In The News

Voice of San Diego: Inside the State’s Plan to Ramp Up Contact Tracing

May 8, 2020
Sen. Pat Bates, who vice-chaired the committee, asked how the state was taking privacy into consideration while evaluating digital tools that might be used to scale-up contact tracing investigations.
Read More

Courthouse News Service: Health Experts Cautiously Optimistic on California’s Reopening Plan

May 6, 2020
Committee co-chair Senator Patricia Bates, R-Laguna Niguel, said lawmakers will need assurances their privacy rights won’t be violated by any digital apps that help contact tracers track cases and contact residents.
Read More

City News Service: OC Supervisor Pushes Business Reopenings; Others Say Not So Fast

May 4, 2020
Sen. Patricia Bates, R-Laguna Niguel, said she backs the governor's reopening plan, as well as the reopening of Laguna Beach's and San Clemente's beaches.
Read More

San Clemente Times: Newsom Announces Plan for Reopening California, Bates Defends Businesses

April 14, 2020
Today, State Sen. Patricia Bates, whose district represents Dana Point, San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano, signed a letter among other Republican leaders urging Newsom to prioritize the economy as the next phase of the COVID-19 response.
Read More

Orange County Register: How many body-brokering cases have been prosecuted by the feds under new law?

March 13, 2020
If you guessed zero, you'd be right. Lawmakers are mad.
Read More

San Clemente Times: Sen. Bates Announces More Housing Funding for South OC Cities

March 5, 2020
Sen. Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) has announced that the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) has awarded planning grants to the cities of San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano.
Read More

Our Weekly Los Angeles: Legislature to debate bill to ease military tax burden

February 28, 2020
"California’s military veterans deserve better from Sacramento than having their retirement pay that they worked so hard for to be taxed. That is why I am proud to jointly co-author Senator Wilk’s common-sense measure to provide tax relief to our veterans. It will help keep more veterans in...
Read More

Orange County Register: California election system built of Scotch tape and glue

February 27, 2020
Problems continue to this day, leading state Sen. Patricia Bates, R-Laguna Niguel, to introduce legislation to require DMV customers to “opt-in” to register to vote, instead of being registered automatically unless they opt out. Senate Bill 57 was rejected by a Senate committee in January on a...
Read More

California Globe: Non-Profit Organizations Would Not Have to Pay Filing Fees Under SB 934

February 25, 2020
Senate Bill 934, introduced by Senator Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel), would get rid of the current $25 filing fee for non-profit organizations looking for a tax exemption starting in 2021, as well as eliminate the $10 fee currently paid for by special tax-exempt organizations for an additional...
Read More

KUSI: DA’s Office sponsors proposed bill to open sex offender court hearings to the public

February 25, 2020
Sen. Patricia Bates, R-Laguna Niguel, who authored SB 1023, issued a joint statement with San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan, saying SVP hearings should be held in open court “unless compelling and extraordinary circumstances justify closing the courtroom to the public.”
Read More

Pages