Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur addressed West HollywoodCity Council at their meeting Monday night to recap his contributions in the two-year legislative session.
Zbur highlighted his role as Chair of the Assembly Democratic Caucus and his involvement in various caucuses, such as the Progressive, Environmental, LGBTQ, and Latino Caucuses. He noted the Assembly had to address a $50 billion budget shortfall but was proud that education funding, CalFresh and Medi-Cal programs were preserved.
“Cuts to housing and homeless programs were limited, but there were some unfortunate cuts to climate and environmental programs,” Zbur said. “Some of that will hopefully be made up with the passage by the voters of a climate bond, which will generate billions of dollars for clean energy, coastal resilience, heat mitigation, wildfire prevention, and clean water.”
He then turned to the topic of artificial intelligence, acknowledging both the promise and the risks it presented.
“One of the things I worry about a lot is that with artificial intelligence, we could really improve the human condition, but if it ends up with five billionaires owning everything and people without work, that is something that presents a dystopian future we have to work against, and we have to make sure that doesn’t happen,” he said.
Zbur highlighted the challenges AI posed to the entertainment industry, mentioning that several bills related to AI were passed, and he expected further legislation next year.
Zbur brought the discussion closer to home by addressing the seismic standards hospitals must meet by 2030. Cedars-Sinai Hospital, located partly in West Hollywood, required significant upgrades to meet these standards. Zbur opposed a bill that sought to extend Cedars-Sinai’s timeline for compliance, arguing that it lacked sufficient safeguards. The bill was vetoed by the governor, but Zbur emphasized the importance of finding a way to help Cedars-Sinai meet its obligations.
Next, Zbur reviewed his own legislative accomplishments. He proudly noted that 12 of his bills passed both the Assembly and the Senate and were signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom. Housing was a key priority for Zbur, and he highlighted AB 2525, which helped Los Angeles address homelessness by providing tools to move people living in RVs into permanent and temporary housing. He also discussed AB 2477, which allowed foster youth transitioning to adulthood to save more than $10,000 without losing state benefits, an important step given the high cost of housing.
He referenced AB 1620, a bill introduced at the suggestion of West Hollywood, which allowed people with physical disabilities living in rent-stabilized upper-floor units to move to first-floor units without losing their rent status. Zbur also acknowledged disappointment over AB 2498, the California Housing Security Act, which aimed to provide rent subsidies for highly rent-insecure individuals. This bill was stalled in the Senate, but Zbur remained hopeful that it would be revisited next year.
Zbur then shifted focus to retail crime, thanking West Hollywood for hosting a hearing on the issue. He chaired the Select Committee on Retail Theft, which led to the passage of 10 new public safety laws. One of the key bills targeted organized crime rings by creating a new crime of serial retail theft, with penalties for possessing stolen goods with the intent to resell. The law also allowed police officers to arrest suspects based on video evidence or sworn witness statements. Additionally, the bill included provisions for diversion and rehabilitation programs, like drug courts, to address the root causes of retail crime.
“Data and research tell us that the best way to deter crime is not the blunt approach of just adding more prison time, but really ensuring that law enforcement has the tools to apprehend people engaging in crime and that there is a real consequence for committing those crimes,” Zbur said. “That doesn’t mean that you necessarily have to have a 20-year prison sentence when a jail time or prison sentence of a shorter amount of time is an adequate deterrent. “
In discussing civil rights, Zbur highlighted AB 5, the Safe and Supportive Schools Act, which provided public school teachers with training to better support LGBTQ+ students. He also referenced AB 2258, which codified protections for preventive care in California law, ensuring coverage for services like PrEP and mammograms, even if federal laws changed. Zbur co-sponsored the Safe and Supportive Schools Act, which protected LGBTQ students from being outed without their consent. Despite opposition, this bill was passed and signed into law.
Zbur touched on the rise of anti-Semitic incidents, particularly on college campuses. He had called for a federal investigation into potential civil rights violations at UCLA after disturbing events occurred there. He stressed the importance of preserving and improving ethnic studies curricula to ensure that they created a supportive environment for all students, including Jewish students.
He moved on to discuss AB 263, the Jared Rare Disease Advisory Council bill, which created a council to advocate for people living with rare diseases. Zbur shared a personal connection to the bill, referencing his sister’s battle with a rare disease and the lack of government support for those affected. The council would provide a platform for rare disease patients and families to have their voices heard.
Zbur also highlighted two gun safety bills that passed: AB 2907 and AB 2917. AB 2907 strengthened protections for victims of domestic violence, stalking, and elder abuse by ensuring that guns were confiscated from individuals under gun violence restraining orders. AB 2917 updated gun violence restraining orders to address hate-based or politically motivated threats of violence. Zbur mentioned that this bill was supported by Everytown for Gun Safety and the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office.
Zbur discussed the passage of a historic climate bond, AB 3, which would appear on the ballot this year. The bond aimed to fund clean energy projects, help the state reduce its reliance on fossil fuels, and provide funding for clean water initiatives. Zbur was proud to have served on the steering committee that shaped the bond and was optimistic about its potential impact on California’s environmental future.
Zbur reflected on the challenges and accomplishments of the legislative session, expressing pride in the work done to protect vulnerable communities, improve public safety, and address housing and environmental issues. He expressed his commitment to continuing this work and looked forward to collaborating with West Hollywood City Council in the future.
“I just want to thank you all for being such a strong partner; while we find ourselves in tumultuous times as a nation and world, and while there’s never a dull moment in West Hollywood civic life, I believe that ultimately there’s more that unites us than divides us,” Zbur said.
Rambled on and on.
Rambled and rambled
Our taxes are sky-high, yet the state still has a $50 billion budget shortfall. This is clear evidence of mismanagement.