|
Community to Capitol
July, 2025 |
__SALUTATION__
As summer heats up, so does the risk of wildfire in Assembly District 76. In mid-June, fires in the Los Peñasquitos Preserve and in San Marcos, threatened home and property. I am grateful to our friends at Cal Fire, and local firefighters for knocking down the fires quickly and effectively. The Office of the State Fire Marshal's Fire Severity Map for San Diego County shows jurisdiction for different agencies that work to together to keep us safe.
Preparing your family and home can take some of the uncertainty out of the threat of wildfire. Did you know that my website contains resources to help you prepare? You can find wildfire resources such as an evacuation list, an evacuation map, and information about SDGE power shut offs here: Emergency Resources. Wildfires can occur without warning and spread quickly. Preparing your property, family, and pets can help keep you and your loved ones safe. Through the link, you can also access the recording of the Webinar we held in March that covered Catastrophic Insurance and Wildfire.
Public safety is a top priority for me and I am grateful to the work our local firefighters do to protect our communities. It's important that our firefighters have all of the tools they need. That's why I am thrilled that my bill, AB 841, passed with bipartisan support out of the Assembly late last month. AB 841 directs the office of the State Fire Marshal, in consultation with Cal-OSHA, to create a working group to recommend improved personal protective equipment (PPE) and decontamination procedures to prevent firefighter exposure to toxic chemicals during lithium-ion battery fires.
During the first week of June, my fellow Assemblymembers and I voted on over 600 bills. Nine bills authored or co-authored by my office advanced with bipartisan support to the Senate for consideration. I am honored to have participated with my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to pass legislation out of the Assembly that addresses growing concerns of public safety, affordability, access to healthcare and education, and supporting small businesses.
Assemblymember Dr. Darshana Patel works at her desk on the Assembly Floor.
Street fairs and festivals are a fun way to connect with our office, meet the District Staff, and learn more about how we can be of service. Whether you need assistance with Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), Veteran's Benefits, Consumer Complaints or other state agency, we can help you with resources or connections to keep you moving forward.
District Staff members, Gonzalo Rocha-Vazquez (left) and Tracy Nguyen (right), pictured with Assemblymember Dr. Darshana Patel (center), are standing by in the District office and at street fairs to help connect you with the resources you need.
We heard your concerns about the state walking back its benefits to folks who have invested in rooftop solar. We listened to your calls regarding AB 942: Net energy metering: eligible customer generators: tariffs. This bill makes changes to Net Energy Metering (NEM) customer-generator arrangements including: 1) Requires new property owners inheriting solar systems to take service under the current, not the inherited, NEM tariff; and 2) Ends Climate Credit allocations to NEM customers starting on January 1, 2026. Although this bill passed the Assembly 46 to 14, I voted against this bill to protect your investment in solar. As a NEM 2.0 customer myself, I understand first-hand how this proposed policy can impact families. I will continue to advocate against the state reneging on any agreements that businesses and residents have relied on.
Our region is expected to experience record heat this summer. San Diego County Health and Human Services has published a list of Cool Zones. Cool Zones are free, air-conditioned places to stay cool when it is hot. The Cool Zone program season runs from June 1 to October 31. You can see a list and interactive maps in San Diego by clicking here: Cool Zones
Be sure to check on your vulnerable friends, family members, and neighbors.
July 2: National Wildland Firefighter Day
July 4: American Independence Day
July 11: World Population Day
July 18: Nelson Mandela International Day
July 24: Comic Con opens
July 30: National Support Public Education Day
Coming, August 11th 6:00 pm Free Webinar: Unlocking Homeownership: Understanding CalHFA's First-Time Homebuyer Loan Programs | Assemblymember Dr. Darshana R. Patel
| Staff Spotlight: District Office and Sacramento Interns |
The District Office is proud to host 5 interns in June/July, and 5 interns in July/August. Each internship is 6 weeks in duration ending with a capstone project. Norah, Max, Seb, Daniel, and Josh are local students who have dedicated their summer to serving the constituents of Assembly District 76. Their capstone projects reflect their passions: juvenile justice and education, affordable housing, helping seniors navigate the digital world, education accessibility, and the environment.
The Sacramento office hosted 2 interns in the same time frame: Emmalee, a recent graduate from The University of California. Davis, with a B.A. in International Relations and in History, plus a minor in German, and Lila, a medical student at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine.
Our office is open and serving constituents in a number of ways. You can contact us by completing the form on our website, calling, emailing, or stopping by our office. We are here to help! We are proud to be open during hours that serve working people Monday through Friday.
Assemblymember Dr. Darshana Patel's contact form from the website.
What can we do for you? My office's job is to connect you with resources and help solve problems. Here are some recent ways we have helped constituents:
- Fielded over 1500 constituent calls regarding legislation
- Drafted 9 bills that successfully passed the Assembly and are now being heard in the Senate
- Had over 750 one-on-one conversations with constituents at local fairs and provided information about our services
Please reach out to us!
Yours in service,
Dr. Darshana R. Patel
Assemblymember, District 76
We acknowledge that we are on the traditional territory and homelands of the Luiseño/Payómkawichum people. For more information please go to www.csusm.edu/cicsc.
