Press Release Archive
September 2010
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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Wednesday, August 25, 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 passed the Legislature and is on its way to the Governor.
“There’s just no reason for a government agency to track the movements of Californians, let alone maintain that information in a database forever and ever,” said Simitian.
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Wednesday, August 25, 2010
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State Sen. 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 has proposed to ban all sewage discharges from large ships in state waters the length of the California coast.
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Friday, August 20, 2010
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The California Legislature has acknowledged that the treatment of Italian Americans during World War II “represented a fundamental injustice” and has expressed its “deepest regrets.” Senate Concurrent Resolution 95, authored by State Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), has been passed by the Assembly and the Senate “to help repair the damage to the Italian American community, and to discourage the occurrence of similar injustices” in the future. The measure is consistent with action taken in the U.S. Congress earlier in the decade.
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Friday, August 20, 2010
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The California Legislature has passed Senate Bill 1431, authored by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), to help county governments cover the growing number of California children who lack health insurance. The bill, which unanimously passed the Assembly on Aug. 18, now moves to the Governor’s desk.
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Thursday, August 19, 2010
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The California Legislature has voted to enhance consumer privacy protection by passing Senate Bill 1166, by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), which strengthens the notification required when databases of personal information are compromised. The bill now moves to the Governor’s desk.
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Thursday, August 12, 2010
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The California Legislature has taken an important step toward protecting victims of online impersonation, or e-personation, by passing Senate Bill 1411, authored by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto). The bill would make it a misdemeanor to maliciously impersonate another person online.
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Thursday, August 05, 2010
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SACRAMENTO -- An informational hearing on the State Water Resources Control Board’s scientific report on the water flow required for a healthy ecosystem in the Delta will be held Monday, Aug, 9, by the Senate Select Committee on Delta Conservation, Conveyance and Governance, chaired by Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto).
The hearing will include 30-minute presentations from heads of state water agencies, the scientists who prepared the report, water providers and environmental groups.
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July 2010
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) will present Books Inc. with the 11th Senate District “Small Business of the Year Award” at its Palo Alto store on July 28 at 7 p.m.
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Friday, July 16, 2010
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Legislation to improve the Election Day experience at polling places, which began as an idea presented to State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) by two of his constituents, has been signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. The bill, Senate Bill 1342, provides more flexibility in designating precincts and polling places.
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Wednesday, July 07, 2010
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With less than three months to go in the Legislature’s two-year session, State Senator Joe Simtian (D-Palo Alto) has introduced legislation (Senate Bill 1456) to streamline the state’s environmental review process without weakening essential protections.
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June 2010
Thursday, June 24, 2010
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Legislation authored by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) to require private and public utilities to obtain 33% of their electricity from renewable sources by 2020 passed the Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee today. Senate Bill 722, passed 9-2, would raise the renewable target from 20%, while providing the flexibility necessary to meet the higher standard.
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Wednesday, June 09, 2010
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The California State Senate has passed legislation, authored by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), to help county governments cover the growing number of California children who lack health insurance.
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Tuesday, June 08, 2010
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The California State Senate took a step last week toward protecting victims of online impersonation by passing Senate Bill 1411, authored by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), which would make it a misdemeanor to maliciously impersonate another person online.
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Monday, June 07, 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 passed the State Senate last week.
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Friday, June 04, 2010
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This week the California State Senate voted to approve State Senator Joe Simitian’s (D-Palo Alto) Senate Bill 1245. The bill would prohibit transit agencies from charging carpoolers for the use of high-occupancy traffic lanes.
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Thursday, June 03, 2010
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Today the California State Senate passed State Senator Joe Simitian’s (D-Palo Alto) Senate Bill 1475 by a vote of 21-16. The bill would strengthen California’s hands-free and no-texting laws for motorists. SB 1475 now moves to the State Assembly for consideration.
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Wednesday, June 02, 2010
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Today the State Senate approved legislation by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) to change the minimum age for children entering kindergarten.
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Tuesday, June 01, 2010
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today that his Senate Bill 1425, which aims to curtail the problem of pension spiking in California, was approved by the State Senate by a vote of 34-0.
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Tuesday, June 01, 2010
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Today the State Senate passed Senate Bill 1362, by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), to protect drivers by regulating the use of “red light” cameras.
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May 2010
Friday, May 28, 2010
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To ensure that drivers’ rights are respected as traffic control and enforcement technologies evolve, State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today that he has introduced a trio of transportation bills that protect motorists.
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Wednesday, May 26, 2010
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today that he will hold “sidewalk office hours” in six local communities in June. Simitian invites community members to visit and voice their questions and concerns about state legislative issues.
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Tuesday, May 18, 2010
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today his selection of Books Inc. as the 11th State Senate District Small Business of the Year.
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Wednesday, May 12, 2010
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today that he will hold his sixth annual Ice Cream Social and Open House on Thursday, May 27, from 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM at his office in Santa Cruz.
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April 2010
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) will host a community celebration to honor San Jose Vice Mayor Judy Chirco, the 11th State Senate District’s Woman of the Year, in San Jose on May 6. Simitian selected Chirco for the award to recognize her decades of community service and leadership.
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Friday, April 16, 2010
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The California State Senate voted Thursday to approve Senate Bill 1166 by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto). Senate Bill 1166 would strengthen and improve the state’s existing security breach notification requirements.
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Thursday, April 15, 2010
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Fight Crime: Invest in Kids California has named State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) as the recipient of its 2010 Crime Fighter Award. Simitian was singled out for his legislation to benefit youth and public safety.
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Monday, April 12, 2010
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Today State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced legislation to change the minimum age for children entering kindergarten. The proposal, supported by policy experts and education advocates, would boost kindergarten readiness and save an estimated $700 million annually, totaling $9.1 billion over a 13 year period.
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Monday, April 05, 2010
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The award-winning local documentary $100 a Day will be screened at back-to-back community events this month: at Stanford Law School on April 21st and at the Santa Cruz Police Department on April 22nd. Both screenings are free and open to the public.
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March 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) has announced three winners of this year’s “There Oughta Be A Law” contest. Since 2001, Simitian has invited Californians to submit suggestions for new legislation. To date, fifteen winning ideas have been signed into law. This year, his office received 426 proposals from residents throughout his district and across the state.
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Thursday, March 11, 2010
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) has introduced Senate Bill 1425 which aims to curtail the problem of pension spiking in California. Pension spiking is a term used when an employee boosts their final salary before retirement by cashing out on vacation time or administrative leave, among other things, in order to get a higher payout.
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Tuesday, March 09, 2010
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Wednesday State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) will join representatives of the National MS Society, the Diabetes Coalition of California, the California Conference of Environmental Health Directors and other consumer health organizations to present criteria that will be used to evaluate safe needle disposal plans prepared by drug manufacturers. The criteria come on the heels of Simitian’s Senate Bill 486, which was signed into law by Governor Schwarzenegger last fall.
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Monday, March 08, 2010
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today his selection of San Jose Vice Mayor Judy Chirco as the 11th State Senate District’s Woman of the Year.
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Thursday, March 04, 2010
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Today State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) reintroduced legislation that requires all energy providers to buy 33 percent of their energy from clean, renewable energy sources by 2020.
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February 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
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The National Multiple Sclerosis Society has named State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) their California Legislator of the Year.
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Monday, February 22, 2010
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today the introduction of Senate Bill 1475 which strengthens the state’s hands-free and anti-texting laws for motorists.
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Wednesday, February 17, 2010
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Recently released collision and fatality data from the California Highway Patrol (CHP) confirms that California’s streets and highways are safer following the implementation of California’s “hands-free” cell phone law.
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Monday, February 01, 2010
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) was recognized today with a 2009 distinguished leadership award by the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA). The organization recognized Simitian for his work in the legislature dating back to 2001, when he became one of the first legislators to pass design-build laws for public agencies, focusing on K-12 school districts.
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January 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
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Simitian, a member of the Senate Education Committee, will provide an in-depth update on K-12 education funding, “Race to the Top”, and legislation pending in Sacramento.
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Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Friday, January 15, 2010
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The Consumer Federation of California and the California Public Interest Research Group (CALPIRG), two statewide consumer rights organizations, have recognized State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) for his 2009 voting record. Both organizations gave Simitian 100% scores on their annual legislative scorecards.
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Tuesday, January 12, 2010
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today that he will hold a public informational hearing on California’s high-speed rail project on Thursday, January 21st at Palo Alto City Hall.
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Friday, January 08, 2010
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Governor Schwarzenegger signed Senate Bill (SB) 2 (in the 5th Extraordinary Session), authored by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto). Senate Bill X5 2 expands and improves public access to California’s student performance data (CALPADS). The bill passed during a special session focused on enacting legislation to qualify California to compete for up to $700 million in federal “Race to the Top” funding.
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Thursday, January 07, 2010
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today that he will hold an “Education Update” meeting on Saturday, January 23rd in Palo Alto for school board members, superintendents, teachers, parents, and other education advocates.
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December 2009
Friday, December 18, 2009
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The State Legislature approved Senate Bill (SB) X5 2, authored by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto). The legislation, passed Thursday in a special session focused on education reform, would expand and improve public access to California’s student performance data.
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Tuesday, December 15, 2009
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) has received top marks from state environmental and senior groups for his voting record this year.
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November 2009
Thursday, November 12, 2009
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Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today signed legislation by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), which aims to restore the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and ensure an adequate supply of water for California in the years ahead.
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Thursday, November 05, 2009
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The hearing will be held in collaboration with the Senate Select Committee on Bay Area Transportation, Chaired by Senator Mark Leno, (D-San Francisco) and the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee’s sub-committee on Caltrans’ budget, headed by Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto).
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Wednesday, November 04, 2009
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SACRAMENTO - The California State Legislature has approved a package of legislation which aims to restore the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and ensure an adequate supply of water for California in the years ahead. A key element of the package is Senate Bill 1 (in the Seventh Extraordinary Session), authored by State Senator Joe Simitian (D- Palo Alto). Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D- Sacramento) is a joint author.
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October 2009
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today that he will extend the deadline for his ninth annual "There Oughta Be A Law" contest, which invites Californians to submit ideas for new state legislation. The new deadline is Sunday, November 15, 2009.
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Tuesday, October 13, 2009
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Sacramento – As the first major storm of the season hits much of California today, State Senator Joe Simitian (D – Palo Alto) joined law enforcement officials in reminding drivers about the importance of keeping “Wipers On, Lights On.”
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Monday, October 12, 2009
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Sacramento – Governor Schwarzenegger signed Senate Bill 486, authored by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto). The new law – suggested by a constituent in Simitian’s annual “There Oughta Be A Law” contest – will help an estimated one million Californians safely dispose of their “sharps” (a type of medical waste that includes syringes and needles).
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Sunday, October 11, 2009
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Statements of Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) and Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) on Governor Schwarzenegger’s veto of SB 14, Senator Simitian’s bill that would have required all electric utilities to generate a third of their power from renewable resources.
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Sunday, October 11, 2009
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Today Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed State Senator Joe Simitian's (D-Palo Alto) Senate Bill 20. The bill would have strengthened and updated California's landmark privacy protection law that requires businesses and state agencies to notify residents when sensitive personal information is lost or stolen from their databases.
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Sunday, October 11, 2009
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Today Governor Schwarzenegger signed into law Senate Bill 19, by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), which ensures California’s eligibility to compete for $4.35 billion in federal school funding.
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Friday, October 09, 2009
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Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) and Senator Joe Simitian (D- Palo Alto), Chair of the Senate Environmental Quality Committee, sent the Governor the following letter requesting continued productive conversations working toward adopting an enforceable renewable portfolio standard.
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Monday, October 05, 2009
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today that he will hold town hall meetings in Campbell on October 14th and in San Jose’s Willow Glen neighborhood on October 15th to talk with community members about state government issues.
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September 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
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Sacramento – State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) will be participating in U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood’s Distracted Driving Summit this week in Washington, D.C. The Department of Transportation has invited 200 participants from around the country to determine the best ways to reduce the number of crashes and deaths due to distracted driving.
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Monday, September 28, 2009
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) is set to meet with top U.S. Department of Education officials in Washington, D.C. Tuesday regarding California’s “Race to the Top” eligibility; and specifically his legislation, Senate Bill 19, which is on its way to the Governor’s desk for a signature.
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Tuesday, September 22, 2009
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) kicked off his ninth annual “There Oughta Be A Law” contest today. The contest invites Californians to submit ideas for state legislation.
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Monday, September 14, 2009
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) and supporters of his legislation, Senate Bill 14, called on the Governor today to reconsider threats of a possible veto.
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Monday, September 14, 2009
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) will hold a conference call with members of the media to discuss SB 14, his bill to require all electric utilities in California to generate one third of their power from renewable sources by 2020.
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Saturday, September 12, 2009
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Sacramento – Senate Bill 14, which requires all energy providers to buy 33 percent of their energy from clean renewable energy sources by 2020 has been approved by the legislature. The bill, authored by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) now heads to the Governor who has until October 11th to either sign the legislation or veto it.
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Friday, September 11, 2009
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Sacramento- The State Legislature has passed SB 19 by State Senator Joe Simitian, (D-Palo Alto). The measure is designed to put to rest a controversy Simitian describes as “a tempest in a teapot” over California’s eligibility for federal funds for schools.
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Thursday, September 10, 2009
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today that his bill, SB 486, to facilitate the safe disposal of “sharps” (a type of medical waste that includes syringes and needles) passed its final hurdle in the Legislature.
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Wednesday, September 09, 2009
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The State Legislature approved State Senator Joe Simitian’s (D-Palo Alto) SB 20, a bill to strengthen and update California’s landmark privacy protection law.
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Tuesday, September 01, 2009
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today a series of town hall meetings this month in Cupertino, Redwood City, and Palo Alto to talk with community members about state government issues.
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August 2009
Monday, August 31, 2009
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Sacramento- Today the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa released a letter in strong support of SB 14 by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto). The bill requires investor owned utilities, publicly owned utilities, and energy service providers to procure 33% of their electricity from renewable sources such as wind, solar and geothermal by 2020. SB 14 passed the Assembly Appropriations Committee last week, and is currently on the Assembly floor awaiting a vote.
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Tuesday, August 18, 2009
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today that he will hold “sidewalk office hours” in Willow Glen on August 29th and Campbell on August 30th.
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Thursday, August 06, 2009
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Sacramento- Today Governor Schwarzenegger signed Senate Bill 159, by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), making legislation that requires drivers to move over or slow down when approaching roadside emergency scenes along the highway, permanent.
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July 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today that he will hold “sidewalk office hours” in Los Altos on July 30th and San Carlos on August 6th.
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June 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today that he will hold “sidewalk office hours” in Redwood City on July 11th and Menlo Park on July 12th.
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Monday, June 15, 2009
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today that he will hold “sidewalk office hours” in Palo Alto on Saturday, June 27. Simitian invites community members to visit and voice their questions and concerns about state issues.
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Monday, June 08, 2009
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) today announced his selection of Campbell-based painter Sonya Paz as the Eleventh Senate District Artist of the Year. Born and raised in the South Bay, Paz designs and sells artwork from her newly-expanded studio and gallery in downtown Campbell.
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Friday, June 05, 2009
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today that he will hold “sidewalk office hours” in Campbell on June 14, Cupertino on June 19, and San Jose’s Willow Glen neighborhood on June 20. Simitian invites community members to visit and voice their questions and concerns about state issues.
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Thursday, June 04, 2009
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The League of Women Voters of Palo Alto will host a screening of a new documentary, titled $100 a Day, in Palo Alto on June 11. California State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) will participate in a panel discussion following the film, along with filmmaker Gwen Essegian and Rick Walker, the film’s subject.
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Monday, June 01, 2009
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today that he will hold an “Education Update” meeting on Saturday, June 13 in Palo Alto for school board members, superintendents, teachers, parents, and other education advocates.
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May 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
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State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today that he will hold three “sidewalk office hours” on May 29-31 in Cupertino, Campbell, and San Jose’s Willow Glen neighborhood.
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Monday, May 11, 2009
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State Senator Joe Simitian announced today that he will hold his fifth annual Ice Cream Social and Open House on Thursday, May 21, from 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM at his office in Santa Cruz. He invites residents of the 11th Senate District to drop in for informal conversation and ice cream.
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Friday, May 08, 2009
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Sacramento – The California State PTA honored State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) with an Honorary Service Award at its 110th annual convention held last week in San Jose.
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Monday, May 04, 2009
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Sacramento – State Senator Joe Simitian is inviting constituents in the 11th State Senate District to participate in the Senate’s first ever live streaming town hall from the State Capitol. “E-Upd@te With State Senator Joe Simitian” will take place from 7 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, May 13th. All topics will be open for discussion during the one hour event.
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April 2009
Thursday, April 30, 2009
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Sacramento – Winners in State Senator Simitian’s 2009 “There Oughta Be A Law” contest traveled to Sacramento this week to testify in the State Senate – with good results. Advocates for all three bills persuaded Senate Committee members that each of their bills should become state law. Each of the bills now moves onto the next steps of the legislative process.
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Monday, April 27, 2009
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Sacramento – The California State Senate approved today SB 20, legislation by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), which aims to strengthen existing privacy protection laws for California consumers. The new law builds on legislation authored by Simitian in 2002 that requires a business or government agency that incurs a data breach to provide notice to the individual(s) whose information was compromised. More than 40 states have adopted similar legislation since that time, largely based on the California measure.
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Thursday, April 16, 2009
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Sacramento -- The State Senate Thursday voted to approve legislation to provide for creation of a regional park and open space district in Santa Cruz County. SB 211, authored by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) and co-authored by State Assemblymember Bill Monning (D-Santa Cruz) is sponsored by the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County.
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Tuesday, April 14, 2009
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Palo Alto -- State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) will host a community celebration in honor of Naomi Nakano-Matsumoto, the 11th State Senate District’s Woman of the Year, in Cupertino on April 23.
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Thursday, April 09, 2009
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Palo Alto -- State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today his selection of Hicklebee’s as the 11th Senate District Small Business of the Year.
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March 2009
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
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Sacramento – Senate Bill 14, which requires all energy providers to buy 33 percent of their energy from clean renewable energy sources by 2020 has been approved by the Senate 21-16. The bill, authored by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) now heads to the Assembly.
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Thursday, March 19, 2009
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Sacramento -- After reviewing 331 proposals from residents around the state, State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today the three winners of this year’s “There Oughta Be A Law” contest. Simitian’s annual contest invites Californians to submit suggestions for new legislation.
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Thursday, March 12, 2009
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SACRAMENTO – State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today his selection of Naomi Nakano-Matsumoto as the 11th State Senate District’s Woman of the Year.
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January 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
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Sacramento - State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced that he will hold an “Education Update” meeting on Saturday, January 24 in Palo Alto for school board members, superintendents, teachers, parents, and other education advocates.
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Thursday, January 15, 2009
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Sacramento - Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) announced that he has appointed State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) as Chair of the Senate Budget Subcommittee on Resources, Environmental Protection, Energy & Transportation. Steinberg also reappointed Simitian as Chair of the Senate Environmental Quality Committee, with jurisdiction over environmental quality, air quality, toxics, water quality, and hazardous waste.
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December 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
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Palo Alto – As Californians usher in the New Year, they will find new protections for many including victims of sexual abuse, veterans and seniors. The protections will come from laws that State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) authored and will take effect on January 1, 2009. The following are among the 14 bills that Simitian received signatures on this fall from the Governor.
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Tuesday, December 02, 2008
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Sacramento – State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today that he introduced Senate Bill 14, which requires the state to buy 33 percent of its energy from clean, environmentally friendly renewable energy resources by 2020. Simitian said he introduced the bill on the first day of session, “because of the urgency of this issue.”
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October 2008
Monday, October 06, 2008
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Palo Alto – State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) kicked off his eighth annual “There Oughta Be A Law” contest today. The contest invites Californians to submit ideas for state legislation.
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Wednesday, October 01, 2008
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Sacramento – State Senator Joe Simitian’s legislation (SB 31) to outlaw “skimming,” the covert reading of personal information stored on RFID-enabled ID cards, was signed into law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. The bill makes it a crime to surreptitiously read information stored on tiny electronic devices known as RFID tags.
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Wednesday, October 01, 2008
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Palo Alto – State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today that Governor Schwarzenegger has signed his Senate Bill 1400, which provides greater protection for the elderly and vulnerable against deceptive sweepstakes solicitations. Simitian’s measure is the first such effort in the past 10 years.
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September 2008
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
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Sacramento – Governor Schwarzenegger today signed legislation to address the needs of the Sacramento San Joaquin Delta in the event of an emergency. Senate Bill 27, authored by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), requires the Office of Emergency Services to convene a Multi-Hazard Coordination Task Force that is responsible for emergency response planning in the Delta. Simitian said his goal with SB 27 is, “to make sure that at the moment of emergency, we know who’s in charge and what’s to be done; and that folks are properly trained for a successful response.”
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Tuesday, September 30, 2008
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Sacramento – Governor Schwarzenegger today signed legislation creating outreach programs for veterans to learn about and seek treatment for traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Senate Bill 1401, authored by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), ensures that service men and women returning from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars are aware of the causes, symptoms, impacts and treatment options for these injuries.
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