Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil (R-Jackson) announced today that three of her priority bills have passed the Senate unanimously, delivering significant victories for rural communities across Senate District 4.
“I am extremely proud that the California Senate has unanimously passed all three of these bills on the same day,” said Senator Alvarado-Gil. “This is a powerful message that rural Californians will no longer be an afterthought, I’m proud to be their representative and voice in Sacramento.”
SB 1109 will crack down on bad actors operating Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Programs (STRTPs) in small rural counties by requiring annual licensing reviews for facilities with repeated serious safety violations. This measure protects vulnerable youth while giving rural counties the tools they need to prevent facilities from operating without proper local oversight and support.
SB 1293 requires Caltrans to provide advance written notice to residents and businesses within five miles of major highway construction projects in counties with 60,000 residents or fewer. This commonsense reform ends the practice of blindsiding rural families and small businesses with unexpected long-term road closures that devastate local economies.
SB 1382 mandates that Caltrans notify local officials by April 1st each year of its planned schedule for opening mountain passes and developing a public outreach plan. This bill brings much-needed predictability and transparency to mountain communities that depend on these critical transportation corridors.
These bills provide real solutions for the safety of our children, the stability of our small businesses, and the daily needs of the families I represent. Rural voices were heard loud and clear today, and we are just getting started.
”Senator Alvarado-Gil continued, “From protecting at-risk youth to ensuring our mountain communities aren’t left in the dark about road and pass closures, these bills put rural California first. I want to thank my colleagues for their strong, bipartisan support.”
The three bills now move to the Assembly for consideration.