Press Releases

$860,000 Awarded to Assist Four Expanding Ventura County Businesses

SACRAMENTO- Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks) is pleased to announce several district legislative priorities have been signed into law by Governor Brown. Highlights include bills allowing Californians with disabilities to save for the future, strengthening our state cybersecurity infrastructure, and key budget allocations to improve community college success rates and bring in much needed funding to our Community Veteran’s Service Officers.

Bi-Partisan Bill to Create Tax-Free Savings for Californians with Disabilities

SACRAMENTO – This weekend Governor Brown signed two bills implementing the California ABLE Act. Starting January 1st, 2016, individuals with disabilities and their families will be able to save money tax free, and without fear of losing eligibility to a variety of public assistance programs.

Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks) and Senator Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills) introduced Assembly Bill 449 and Senate Bill 324 to help people with disabilities save for the future. Together the bills create the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act, which allows people with disabilities to open special accounts where they can save without risking eligibility for Social Security and other government programs. ABLE accounts are similar to the widely used 529 education savings plan but would be used for disability related expenses.

SACRAMENTO – Governor Brown has signed Assembly Bill 1045 by Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks) which requires the California Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Food and Agriculture to coordinate the regulation and oversight of organic waste recycling facilities and establish policies to encourage more recycling of organic waste.

“The state has several goals related to the recycling of organic waste and the use of compost, including diverting waste from landfills, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, sequestering carbon, and reducing water consumption,” said Assemblymember Irwin. “To reach these goals, we need to cut down on the red tape associated with the production of compost.”

SACRAMENTO – Governor Brown signed Assembly Bill 670 by Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks) to mandate that a minimum number of cybersecurity risk assessments are performed on state networks every year.

“Cybersecurity attacks are on the rise and California state government is a priority target because of the value and sheer size of its networks and data,” said Assemblymember Irwin. “The state bears a responsibility in actively defending the information it collects as well as the critical networks that Californians rely on for services. AB 670 will make sure those steps are taken.”

SACRAMENTO – Today Governor Brown signed Assembly Bill 556 by Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks) and sponsored by Attorney General Kamala D. Harris to maintain consumer confidence in charitable giving.

“I’m pleased that Governor Brown signed AB 556, a collaborative effort with Attorney General Kamala Harris to increase transparency in charitable donations,” said Assemblymember Irwin. “This bill will support consumer confidence for the more than 70,000 active nonprofit organizations doing great work in California.”

Los Angeles, CA – After months of coordination and mediation among stakeholders, Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D – Thousand Oaks) is pleased to announce that the Los Angeles Water Quality Control Board has unanimously approved the usage of a salinity pipeline to bring recycled water to Oxnard farmers.

All five board members spoke out in favor of approving the permit amendments before voting unanimously to allow the project to move forward. “Over the past few months I have been working directly with the board and agencies in Ventura County and I am pleased to say that we have successfully established common ground, and forged a better path forward. I thank the board and other partners for making this effort a success,” said Assemblymember Irwin in a statement read at the meeting.

(Sacramento, CA) – The series of high-profile cyberattacks on both private and public networks has demonstrated the growing risk to our most important societal systems, our critical infrastructure sectors. In the interests of public safety, Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks) convened a hearing that featured two panels: one to examine the actions being taken by State government, and one to weigh input from the private sector.  To start off the hearing Chairwoman Irwin made her intention clear, “This issue needs to become a priority so that it is a consideration in all policy discussions and not ignored in future state budgets.”

Panelists included officials from the Office of Emergency Services and the California Military Department; policy experts with federal backgrounds; and representatives from the electric utility and telecommunications sectors. “Currently in cybersecurity there tends to be an emphasis on simply responding to threats after the damage is already done,” said Davis Hake, a former cybersecurity advisor in the Obama Administration.

SACRAMENTO – Whether it’s picking pumpkins in the fall or strawberries in springtime, chances are that if you grew up in Ventura County you have made some lasting childhood memories at Underwood Family Farms. This is one of the reasons why Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks) today recognized Underwood Family Farms as the 44th Assembly District Small Business of the Year at the 2015 California Small Business Day in Sacramento.

Since 2000, the California State Assembly hosts “California Small Business Day” annually to honor the outstanding small businesses throughout California. “Families and agriculture are two of our top priorities in Ventura County,” said Assemblymember Irwin. “For decades, Underwood Family Farms has played an integral role in bringing the two together. A yearly visit to the farm was a family tradition when my children were young and I always look forward to my stops at the roadside stands on the weekends,” said Irwin. “I am proud to highlight Underwood Family Farms and their contribution to our community.”