Talking Trash: Fighting Plastic Waste / Senator Ben Allen & SB 54
Release Date: 09/08/2022
Senator Nancy Skinner Looks Back on Her Legislative Legacy: "I'm a bold legislator, but I've also been a fortunate one..."
Then There's California
With her time in the legislature ending this fall, State Senator Nancy Skinner is ready to talk legacy - the record of progressive public policy she takes pride in, the gender equality and representation she has championed in and out of the State Capitol...and the little granddaughter who brings her joy.
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A Conversation with the New Senate Majority Leader, Lena Gonzalez: "We, as women, we just press on..."
Then There's California
Women's History Month has passed, but the discussions continue, and the State Senate's new Majority Leader, Senator Lena Gonzalez, shares her viewpoints on the growing number of women in elected office and in the work force, pay disparity & 'occupational segregation,' reproductive rights...and seeing the movie "Barbie!"
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A Second-Year Conversation with Senator Caroline Menjivar: "How I'm looking at it this year is, how to be more strategic..."
Then There's California
In this wide-ranging podcast conversation, Senator Caroline Menjivar explains how she is starting her second year in office feeling 'way more confident' - while helping tackle a sobering state budget deficit, introducing a 21-bill policy package focused on issues important to her San Fernando Valley district, pushing back against culture wars that threaten LGBTQ+ youth, and navigating life as a lesbian lawmaker, daughter and military veteran.
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SB 307 - The College for Foster Youth Act / Senator Angelique Ashby & Former Foster Youth Cody Van Felden
Then There's California
"If you're a former foster youth, there should be no barrier to your success in college..." Senator Angelique Ashby & Cody Van Felden, a former foster youth and now-advocate, discuss SB 307, the 'College For Foster Youth Act,' which was signed into law in 2023 by Governor Newsom. SB 307 secures $25 million in ongoing annual funding to make debt-free college a reality for California's foster youth. Cody also shares her personal story of struggles and aspirations as a former foster youth and explains how SB 307 will be a game-changer for young people in the foster care system who want to go...
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Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas on the Memory & Legacy of Rosa Parks: "We have to be like Rosa, we have to stand up on these issues..."
Then There's California
In honor of Black History Month 2024, Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas celebrates the memory of civil rights icon Rosa Parks, and explains how her courageous actions that helped launch the Montgomery, Alabama bus boycott in 1955 placed her front and center at the nexus of the ongoing fight for racial and gender equality.
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Senator Ben Allen & LA Times Reporter Rosanna Xia ~ California's Coastline & the Rising Sea
Then There's California
State Senator Ben Allen & Los Angeles Times Environmental Reporter Rosanna Xia - author of the book "California Against the Sea - Visions for Our Changing Coastline" - join together in a conversation about how our state is confronting the environmental and political challenges related to sea level rise, and the lessons our coastal communities are learning about our rising oceans in this ongoing era of climate disruption.
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Senator Aisha Wahab Looks Back on 2023: "The first year was a learning lesson in so many ways..."
Then There's California
"I always want it to be a positive journey," says Senator Aisha Wahab, and in this podcast conversation, the freshman lawmaker from CA's East Bay looks back on an eventful past year in office, the fate and future of her 'Caste' bill, her passion for restorative justice, housing & economic priorities in her 10th district...and plans for 2024.
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Senator Bill Dodd, on Artificial Intelligence: "It's not just the future, it's the present..."
Then There's California
State Senator Bill Dodd shares his perspective on California's leading role in encouraging A.I. innovation and creativity...while also prioritizing individual privacy and 1st amendment rights.
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Senator Josh Becker on CA's Climate Change Solutions / "The New Enviromental Future"
Then There's California
Despite continued grim climate change forecasts, California continues to be a global leader on climate solutions, and State Senator Josh Becker updates us on our state's continued success in 'getting to zero' greenhouse gas emissions and accelerating our transition to 100% clean energy.
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"The debt that is owed" - A Conversation on Reparations / Sen. Steven Bradford & Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas
Then There's California
The California Reparations Task Force has released its report on how our state can begin to repair the damage of slavery and racism. Senator Steven Bradford & Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas assess the details of the report, and discuss the anticipated next steps for addressing the impact of America's 'original sin.'
info_outlineState Senator Ben Allen, Chair of the Senate Committee on Environmental Quality, shares behind-the-scenes details of the effort to enact SB 54, transformative legislation that will drastically reduce plastics pollution in California & the nation.