argenti and Natalie Bivas, who inspired him to author Senate Bill 1381, the Kindergarten Readiness Act of 2010, which was signed into law September 30. The reception will be from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
in the Palo Alto Unified School District Board Room, 25 Churchill Ave., Palo Alto.
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October 2010
Thursday, October 14, 2010
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) will hold a series of Town Hall meetings in the Willow Glen neighborhood of San Jose, in Campbell and in Cupertino, on October 25, 26 and 27, to talk with community members about state government issues.
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Wednesday, October 13, 2010
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Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has vetoed accountability measures in the 2010-2011 state budget that would have required the California High-Speed Rail Authority to meet several benchmarks by February 1, 2011, in order to continue to receive state funding. State Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) characterized Schwarzenegger’s veto as “regrettable.” Simitian noted that “the High-Speed Rail Authority desperately needs to rebuild its credibility and public support. A failure to require accountability measures only makes that task more difficult.”
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Friday, October 01, 2010
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California’s youngest students have been given a better chance to succeed from their first day in school with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s signature yesterday on the Kindergarten Readiness Act of 2010 by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto). Simitian’s measure requires children to be five years old to start kindergarten, and provides an additional year of “Transitional Kindergarten” for children with fall birthdays.
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September 2010
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
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Legislation authored by State Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) to streamline the state’s environmental review process without weakening essential protections has been signed into law, as Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger approved Senate Bill 1456 today.
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Wednesday, September 29, 2010
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Legislation authored by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) to protect the privacy of drivers using the FasTrak payment system for toll bridges and roads has been signed into law by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
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Tuesday, September 28, 2010
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Maliciously impersonating someone online – out of revenge, or jealousy, or a twisted sense of humor -- isn’t just a cruel game anymore. It’s a crime. California’s 19th century impersonation law was updated to protect victims of e-personation yesterday when Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed legislation, authored by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto). Senate Bill 1411 makes it a misdemeanor to impersonate someone online with intent to harm, intimidate, threaten or defraud.
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Wednesday, September 22, 2010
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) kicked off his 10th annual “There Oughta Be A Law” contest today. The contest invites Californians to submit ideas for state legislation.
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Thursday, September 02, 2010
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Legislation authored by State Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) to streamline the state’s environmental review process without weakening essential protections has passed the Legislature. Senate Bill 1456 now moves to the Governor’s desk.
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Wednesday, September 01, 2010
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Aiming to give children a better chance to succeed from their first day in school, the California Legislature has approved Senate Bill 1381, the Kindergarten Readiness Act of 2010 by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto). The measure increases the minimum age for entering kindergarten from 5 years old by December 2 of the school year to 5 years old by September 1 of the school year. For children born between September 2 and December 2, a new Transitional Kindergarten would be established.
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August 2010
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
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Legislation authored by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) to curb “pension spiking” in the state’s two largest pension systems has passed the Legislature. Senate Bill 1425, which pertains to the California Public Employees’ Retirement System and the California State Teachers’ Retirement System, now moves to the Governor’s desk.
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