Gov. Newsom signs bills
Gov. Gavin Newsom signs bills during a virtual ceremony. Courtesy of the Governor’s office

This week, Governor Newsom signed bills that will directly affect the lives of San Diego residents.

The seven bills include measures to streamline infrastructure projects, end “hate littering,” and improve access to behavioral health care.

Here are the highlights of these new bills:

  • AB 2051 (Assemblymember David Alvarez): expedites critical infrastructure projects related to storm channel maintenance, climate change adaptation, and ecosystem restoration.
  • AB 3024 (Assemblymember Chris Ward): increases protections for victims of hateful flyers or posters, also known as “hate littering”
  • AB 3227 (Alvarez): streamlines routine maintenance of stormwater channels in California
  • SB 689 (Sen. Catherine Blakespear): removed barriers for constructing new bike lanes and pedestrian pathways
  • SB 1072 (Sen. Steve Padilla): Removes previous system that required San Diegans to pay refunds for past customers on their utility bills
  • SB 1238 (Sen. Susan Eggman): makes it easier for people who are held on a temporary conservatorship for a substance-use disorder to access mental health rehabilitation centers and psychiatric health facilities.
  • SB 1361 (Blakespear): prevents services provided to homeless residents from being blocked by legal challenges under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)