In The News

Orange County Register: How school resource officers in Southern California are connecting with students to prevent shootings, other crimes

May 9, 2019
As legislators in Sacramento and around the country work to prevent school shootings and protect students from active shooters, Southern California school police officers daily worry about that problem — and many other potential threats to student safety.
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KUSI: Gov. Newsom released his revised version of the state's budget

May 9, 2019
But Sen. Pat Bates, R-Laguna Niguel, called the water tax and other new taxes “unfortunate, unhelpful and unnecessary,” arguing that it is unnecessary with the state’s projected surplus and will hurt residents who are already near the poverty level.
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Los Angeles Times: California lawmakers again protect the loophole of unlimited political cash

May 5, 2019
“It is time to close the loophole, so that candidates and elected officials cannot use money intended for promoting or opposing ballot measures to instead promote themselves and their campaigns,” state Sen. Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) told a Senate committee last month.
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People: In a Galaxy Not So Far Away: California Officially Votes to Declare May 4 'Star Wars Day'

May 2, 2019
A giant Yoda hot air balloon flew outside of the California State Capitol on Thursday, and people dressed up as stormtroopers walked around the building, according to a tweet from Senator Pat Bates.
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San Clemente Times: Sen. Pat Bates Bill to Continue Local SONGS Funding Passes First Committee

April 25, 2019
The California Senate Government Organization Committee approved SB 465, a bill authored by State Sen. Pat. Bates, R-Laguna Niguel, that would “ensure local governments continue to receive funding for offsite emergency response planning, training and exercises related to the shuttered San Onofre...
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K-12 Daily: Required ‘lockdown’ training bill comes back again

April 4, 2019
A GOP lawmaker from San Diego is once again trying to drum up support for a mandate on schools statewide to conduct lockdown drills at least twice each year.
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Orange County Register: South Orange County Senior Day offers resources, tools for older adults

April 4, 2019
The Norman P. Murray Senior Center along with state Sen. Pat Bates and Assemblyman Bill Brough will host south Orange County Senior Day, on Friday, April 5.
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Pacific Research Institute: 2 Reforms That Will Help Fix DMV’s Motor Voter Scandal

April 2, 2019
If they are serious about restoring the public’s trust, Webb, Secretary of State Alex Padilla, and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle should embrace these 2 reforms as part of a broader effort to clean up the DMV mess.
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Associated Press: California to waive environmental rules for fire season prep

March 22, 2019
Republican state Sen. Pat Bates also praised Newsom for acting with urgency ahead of the wildfire season.
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Orange County Register: Gavin Newsom's threat to localities is extortion by any other name

March 17, 2019
As noted by Sen. Pat Bates, R-Laguna Hills, “The governor’s proposal to hold money for road repairs captive unless local governments meet his demands is a bait-and-switch on Californians who thought the gas and car taxes would help them and their communities. With the defeat of last November’s gas...
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