In The News

Reuters: Bill to toughen sentences for fentanyl dealers advances in California

April 5, 2016
"This bill is aimed at major narcotics traffickers," said Republican Senator Patricia Bates, who introduced the bill. "We’re going after cartel-type organizations that are in it for the money and don’t care how many lives it costs."
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Voice of San Diego: Sacramento Report

April 1, 2016
Senator Patricia Bates, whose district covers coastal North County and southern Orange County, made news of her own this week after a wave of overdoses of the powerful painkiller fentanyl killed seven and sickened more than two dozen in Sacramento.
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OC Register: Minimum wage increase to $15 approved, now goes to governor's desk

April 1, 2016
“To stay in the black, businesses must pass these increases on to consumers,” Sen. Patricia Bates, R-Laguna Niguel, told fellow senators. “Sustaining a 50 percent increase will cause them to downsize or close their business. Employees will lose jobs.”
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Sacramento Bee: Fentanyl overdose cases rise to 29, including death of El Dorado Hills teen

March 31, 2016
On Tuesday, lawmakers and Southern California law enforcement officials will attend a state Senate public safety committee hearing on SB 1323, a bill to toughen penalties for drug traffickers who sell or transport fentanyl. It was prompted by “an epidemic of young people who overdosed and some died...
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Times of San Diego: Legislature Approves $15 Minimum Wage as Workers Rally

March 31, 2016
“While it may help some in the short-term, raising the minimum wage by 50 percent will eventually force many small businesses to make some tough choices,” said state Sen. Patricia Bates, a Republican who represents North San Diego County.
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OC Register: 500 attend South Orange County Senior Day in Mission Viejo

March 14, 2016
About 500 people attended South Orange County Senior Day on Friday morning at the Norman P. Murray Community and Senior Center to learn about issues facing local seniors, an organizer said.
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San Clemente Times: MemorialCare Announces San Clemente Hospital to Close May 31

March 3, 2016
In a joint statement, Bates and Brough stated they were disappointed with the hospital’s decision.
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Orange County Register: Saddleback Memorial's San Clemente hospital to close May 31; how many will be affected?

March 3, 2016
San Clemente’s 73-bed community hospital will close May 31 because of declining patient numbers and legislative constraints, its owners said Wednesday.
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Saddleback Memorial closing San Clemente hospital by May

March 3, 2016
Sen. Patricia Bates, R-Laguna Hills, and Assemblyman Bill Brough, R-San Juan Capistrano, had pushed legislation that would have allowed Saddleback to put a satellite emergency department on the hospital campus, but the bill couldn’t get out of committee.
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Voice of San Diego: Sacramento Report: Breasts, Beer and the Shrimp Boy Clean-Up

February 29, 2016
State Sen. Patricia Bates weighed in on the conviction of her former colleague, Leland Yee, on corruption charges by introducing SB 1467, closing what she calls a major loophole in campaign contribution limits.
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