In The News

Orange County Register: Stretch of 55 will be named after Costa Mesa firefighter, fatally struck by motorist

August 28, 2019
Sen. Patricia Bates, R-Laguna Niguel, co-authored the resolution with Sen. John Moorlach, R-Costa Mesa.
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Coast News: Political pressure to remove nuclear waste builds

August 22, 2019
California Sen. Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) wants spent nuclear fuel out of the 36th district as soon as possible.
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Dana Point Times: Resolution Urges Feds to Act on California's Nuclear Waste

August 15, 2019
California State Senators Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) and Bill Monning (D-Carmel) have introduced Senate Joint Resolution (SJR) 11 this week that urges Congress and President Donald Trump to approve legislation that would prioritize the removal of spent nuclear fuel from decommissioned nuclear...
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Orange County Register: What have state Senators and Assemblymembers from Orange County done so far this year?

August 12, 2019
The dozen legislators representing Orange County in Sacramento have had a busy year, introducing 216 bills, 36 resolutions and one amendment that touch on everything from climate change to international adoption to roadkill.
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Los Angeles Times: Nearly 84,000 duplicate voter records found in audit of California's 'motor voter' system

August 9, 2019
State Sen. Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel), the author of legislation that would have returned DMV voter registration to an opt-in system, said Democratic legislative leaders should allow her blocked proposal to move forward before the Legislature adjourns next month. And she urged the DMV, a...
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Coast News: Carlsbad approves committee to address sober living homes

July 25, 2019
Sen. Pat Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) has been working on the issue throughout her tenure in the state senate. She has introduced numerous bills, most of which have been killed, to curb some of the actions by those businesses.
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Fox & Hounds: DMV Report Shows Legislature's Actions Added to the Agency's Problems

July 24, 2019
Had Motor Voter created an opt-in choice for DMV customers, instead of an opt-out effort requiring more staff time to respond, pressure on the DMV would have been eased. Senator Patricia Bates has tried to reverse the formula changing the opt-out provision to an opt-in, but her SB 57 is still...
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Associated Press: California Governor Announces Changes At Troubled DMV

July 23, 2019
But GOP Sen. Pat Bates from Laguna Niguel said Newsom was taking "steps in the right direction to help fix the DMV."
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Capital Public Radio: New 911 Fee, Tax Law Changes Hand California More Than $1 Billion In New Revenue

June 20, 2019
But Sen. Pat Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) argued it’s a flawed way to pay for a worthy cause. “It’s a blank check, it lacks a clear plan and it lacks accountability,” she said. “And most importantly, there is no assurance that this is going to happen in the near term.”
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California Globe: Largest Budget in CA History 'Falls Short': $2 billion in New Tax Increases and Lots of Pork

June 13, 2019
“Despite a budget surplus of $22 billion, the record $215 billion budget framework that the Legislature approved today is contingent on more costly tax increases,” Sen. Pat Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) said. “For example, imposing a tax on U.S. citizens and legal immigrants who do not have health...
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