South San Francisco, CA January 3, 2020 Submitted by Leslie Guevarra
California Senator Jerry Hill
Have you made all your New Year’s resolutions? Want to help California be a better place? State Senator Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties, encourages Peninsula and Silicon Valley residents to submit their bill ideas to his 12th Annual “Oughta Be a Law…Or Not” Contest. The deadline for contest entries is January 17, 2020.
For the contest, Senator Hill will consider ideas from constituents for new legislation or the repeal of outdated laws. Typically, the senator selects a standout bill idea and introduces legislation based on it. But the contest isn’t limited to a single winning idea, if there are other equally strong entries.
“I always welcome great bill ideas and if there is more than one winner, that’s terrific – our record is four winners in a single year,” said Senator Hill, referring to four bills inspired by constituents that he introduced in 2016, two of which became laws.
Laws resulting from constituents’ ideas include Jojo’s Act, which took effect with the New Year and was urged by the mother of a severely disabled South San Francisco student who relies on medicinal cannabis to attend school. Jojo’s Act, Senate Bill 223, enables parents of public school students like the bill’s namesake to give their children their medicine at K-12 campuses under strict rules and conditions provided the school district allows it.
“We’ve had great legislative successes with the ‘Oughta Be a Law’ Contest, ” said Senator Hill. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for constituents to participate in the legislative process and help bring about positive change.”
The contest is open to all constituents of the 13th Senate District. Constituents may submit their ideas for improving the quality of life in San Mateo County, Santa Clara County and the state of California. Ideas may vary from statewide reforms to local community improvements that are within the purview of the state Legislature. Entries may call for the creation of a new law or the repeal of an obsolete law.
Past winners have testified on behalf of their bill idea in Assembly or Senate committees and many have also had their bill ideas signed into law.
To obtain an entry form, visit Senator Hill’s website at:
http://sd13.senate.ca.gov/submit-bill-idea.
An entry form also can be obtained by calling Senator Hill’s district office at 650-212-3313.
Completed entry forms may be emailed to [email protected], faxed to his district office at 650-212-3320, or mailed to the district office at 1528 South El Camino Real, Suite 303, San Mateo, CA 94402. Entries must be received by January 17, 2020.
While all bill ideas from constituents who contact the office throughout the year are considered for the contest, the senator urges constituents to use the contest form to submit their entries. The form includes questions that are typically asked about bills during the legislative process so that contestants can make the strongest arguments possible for their bill ideas.
The 13th Senate District includes the cities of Atherton, Belmont, Brisbane, Burlingame, East Palo Alto, Foster City, Half Moon Bay, Hillsborough, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Menlo Park, Millbrae, Mountain View, Pacifica, Palo Alto, Portola Valley, Redwood City, San Bruno, San Carlos, San Mateo, South San Francisco, Sunnyvale, Woodside and parts of unincorporated San Mateo County and unincorporated Santa Clara County.
For more information about the contest and past “Oughta Be a Law…” winning ideas, visit:
http://sd13.senate.ca.gov/submit-bill-idea