Releases

Statement on California Budget Vote

June 15, 2020
Senator Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) issued the following statement after the Senate today approved a 2020-21 budget proposal agreed to by Assembly and Senate Democrats: “Today’s budget vote was a sham. It is window dressing at best because it is a budget that can be dramatically amended in the...

Sen. Patricia Bates Announces State Funding Grants to Help House At-Risk Youth

June 9, 2020
Senator Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) announced that the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) has awarded funding to Orange and San Diego counties to help house young adults who are at-risk of becoming homeless. “I thank the California Department of Housing and...

Agreement Approved to Protect Emergency Preparedness at San Onofre Nuclear Plant

June 4, 2020
Legislation introduced by Senator Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) last year to protect emergency preparedness at the shuttered San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) has helped ratify an agreement this week among stakeholders. The ratified agreement means that Senator Bates’ bill is no...

With California Desperate for Cash, State Senate Rejects $269 Million for Essential Services

June 3, 2020
The Senate Finance and Governance Committee today rejected Senate Bill 1319 on a party-line vote by Senator Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) that would have corrected an outdated interpretation of property “change of ownership” that has been part of the long running debate around commercial...

Senate Committee Approves Legislation to Protect San Clemente from Toll Road Extension

May 29, 2020
The Senate Transportation Committee today approved Senate Bill 1373 by Senator Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) that would enshrine into law that no toll road extension will go through the City of San Clemente. “Today’s outcome is a major step towards ensuring that a potential toll road extension...

Effort to Stabilize Coastal Bluffs and Preserve Beach Access Gains Bipartisan Momentum

May 26, 2020
The Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee today heard Senate Bill 1090 by Senator Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) that would help prevent further tragedies on public beaches such as the Encinitas bluff collapse that killed three people in August 2019. The committee did not vote on the bill...

Statement on Governor's Revised Budget Plan

May 14, 2020
Senator Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) issued the following statement after Governor Gavin Newsom released his revised 2020-21 budget proposal : “The Governor’s revised budget plan is right to focus on these most essential priorities – public health, public safety, public education, and...

Statement on Rejection of AB 5 Relief Bills

May 14, 2020
Senator Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) issued the statement below after the Senate Labor, Public Employment, and Retirement Committee today rejected SB 806 (Grove) and SB 990 (Moorlach) that would have helped independent contractors hurt by AB 5 (Gonzalez, 2019) . Senator Bates is a co-author of...

Sen. Patricia Bates Responds to Governor’s Announcements Regarding Partial Business Reopening and Orange County Beaches

May 4, 2020
Governor Newsom announced today that some California retail businesses can reopen with some modifications by the end of this week. He also announced that Laguna Beach and San Clemente city-run beaches will be allowed to reopen to the public this week. Senator Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) issued...

Senator Patricia Bates' Statement on Governor's Closure of Orange County Beaches

April 30, 2020
Senator Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) issued the following statement after Governor Newsom announced today that he is closing all beaches in Orange County: “I have supported most of the Governor’s efforts to manage California’s COVID-19 response, but I strongly disagree with today’s order...

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Bipartisan Resolution Urges Feds to Act on California's Nuclear Waste

August 13, 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 the President to approve legislation that would prioritize the removal of spent nuclear fuel from decommissioned nuclear sites in...

Senator Patricia Bates Responds to Audit Finding DMV Double Voter Registrations and Other Irregularities

August 9, 2019
SACRAMENTO – Senator Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) issued the following statement today after news media reported the release of an audit finding that the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) produced almost 84,000 duplicate voter registrations and an even higher number of erroneous...

Senator Patricia Bates’ Statement on Passing of Orange County Auditor-Controller Eric Woolery

August 8, 2019
SACRAMENTO – Senator Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) issued the following statement today after learning of the passing of Orange County Auditor-Controller Eric Woolery : "I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of my dear friend, Eric Woolery. As Auditor-Controller, Eric was a steadfast...

Senator Patricia Bates Responds to DMV Leadership Overhaul

July 23, 2019
Senator Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) issued the following statement today after Governor Gavin Newsom announced new leadership at the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and the release of the “DMV Strike Team” report . “The Governor’s actions today are steps in the right direction to...

Assembly Committee Approves Sen. Bates' Effort to Protect Emergency Preparedness at San Onofre Nuclear Plant

July 11, 2019
The Assembly Governmental Organization Committee has approved Senate Bill 465 by Senator Patricia 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 Nuclear...

Assembly Committee Approves Sen. Bates' License Portability Bill

July 9, 2019
The Assembly Business and Professions Committee today approved Senate Bill 679 by Senator Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) that would streamline the process for licensed professional clinical counselors (LPCCs), marriage and family therapists (LMFTs), and clinical social workers (LCSWs) in other...

Assembly Education Committee Approves Bipartisan School Lockdown Drill Bill

June 19, 2019
The Assembly Education Committee today approved Senate Bill 541 by Senators Patricia Bates (R–Laguna Niguel) and Anthony Portantino (D–La Cañada Flintridge) that would require all kindergarten through 12th grade public and private schools, with an occupant capacity of 50 or more students, to...

Senator Patricia Bates Honors Oceanside's PJ Graphics as Small Business of the Year

June 19, 2019
Senator Bates presents a resolution honoring PJ Graphics as Small Business of the Year to owners Tom Hartley (2nd from left), Helen Hartley (right) and daughter Debbie Hartley (left) inside the Senate Chamber at the State Capitol in Sacramento. Senator Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) today honored...

Assembly Health Committee Approves Sen. Bates' Bill to Ban Deceptive Marketing in Rehab Industry

June 18, 2019
The Assembly Health Committee today approved Senate Bill 589 by Senator Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) that would prohibit an operator of addiction treatment facilities from providing any form of false advertising or marketing services. The next stop for the bill is the Assembly Appropriations...

Statement on Passage of 2019-20 State Budget

June 13, 2019
Senator Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) issued the following statement after legislative Democrats approved the 2019-20 state budget ( Assembly Bill 74 ): “Despite a budget surplus of $22 billion, the record $215 billion budget framework that the Legislature approved today is contingent on more...

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Legislature Approves Fallen Firefighter Memorial Resolution

August 29, 2018
SACRAMENTO – Senate Concurrent Resolution 159 (SCR) recently passed out of the California State Assembly and is a memorial resolution to commemorate fallen Long Beach Fire Captain David Rosa. Senator Patricia Bates ( R-Laguna Niguel ) is a joint author of SCR 159 with Senator Ricardo Lara ( D-Bell...

Senator Patricia Bates' Statement on Passing of Senator John McCain

August 25, 2018
Senator Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) released the following statement today on the passing of United States Senator John McCain (R-Arizona): "America has lost a patriot and public servant in Senator McCain. He served our country with honor on the battlefields of Vietnam and in the arena of...

Assembly Blocks Sen. Patricia Bates' School Safety Bill

August 21, 2018
SACRAMENTO – Senator Patricia Bates ( R-Laguna Niguel ) issued the following statement after the Assembly Appropriations Committee refused to approve her Senate Bill 1203 that requires most K-12 schools to have policies on hand for conducting lockdown drills. The Senate approved SB 1203 on a...

Senators Patricia Bates and Jim Nielsen Issue Statement on Potential Wildfire Legislation

August 14, 2018
SACRAMENTO – Today, Senators Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) and Jim Nielsen (R-Tehama) released a joint statement on potential wildfire legislation: “We believe it is in the best interest of the public for the Legislature to defer discussion of inverse condemnation to a later time. The...

Senator Patricia Bates Responds to Rejection of DMV Audit

August 8, 2018
SACRAMENTO – Senator Patricia Bates ( R-Laguna Niguel ) issued the following statement after a request to audit the California Department of Motor Vehicles failed to pass today during a hearing of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee: “Fixing the DMV is not a partisan issue, but a California issue...

Sen. Patricia Bates' Bill Will Give Californians Relief from Long DMV Lines

August 3, 2018
SACRAMENTO – In an effort to provide some relief to Californians who have to wait for hours at their local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) office to conduct routine business, Senator Patricia Bates ( R-Laguna Niguel ) will propose urgency legislation that will give an additional 90 days on all...

Senate Republican Leader Bates Responds to California Water Commission's Announcement to Fund Water Storage

July 25, 2018
Senate Republican Leader Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) issued the following statement after the California Water Commission announced its approval to allocate $2.7 billion to build a variety of water storage projects using funds from Proposition 1, the Water Quality, Supply, and Infrastructure...

Statement by Senator Patricia Bates on Passage of Consumer Privacy Bill

June 28, 2018
SACRAMENTO – Senator Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) issued the following statement today after the Senate approved Assembly Bill 375 (Chau and Hertzberg) that will provide more power for Californians to hold companies accountable for the potential abuse of their data: “I am pleased to help pass a...

Senator Bates' Legislation for Neighborhood Electric Vehicles combines Innovation with Convenience

June 26, 2018
SACRAMENTO – Senate Bill 1151 , authored by Senator Patricia Bates ( R-Laguna Niguel ), passed out of the Assembly Transportation Committee on a unanimous vote yesterday. SB 1151 would authorize San Diego County or any city in the County to establish a Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEV)...

Senator Bates' Legislation Would Bring 'Granny Flats' Out of the Shadows

June 20, 2018
SACRAMENTO - Today, Senate Bill 1226 , authored by Senator Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel), passed out of the Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee on a unanimous vote. SB 1226 would make changes to laws governing residential properties and direct the California Building Standards...

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Senate Republican Leader Bates Issues Statement on Passage of Bill Diluting North County's Voice on Transportation Issues

September 7, 2017
SACRAMENTO – The California State Senate today approved Assembly Bill 805 (Gonzalez Fletcher) that would change the governing structure of the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG). It would concentrate decision-making over all regional transportation funds in San Diego County into the...

Senate Approves Bill Co-Authored by Sen. Bates to Help Level Campaign Playing Field

September 6, 2017
SACRAMENTO – The California State Senate yesterday unanimously approved Senate Bill 45 (Mendoza) that would prohibit taxpayer-paid mass mailings from being sent to constituents within 60 days preceding an election by or on behalf of a state or local candidate running for office. The bill is co-...

Senate Republican Leader Bates Issues Statement on DACA Program

September 5, 2017
Senate Republican Leader Patricia Bates ( R-Laguna Niguel ) responds to today's announcement from the federal government about the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Program: "The President has rescinded an unconstitutional executive order from the prior administration that he had...

Senate Republican Leader Bates Issues Statement on Assembly Bill 1250

September 1, 2017
Today, the Senate Appropriations Committee moved Assembly Bill 1250 to the Senate Rules Committee to undergo further legislative review, and could be considered next year. AB 1250 is a special interest bill sponsored by two of the most powerful public employee unions in California under the guise...

In Case You Missed It: "They risked their lives for their country. Here's what California could do for them."

August 18, 2017
SACRAMENTO – Senate Bill 197 is a bipartisan proposal authored by Senator Patricia Bates ( R-Laguna Niguel ) and Senator Toni Atkins ( D-San Diego ) that supports a public-private partnership helping California’s veterans. It is currently pending a decision in the Assembly Appropriations Committee...

Senate Republican Leader Bates' Statement on the Passing of former GOP Leader Ross Johnson

August 16, 2017
SACRAMENTO – Senate Republican Leader Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) issued the following statement today on the passing of Ross Johnson, who served as Assembly Republican Leader, Senate Republican Leader, and chair of the California Fair Political Practices Commission. He was the first person to...

Senate GOP Leader Bates Urges State to Address Potential Release of Dangerous "Nonviolent" Felons

August 15, 2017
Senate Republican Leader Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) today submitted a letter to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) during a public comment period regarding proposed regulations that could lead to the early release of dangerous "nonviolent" inmates and diminish victim rights.

Senate Republican Leader Bates' Statement on Passing of former Senate Republican Leader Dave Cogdill

July 24, 2017
Senate Republican Leader Patricia Bates ( R-Laguna Niguel ) issued the following statement on the passing of former Senate Republican Leader Dave Cogdill who passed away Sunday morning after battling pancreatic cancer: "I had the honor of working and serving with former Senate Republican Leader...

Senate Republican Leader Bates' Statement on Senate Passage of Cap-and-Trade Legislation

July 17, 2017
SACRAMENTO – Senate Republican Leader Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) issued the following statement after the California State Senate approved legislation to extend cap-and-trade [Assembly Bill 398]. “The real threat of climate change should not be used as an excuse to increase the cost of gas,...

Senator Bates Conveys Cap-and-Trade Concerns to Governor Brown

July 13, 2017
SACRAMENTO – This morning, a letter from members of the Senate Republican Caucus was delivered to Governor Jerry Brown outlining their concerns on cap-and-trade. The letter conveys to the Governor that the “… Caucus is united in opposition to the current efforts to extend the state’s cap-and-trade...

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Assembly Committee Approves Bill to Address Fentanyl Drug Trafficking

June 21, 2016
The Assembly Public Safety Committee today on a bipartisan 5 to 1 vote approved Senate Bill 1323 by Senators Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) and Bob Huff (R-San Dimas) that would enhance criminal penalties for illegal distributors of fentanyl, which has been linked to numerous deaths in California this year.

Statement on Passage of 2016-17 State Budget

June 15, 2016
Senator Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) issued the following statement regarding the passage of the 2016-17 state budget negotiated between Governor Brown and legislative Democrats:

Statement on Report Listing Fentanyl Overdose as Prince's Cause of Death

June 2, 2016
Senator Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) issued the following statement in response to the news today that music legend Prince died from an accidental overdose of fentanyl.

Senate Approves Bipartisan Bill to Combat "Ransomware"

May 31, 2016
The California State Senate today unanimously approved Senate Bill 1137 authored by Democratic Senator Bob Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys) and co-authored by Republican Senator Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) and others that would make “ransomware” the criminal equivalent of extortion.

Senate Supports Bill to Address Fentanyl Drug Trafficking

May 31, 2016
The California State Senate today approved Senate Bill 1323 by Senators Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) and Bob Huff (R-San Dimas) that would enhance criminal penalties for illegal distributors of fentanyl, which has been linked to numerous deaths in California this year.

Senate Approves Bill to Expand Tax Exemption for Veterans With "100 Percent" Disabilities

May 31, 2016
The California State Senate today approved Senate Bill 1458 by Senator Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) that would expand eligibility for the state’s property tax exemption to military veterans who previously did not qualify.

Measure that Would Have Closed Loophole Highlighted by Leland Yee Case Fails in Committee

May 27, 2016
Majority party members on the Senate Appropriations Committee today refused to move forward Senate Bill 1467 by Senator Patricia Bates (R – Laguna Niguel) that would have closed a major loophole in campaign finance law.

Senate Appropriations Committee Approves Bill to Combat Fentanyl Drug Trafficking

May 27, 2016
The Senate Appropriations Committee today unanimously approved Senate Bill 1323 by Senators Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) and Bob Huff (R-San Dimas) that would enhance criminal penalties for illegal distributors of fentanyl, which has been linked to numerous deaths in California this year.

Vista's "Prohibition Brewing Company" Honored as Small Business of the Year

May 25, 2016
Senator Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) today honored Vista’s “Prohibition Brewing Company” as the 2016 Small Business of the Year for the 36th Senate District.

Senator Patricia Bates Responds to Governor's Revised Budget Plan

May 13, 2016
Senator Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) today responded to the release of Governor Jerry Brown’s revised 2016-17 budget proposal:

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