Dear friends,
I hope this email finds you and your family healthy and safe as we begin to see some return to normalcy after a year of COVID. Vaccinations are steadily being given to various groups in our community with more vaccines, vaccine sites, and vaccine administrators becoming available in larger numbers. More details on who is eligible at this time to receive the vaccine is below.
As we begin to ease restrictions, many small businesses operating in the 59th Assembly District are beginning to open and are ready to serve (in limited capacity). I would encourage you to support your favorite local business and share their offerings/story on my social media platforms.
Unfortunately, as we see positive movement with vaccinations and the easing of COVID restrictions in various segments of business, travel, and entertainment we have seen an uptick in violence against our friends in the Asian Pacific Islander (API) community. Mass shootings have returned with two occurring in the span of a week. As Chair of the Assembly's Public Safety Committee, I am determined to work on common sense reforms that protect the public including police, criminal justice, and social justice issues. We must work together to create a safe and equitable society for all to live and prosper.
Finally, as Women's History Month ends, I am pleased to announce Norma Diaz is the Woman of the Year representing Assembly District 59. Her work in our community and life story are remarkable and deserve recognition. Please join me in celebrating all the inspiring women in our district, in our state, and across our nation.
As always, my office is here to serve. Please feel free to reach out with any state concerns or issues you may have including DMV, EDD and COVID programs by calling (213) 744-2111 or emailing assembltmember.jones-sawyer@assembly.ca.gov.
Wishing you all the best,
59th District Representative
Chair, Public Safety Committee
Founder, Progressive Caucus
COVID Related Programs and Services
The Los Angeles Housing + Community Investment Department (HCIDLA) is accepting applications for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program. All residents in the City of Los Angeles are eligible, regardless of immigration status. Eligible applicants will be chosen through a random selection process to participate in the program.
The program is required to give priority to paying past-due, unpaid rent. If selected, the program can pay 80% of a tenant's past-due rent for the period of April 1, 2020, through March 31, 2021, but only if the landlord agrees to waive the remaining 20%. If a landlord does not agree to these terms, the program can pay 25% of the tenant's past-due, unpaid rent, as well as up to 25% of the tenant's upcoming future rent, for three months.
Applications can be submitted by tenants and landlords and will be accepted from 8 a.m. Tuesday, March 30, 2021, through Friday, April 30, 2021, at 11:59 p.m. at hcidla.lacity.org
If you are NOT a City of LA resident, visit the State website at https://housing.ca.gov to apply for the California COVID-19 Rent Relief Program.
2021 Woman of the Year
It is my honor to recognize Norma Diaz as the 2021 Woman of the Year recipient representing Assembly District 59.
Norma is a resident of Walnut Park where she offers bilingual DMV classes, etiquette classes, self-defense classes, and anti-bullying workshops to the community. Norma also serves as treasurer for the Walnut Park Civic Engagement Project - an organization targeting key issues in the community and finding solutions to improve the living standards for all residents.
Norma's background includes attending a culinary art school where she learned about international cuisines and participated in working on the world's largest cake featured in the Guinness Book of World Records. Norma also studied to become a computer programmer at an industrial clothing pattern company. Norma is an active member of the South-East Los Angeles (SELA) collaborative that focuses on the betterment of public and charter schools.
Legislative Update
I recently introduced AB 750, a bill that aims to close a loophole that allows peace officers to make false reports without being held accountable.
Current law provides an opportunity for one officer to make a false statement in a police report and evade criminal charges by having a second officer write and file the report for them. As Chair of the Assembly Public Safety Committee, it is imperative we ensure officer accountability for their false statements, especially when those false statements can determine individuals' experiences with the criminal justice system.
You can read about the bill here: https://bit.ly/3w50ARx
COVID Vaccinations
California has a tiered system in place to provide access to COVID vaccinations across the state. Currently anyone over the age of 65, teachers, essential education workers and staff, along with other classified essential workers are eligible.
To find out if you are eligible for vaccinations at this time California has set up https://myturn.ca.gov/. I encourage you to find your status and schedule an appointment with your local provider as soon as you are eligible. Working together we will get through this pandemic.
Upcoming
- May's Mother's Day event announcement - To be announced (TBA) in April
- Launch of Speaker's Series - calendar listings TBA in April
- Food Insecurity Discussion in April
- Fireside Chat with Senator Alex Padilla and Congresswoman Karen Bass - in April
