Op-Eds

Over the next three weeks, the California State Legislature will consider nearly 850 pieces of legislation (referred to as bills) currently pending in both the State Assembly and the State Senate. It’s all part of our legislative process governed by rules and deadlines that began in January and concludes on September 12^th. 

The Life Cycle of a Bill

Every January, the Governor releases a budget proposal that kicks off negotiations with the Legislature over everything from how we fund our schools to public safety. This year, through the aftermath of the devastating Palisades and Eaton wildfires and the ongoing economic assault on California from the federal government, We worked together to pass a budget enacting a responsible, balanced spending plan that safeguards California’s values while maintaining our state’s long-term fiscal health.

In communities across California over the past week, immigration enforcement operations are being carried out in ways that violate basic rights and erode public trust.

The federal government is targeting immigrants in ways that are not only cruel- they’re unconstitutional. ICE’s aggressive tactics are tearing families apart, sowing fear in our neighborhoods, and undermining the very fabric our community.

The Trump Administration has chosen to weaponize immigration enforcement- not to enhance public safety, but to intimidate and divide.

California once set the national standard for public defense, but today our state’s justice system is failing its most vulnerable communities. There are many reasons for that: California provides no state-funding, it provides no state oversight to ensure lawyers are doing their job, and instead, it allows counties to operate on the cheap. We have counties where lawyers are paid to take thousands of cases and do little work on them. We have a crisis in our justice system.

The legislative process can be messy.

It’s complicated. It’s often emotional. And in today’s environment, it’s often drowned out by loud voices looking to score political points, rather than get the policy right.

But this week in California’s Capitol, the process worked and strong, smart policy prevailed.

That’s the story of what happened with Assembly Bill 379, which will strengthen existing California law and provide criminal prosecutors with new tools to charge sexual predators with a felony for soliciting a minor for sexual activity. 

In December, Speaker Robert Rivas appointed me to serve as Chair of the Assembly Committee on Public Safety. Today I write to share an update about the work that we’ve been doing in our State Capitol.

For as long as I can remember, I have cared deeply about the safekeeping of wildlife. I believe that we all have a moral obligation to act as good stewards of the environment and to ensure the preservation of wild and endangered animals for the benefit of future generations.

As the California State Legislature enters its second month of the 2025 Session, we are quickly approaching the deadline for the introduction of new legislation. One particular cause that I am passionate about is the preservation of the entertainment industry in Southern California. In the coming days, I will be co-authoring and introducing a bill to do just that!

Happy New Year! My name is Nick Schultz. As of December 2, 2024, I am honored to represent you in the California State Assembly's 44th District, which includes the cities of Burbank and Glendale, alongside the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Sunland Tujunga, North Hollywood, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, and Valley Village.