Laura’s legislative work is focused in three primary areas: addressing the housing affordability and homelessness crisis, combating climate change, and protecting vulnerable communities. She has authored a package of bills to create new avenues for communities to tackle the affordable housing crisis, encourage water conservation, strengthen environmental sustainability, protect communities against devastating wildfires, improve access to higher education and health care, and ensure that California’s foster youth have the support that they need as they transition to adulthood.

A bill that for the first time in California history would authorize speed cameras on roadways in six selected cities passed both houses in Sacramento last week and is now on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk awaiting his signature.

Unlike some cities’ red light camera programs, these violations would not be considered criminal — they would be civil — and would not result in points on your license, Assemblymember Laura Friedman (D-Burbank), who co-authored the bill, explained in a statement to FOX5SanDiego.com.

In lieu of payment, cities and counties can also offer those who receive a ticket the alternative to perform community service to satisfy their violation. People who meet certain income or housing criteria can also receive deductions of these fines anywhere from 50 to 80%, the bill stipulates.

A bill that would establish a pilot program in six California cities to ticket speeding drivers with cameras instead of police is headed to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk for approval.

My husband was just one of 315 people killed and 17,844 people injured on San Diego County roads in 2021.

San Diego County has had its share of tragic crashes and fatalities on its roads, and until 2021, when my husband, Matt, was killed while riding his bicycle, I thought that affected others.

And some have been held for next year

If it feels like a bit of a bonanza for sustainability legislation this year, it is because a lot of bills championed by safety and sustainable transportation advocates actually made it all the through the sausage making and on to Governor Newsom's desk. He has until October 14 to sign or veto them, so their fates are not certain yet.

First, a list of some of the sustainability bills that passed both the Assembly and Senate. At the end are some that did not make it, at least this year.

California lawmakers passed some precedent-setting climate and environment bills before the clock ran out Thursday, Sept. 14 on the 2023 legislative session.

“All in all, the legislature did some good work, and the governor has some important bills to sign,” said Christina Scaringe, a legislative specialist with the Center for Biological Diversity, when asked to look back over the session.

Update: Governor Newsom signed NRDC's priority bills! See specific actions below. 

AB 1572 (Friedman) to prohibit the use of California’s treated drinking water for irrigation of decorative grass landscapes (nonfunctional turf) located on commercial, industrial, municipal, and institutional properties in stages through 2031. Signed   

Supporters now play a waiting game to see if AB 645 is signed into law by the governor.

The California Legislature finished its 2023 session late Thursday night, but not before lots of lobbying by advocacy groups, some controversy and quite a bit of last-minute deal-making.