Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo's 15 Bill Legislative Package Advances to the Governor's Desk for Signature

SACRAMENTO – Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo announced today that her 15 bill Legislative Package has successfully passed through both houses of the Legislature and is now headed to the Governor's desk for final approval. These bills reflect her commitment to strengthening the economy for middle-class families, keeping our community safe, ensuring everyone has access to housing they can effort, addressing our homelessness crisis, and supporting our veterans.

“Moving these bills forward is a powerful step to help make life better for middle-class families in our community who are struggling to get by,” said Assemblywoman Schiavo. “As a single mom, I know how tight budgets are right now and I am committed to tackling the biggest challenges that our communities face every day. Whether it’s combating retail theft, protecting people from price gouging, supporting our veterans, or ensuring the safety of our neighborhoods, these bills are designed to make a real difference for our community.”

The following bills have passed the Assembly and Senate and are awaiting the Governor's signature:

Protecting Our Pocketbooks & Supporting Small Business

• Protecting Homeowners During Foreclosure (AB 2424)
  Seeks to protect homeowners during the foreclosure process, preventing them from losing home equity—a critical component in building long-term family wealth.
• "Click to Cancel" - Protecting Consumers from Expensive Subscriptions (AB 2863)
  Enhances consumer protections by simplifying the process of canceling automatic subscription renewals.

Housing and Homelessness

• Eliminating Roadblocks for Housing Development (AB 1820)
  Mandates that local jurisdictions provide transparent and accessible data on housing development fees, facilitating smoother progress on housing projects.
• Childcare Access for Parents and Children Experiencing Homelessness or Domestic Violence (AB 2343)
  Expands support for CalWORKs Stage 1 and Stage 2 childcare programs, helping families experiencing homelessness or surviving domestic violence access necessary childcare services.

Healthcare, Mental Health, and Abortion Care

• Abortion Access Transparency (AB 2670)
  Launches a public awareness campaign to provide medically accurate information on abortion access through the abortion.ca.gov website.
• Support for Healthcare Facilities (AB 2637)
  Expands the State Treasurer’s ability to provide loans to health facilities, ensuring they can cover essential operating costs and salaries.
• Healthy Homework Act (AB 2999)
  Addresses the student mental health crisis by requiring school boards to consider mental health and equity when setting homework guidelines.
• Addressing Nursing Shortage (AB 2015)
  Helps alleviate the nursing shortage by allowing nurses to obtain portable teaching credentials from the Board of Registered Nurses.

Veterans

• Veterans' Housing Eligibility (AB 535)
  Ensures that veterans' disability benefits are not counted as income when determining eligibility for supportive, affordable, and transitional housing, making it easier for veterans to access the housing they need.
• Deputy Secretary of Minority and Underrepresented Veteran Affairs (AB 1994)
  Establishes a permanent position within the California Department of Veterans Affairs to advocate for minority and underrepresented veterans.

Community Safety and Protections

• Crime Survivor Trauma Leave (AB 2499)
  Enables employees who are victims of violence, or have a family member who is, to take unpaid leave without fear of discrimination from their employers.
• Transportation Funding Oversight (AB 2086)
  Requires Caltrans to improve its online dashboard to track how transportation projects align with California’s goals for job creation, environmental protection, and community safety.
• Native American Mascot Ban (AB 3074)
  Prohibits schools from using derogatory or culturally insensitive terms such as "Indian" or "Savages" as mascots, fostering a more inclusive environment for all students.

Bills Signed by the Governor

• Reservist Retroactive Financial Support (AB 1854)
  Now signed into law, this bill extends the time for reservists or national guard members to apply for retroactive deferment of payment and interest on certain debts, such as credit cards, vehicle loans, and mortgages. This law ensures that members of the Guard and Reserve, who are often called to active duty on short notice, can take full advantage of legal protections even after they’ve been deployed.
• California Retail Theft Reduction Act (AB 2943 - Principal Co-author)
  Strengthens penalties for shoplifting and retail theft. It allows thefts over $950 across multiple incidents or counties to be prosecuted as grand theft and criminalizes possession of stolen goods worth over $950 with intent to sell. It also allows warrantless arrests for shoplifting under certain conditions.