September 2023 Newsletter
That's a Wrap!
Dear Neighbor,
My first session as a member of the State Legislature is now concluding and it's been a very productive year.
I am happy to report eight of my bills have been passed and await action by the Governor, including bills to take toxic forever chemicals out of menstrual products, expand access to paid family leave and ensure that penalties paid by water quality violators are sent back to the impacted communities most affected by polluted waterways. Visit my legislative page to learn more.
In addition, I am thankful to have secured funding for important local needs and programs totaling nearly $3 million coming back to Assembly District 21.
Finally, I am proud to announce that Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas has appointed me as an Assistant Majority Leader in the State Assembly as part of his leadership team. I am incredibly grateful to Speaker Rivas for his confidence in me and I look forward to working with my colleagues to meet each challenge and to seek opportunities to improve the lives of all Californians.
If you'd like to know more about what's happening in the district or my legislative updates, I invite you to view my newsletter below.
As always, if you need help with a state agency or want to voice your opinion about pending state legislation, feel free to reach out to my office. I look forward to hearing from you. And you can always check out what I'm up to on X (aka Twitter) at @AsmDianePapan or Instagram @asmdianepapan.
Sincerely,
Diane Papan
Assemblymember, 21st District
In The District
Nonprofit of the Year
I was thrilled to nominate local nonprofit Samaritan House and attend the California Association of Nonprofits annual luncheon recognizing them for their outstanding contributions to our local communities. Congratulations Samaritan House!
Pictured Left to Right: Assemblymember Diane Papan, Samaritan House CEO Laura Bent and Board President Cliff Robbins
Redwood City 4th of July Parade
On the 4th of July this year, I had the pleasure of riding in my first Independence Day Parade in Redwood City. It was a great event and I look forward to doing it again next year.
Pictured Left to Right: 4th of July Parade Grand Marshall and Actor Linda Cardellini and Assemblymember Diane Papan
Pictured Left to Right: Alexa Latini and Assemblymember Papan
4th Annual Inclusion Festival
On July 27, I attended the fourth Annual Inclusion Festival sponsored by the San Mateo County Commission on Disabilities, the City of Redwood City, and the Redwood City Parks and Arts Foundation in Red Morton Park in Redwood City. This annual event is a great venue to foster and promote the spirit of inclusion within our communities.
Pictured Left to Right: Assemblymember Diane Papan and Festival Founder Craig McCulloh
San Bruno Office Hours with Mayor Rico Medina
On July 29, I held joint district office hours with San Bruno Mayor Rico Medina at Mazra Restaurant in San Bruno. Many thanks to Thouqan, Jordan and Saif Makableh, owners of Mazra Restaurant for hosting this event. Over 60 local residents attended and it was a great opportunity to answer questions and hear community concerns about a range of issues.
Pictured: Assemblymember Diane Papan and constituents
Pictured Left to Right: Assemblymember Diane Papan and Jordan Makableh (Photo credit: Oaday Awadalla)
AB 246: Banning Harmful “Forever Chemicals” from Tampons
This bill will ban manufacturers of menstrual products from adding Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to their products.
AB 575: Better Access to Paid Family Leave
This bill will remove cumbersome barriers for individuals looking to access their paid family benefits and will ensure families are better supported in their times of joy and grief.
AB 1023: Enhancing School District Cybersecurity
This bill will provide TK-12 schools with additional resources to defend against and respond to cyberattacks by requiring the California Cybersecurity Integration Center (Cal-CSIC) to support schools in the way it does other government agencies.
AB 1567: Climate Resiliency Bond
Along with Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia (D-Coachella), I am co-authoring AB 1567 to address the top concerns of many Californians. This bill would enact the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparation, Flood Protection, Extreme Heat Mitigation, Clean Energy, and Workforce Development Bond Act of 2024. There remains a great deal of work in developing priorities for these investments but that work is now underway. This will remain in development through early next year.
Pictured: Assemblymember Diane Papan
Back to School
The fall means kids will be returning to school. This can be a stressful time for the entire family. The California Department of Health and Human Services provides a range of free online tools for kids and families. The Department’s Back-To-School Mental Health Resources page is a great place to visit to help anticipate and address the challenges associated with a return or start to school.
This fall, all California public schools will offer universal free meals, both breakfast and lunch, for all students regardless of income, and no application is required. Since the start of this meal program last year, children no longer need to pay for their lunches using cash, tickets or by punching in their student id. Children need healthy meals to learn and our local school districts will offer healthy meals every school day. Some school districts may ask parents for some information, but that is only to help the districts obtain funding to support their meal programs. Additionally, this may help families qualify for other benefits and services, including bus passes and even camps.
Your Feedback
If you have not already, please take a few brief moments to provide feedback on your priorities for the District – thank you to the nearly 2,000 residents that have participated to date!