• On Friday, April 22, Rep. Lois Capps (D-Santa Barbara) attended the eighth Santa Maria Veterans Treatment Court graduation hosted by Judge Kay S. Kuns.
The ceremony celebrated the graduates’ completion of a rigorous court-supervised rehabilitation program where participants demonstrate their commitment to a clean-and-sober lifestyle. During the ceremony Capps presented certificates to the graduates.
“Veteran Treatment Courts are an incredibly important tool to support our veterans,” Capps said in a press release. “My heartfelt congratulations goes out to all of the graduates today. Choosing recovery takes a great deal of strength and dedication, and I am so proud and inspired by your determination.”
On Friday, April 20, Capps also attended the dedication ceremony and ribbon cutting for the Los Osos Water Recycling Facility.
Capps has worked for years to assist the Los Osos community with their efforts to secure a safe, clean source of water. In 2009, Capps helped secure the inclusion of key legislative language in the Fiscal Year 2010 Agriculture Appropriations bill to help with the planning, design, and construction of the water recycling facility. Capps first secured an authorization of $7.8 million for the Los Osos Wastewater Treatment project in the 2000 Water Resources Development Act. In 2007, following a site visit from federal officials, Capps was able to secure an additional $35 million authorization for a facility in the 2007 Water Resources Development Act.
• Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) and Assemblymember Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens), chair and vice-chair of the California Legislative Women’s Caucus, respectively, issued the following statement regarding the allegations of domestic violence pending against Assemblymember Roger Hernández by his wife:
“Domestic violence is an important issue that this Legislature has worked hard to address through awareness and statewide legislation. In the wake of the serious allegations against Assemblymember Roger Hernández, we believe he should step down from his committee assignments and his position as chair of the Assembly Labor and Employment Committee while his case is pending in court and take a leave of absence. While a determination is still pending on these most recent allegations and we respect his right to due process, it’s important that the Legislature send a strong and consistent message to victims about our commitment to confronting domestic violence and demonstrate that we take allegations seriously when they occur among one of our own.”
This article appears in Apr 28 – May 5, 2016.
