In The News

Long Beach Post: State Senators Push for Funding for Human Trafficking Victims

February 29, 2016
Senator Janet Nguyen is joining forces with her senate colleagues in an effort to increase the comprehensive services offered to the victims of human trafficking. Together the senators are calling for a $15 million budget that would serve over 600 victims a year and provide them with case...
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Los Angeles Times: Ex-state Sen. Leland Yee gets 5 years in prison in corruption case

February 24, 2016
Sen. Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) said Wednesday that the Yee case shows the need for stronger controls of campaign financing. She has introduced a bill aimed at closing a loophole in campaign finance law that was exploited by Yee.
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San Jose Mercury News: Former state Sen. Leland Yee sentenced to prison

February 24, 2016
Legislators responded to the sentencing Wednesday with further calls for reform -- state Sen. Patricia Bates, R-Laguna Niguel, introduced a bill directed at Yee's conduct to close a loophole that allows the skirting of campaign contribution limits.
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Los Angeles Times: Valentine's Day date who vanished inspires a bill seeking a tougher penalty for body dumping

February 19, 2016
Responding to the case of a woman whose body was found in Cleveland National Forest two months after she disappeared following a Valentine's Day night out in Costa Mesa, state Sen. Janet Nguyen introduced a bill Wednesday that could increase the penalty for moving a corpse with intent to conceal it.
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Orange County Register: San Clemente code blue

January 26, 2016
This crisis was worsened earlier this month when the California Assembly and Senate health committees pulled the plug on legislation to allow a stand-alone emergency room in San Clemente. The bills were Assembly Bill 911, by Assemblyman Bill Brough, R-Dana Point; and Senate Bill 787, by state Sen...
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Orange County Register: New Board of Supervisors chairwoman Lisa Bartlett brings new approach, focus on animal shelter

January 25, 2016
State Sen. Pat Bates, R-Laguna Niguel, a former board chairwoman, said chairing the board brings with it a responsibility to look at issues from a regional perspective instead of a district-specific one.
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Associated Press: Gov. Jerry Brown Urges Fiscal Restraint In State of State

January 22, 2016
Republican Sen. Patricia Bates of Laguna Niguel says Brown’s emphasis on paying existing commitments is “right on target.” But Bates says the governor undermined his point by pushing for higher taxes.
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Orange County Register: San Clemente council tries new tack to keep hospital

January 21, 2016
The council’s decision came a week after California Senate and Assembly health committees killed legislation authored by Sen. Patricia Bates, R-Laguna Niguel, and Assemblyman Bill Brough, R-Dana Point, that would have let MemorialCare continue to operate a standalone ER in its new facility as a...
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Orange County Register: O.C. Watchdog: Latest Prop. 13 tax fix finds (surprise!) detractors

January 20, 2016
Bates’ approach is backed by the likes of the Howard Jarvis Tax Association, which authored Prop. 13 and generally opposes attempts to monkey with it.
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Orange County Register: Changing Prop. 13 without weakening it

January 20, 2016
A new bill by state Sen. Pat Bates, R-Laguna Niguel, fine tunes Prop. 13. Senate Bill 259 was approved by the Senate Governance Committee with a 6-0 vote and now is being considered by the full Senate.
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