Sam Spade's San Francisco

That's Tom under the parasol during the 2009 Japantown Cherry Blossom Festival. When Tom's not in San Francisco he's hard at work in Sacramento and here's Tom's report in his own words:

AB 365 – My bill to protect consumers from excessive bank fees and deceitful business practices, the Consumer Overdraft Protection Fair Practices Act (AB 365) has been referred to the Assembly Banking and Finance Committee. The bill would require banks and credit unions to allow members to "opt in" to overdraft protection programs, disclose the fees associated, and prevent banks from setting their fees at usurious levels.

SB 810 - On April 15, the Single Payer Healthcare bill (SB 810 - Leno) was heard in the Senate Health Committee where it passed 7 to 4. I am a principal co-author of the bill, which now moves on to the Senate Appropriations Committee for its next vote. Single payer is the best way to address our growing healthcare crisis and your support is crucial to its passing.

Please contact the Senators on the Committee to let them know that you support health care reform!

AB 390 – For the first time ever in a statewide Field Poll, a majority of state voters - 56 percent - expressed support for legalizing and taxing marijuana in a poll released last week. My landmark bill to regulate marijuana, the Marijuana Regulation, Control and Education Act (AB 390) is now part of a national discussion regarding the decriminalization and regulation of marijuana. Public opinion polls and editorials across the country have come out in favor of moving towards a reasonable policy around marijuana.

For the full Field poll results, click here.

To build on this growing support, I have chosen to make AB 390 a two-year bill. This will enable us to make a much stronger bill by gathering further evidence of the benefits of legalization and will give our grassroots supporters the opportunity to contact members throughout the state. I look forward to bringing it up for a hearing early next year.

Below are informative links regarding the benefits of legalization:

• Drug Decriminalization in Portugal: Lessons for Creating Fair and Successful Drug Policies
• The Beckley Foundation: Cannabis Commission
• Why Legalizing Marijuana Makes Sense
  

Many seniors and persons with disabilities have called inquiring about their SSI payments after receiving a recent letter from Social Security. As a result of the state’s budget cuts, SSI rates will be cut on May 1, 2009 and again on July 1, 2009. I understand that this will cause a great hardship for many people and I am committed to restoring fiscal balance to the state so that we can provide the needed support to our seniors and disabled.

New Committee Appointments: Assemblymember Ammiano has been appointed to several new committees.

• Assembly Select Committee on Foster Care
• Assembly Select Committee on Biotechnology
  
• Joint Legislative Committee on the Arts

The national kick-off for the 2010 census took place on March 31. I want to remind you that no one, regardless of legal status, should be afraid to talk to census takers. It is very important to the State of California that all residents be counted. For more information or to become a census taker, please visithttp://www.census.gov/.

New data made available by the Alzheimer’s Association shows that, over the next 20 years in California, Alzheimer’s disease will increase dramatically. Along with this increase will come personal and financial costs and hardship.

By 2030, there will be 1.1 million people in California living with Alzheimer’s disease – that’s double the number that exists today. For Latinos and Asians the number is expected to triple. If you consider today’s “baby boomer” population of Californians, aged 55 and over, it is expected that one in eight will develop Alzheimer’s disease some time in their lives.

Most people with Alzheimer’s disease are cared for by a family member. While most experts agree that this is a preferred option, we know it is also very difficult for families. Providing care to a loved one can both reduce earning power and add stress to lives.

This information regarding the increase in the number of people living with Alzheimer’s and the personal and financial costs of their care is staggering, and I believe we must do more to fight this disease. You can count on me to do whatever I can to improve research, treatment and care for those with Alzheimer’s.

You can read the full California Alzheimer’s Data Report, as well as a brief executive summary, atwww.alz.org/CAdata.

The Holocaust Memorial Ceremony

Took place Monday, April 27, on the Assembly Floor at 12 noon. We honored the thousands of victims of the Holocaust as well as Holocaust survivors at this special ceremony. Survivors participating from the district are Seymour Newstadt and Abram “Adam” Geldman. Congratulations and thanks to both Seymour and Adam for their participation in this important project to ensure that their experiences and those of other survivors are never forgotten.