An Open Letter to CA Governor Jerry Brown. Please Help Stop the Killing of the Petaluma Swallows by CalTrans

An open letter to California Governor Jerry Brown. For background details on how we got here, why I'm begging the Governor of California to step in and stop the animal cruelty please read "The Failure to Protect Federally Protected Birds."

CalTrans and their subcontractor, C.C. Myers are continuing to kill federally protected birds, and there isn't a state or federal agency willing to stop them.

Levine and Yamada Convene Hearing Exploring Agriculture and Cap and Trade

Assemblymember Marc Levine (D-San Rafael), Chair of the Assembly Select Committee on Agriculture and the Environment and Assemblymember Mariko Yamada (D-Davis), Chair of the Assembly Select Committee on Sustainable and Organic Agriculture, will hold a joint informational hearing focusing on how California agriculture can help the state meet AB 32 goals.

The hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, May 8, 2013 beginning at 10:30 a.m. in the State Capitol, Room 126.

Cap and trade law vs. agriculture focus of Assembly hearing

SACRAMENTO -- A joint informational hearing is being scheduled for next week on how California agriculture can help the state meet its air quality goals.

Assemblywoman Mariko Yamada, D-Davis, chairwoman of the Assembly Select Committee on Sustainable and Organic Agriculture, and Assemblyman Marc Levine, D-San Rafael, chairwoman of the Assembly Select Committee on Agriculture and the Environment, will hold the hearing.

Levine Bill Helping Law Enforcement Fight Vehicle Theft Passes Committee

Assembly Bill 767 Increases Funding for Vehicle Theft Prevention Programs

Today the Assembly Committee on Local Government approved AB 767 by Assemblymember Marc Levine (D-San Rafael) to authorize counties to increase funding for vehicle theft abatement programs. Under this bill, counties may increase their local vehicle registration surcharge from $1 to $2 per vehicle to directly fund these law enforcement programs.

“AB 767 gives local law enforcement agencies the tools they need to fight vehicle theft in their communities,” said Assemblymember Levine. “As thieves become more creative in how they carry out their crimes, law enforcement needs sufficient funding to protect those they serve.”

Levine Comments on Governor’s Higher Education Funding Proposal

Tomorrow, the Governor’s office will present a spending proposal to the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance. The spending proposal will link future university funding to strict performance outcomes. Assemblymember Marc Levine (D-San Rafael) provided this statement on the Governor’s proposal.

“Given the fiscal constraints California is facing, I appreciate the Governor’s desire to account for every dollar we spend, but it is important to focus on the details of the proposal,” said Levine.

Assemblymember Levine Online Education Bills Approved by Committee

The Assembly Higher Education Committee approved AB 386 and AB 387 to improve access and accountability for online education at the California State University

Today, the Assembly Higher Education Committee unanimously approved Assembly Bill 386 & Assembly Bill 387 by Assemblymember Marc Levine (D-San Rafael). These companion measures are aimed at expanding access and improving accountability for online education at the California State University (CSU).

“While our state moves forward with online education it is important to ensure that we are utilizing existing resources to their fullest capacity,” said Levine.

State ban on plastic bags clears legislative committee

After several years failing to gain support from legislators, a statewide ban on single-use plastic grocery bags cleared its first major hurdle.

The Assembly Natural Resources Committee last week passed AB 158, authored by Marc Levine, D-San Rafael, which would place a ban on the plastic grocery bags by 2015.

Upfront: Plastic bag ban inflating in Sacto

Advocates of single-use plastic bag bans are hopeful about a bill introduced by Assemblyman Marc Levine, D-San Rafael.

Levine's bill would create a statewide ban on single-use plastic bags in large grocery stores and pharmacies. It's one of the first pieces of legislation Levine, a former San Rafael city councilman, worked on after taking his seat in Sacramento representing Marin.

Levine Comments on CDC Report Calling for an End to Smoking in Subsidized Housing

Assembly Bill 746 (Levine) Will Be Heard Tomorrow and Would Prohibit Smoking in Multi-Family Dwellings

Assemblymember Marc Levine (D-San Rafael) commented on a CDC report released today and published by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, which concluded that making subsidized housing in the U.S. smokefree would yield cost-savings of approximately $521 million per year.

Levine is the author of AB 746 which will prohibit smoking in apartments and condominiums. This bill is set to be heard tomorrow in the Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee. Nearly 80% of the 79 million Americans who live in multi-family housing do not allow smoking in their homes. Yet 35% of them claim that second hand smoke still infiltrated their homes.