SACRAMENTO--Assemblymember Mark Stone (D-Monterey Bay) and Assembly Speaker Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) have introduced Assembly Bill 988, legislation that would provide education about the environment and outdoor recreation for California children, prioritizing opportunities for underserved and at-risk students. 

“In many underserved communities, participation in outdoor environmental education and recreation programs are the only exposure kids have to nature and the environment,” said Stone. “Outdoor environmental education provides students with memorable real-world experiences with the environment, which increases interest in science and environmental stewardship.”

SACRAMENTO –Assemblymember Mark Stone (D-Monterey Bay) has introduced legislation to ensure the safety of people seeking alcohol and drug rehabilitation services. Assembly Bill 848 would allow residential detoxification facilities to provide 24-hour medical services to their clients.

“The goal of a detoxification facility is to provide the best possible care for vulnerable people struggling to overcome addictions.  I introduced this bill because people who are working to get sober should have their needs met through the programs where they are seeking help, including medical treatment related to their addiction and recovery,” said Stone. 

SACRAMENTO –Assemblymember Mark Stone (D-Monterey Bay) has introduced AB 238, legislation to promote infrastructure and technology development to deploy broadband access to all Californians. 

“During my time in the Legislature, I’ve fought to reduce unemployment, develop and grow business opportunities, combat wealth inequality, and shrink the student academic achievement gap.  Ensuring that broadband is available across the state is an important part of addressing each of these problems,” said Stone.  “High-speed internet access isn’t just for streaming movies – it’s a critical component for promoting economic development and educational achievement for all Californians.”

SACRAMENTO –Assemblymember Mark Stone (D-Monterey Bay) has introduced Assembly Bill 512, legislation to help reduce recidivism and prison overcrowding by encouraging inmates to participate in educational and life skills programs while earning modest sentence reductions.

“We need to make sure that people in prison who will someday return to their communities have the opportunity to learn job and life skills that will help them stay out of trouble when they are released,” said Stone. “This bill provides inmates a stronger incentive to complete programs that have been proven to help reduce recidivism.”

SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember Mark Stone (D-Monterey Bay) has introduced Assembly Bill 403, legislation that expresses the intent of the Legislature to comprehensively reform placement and treatment options for youth in foster care.  The measure, sponsored by the California Department of Social Services (CDSS), builds upon years of policy changes to improve outcomes for youth in foster care. 

“When children go into foster care, they depend on us to make sure that they have a safe, comfortable, supportive place to stay, whether that is with a relative, a foster family, or a treatment center,” said Stone. “Current options along the continuum of care spectrum, particularly the existing model for group home placements, do not always meet these requirements.  The reforms in this bill will provide youth with the support they need in foster care to return to their families or to find a permanent home if returning to their families is not an option.”

Landmark Consumer Protections to Increase Disclosure, Safety

Assemblyman Rich Gordon (D-Menlo Park), Assemblywoman Susan Eggman (D-Stockton), Assemblyman Mark Stone (D-Monterey Bay), and Assemblyman Scott Wilk (R-Santa Clarita) today announced the need for new legislation to increase transparency and improve safety around recalled vehicles in California.  AB 287, the Consumer Automotive Recall Safety Act (CARS Act), will be comprehensive consumer protection legislation, making California the first state in the nation to comprehensively address recalls of used cars.

“With such a dramatic increase in recalls by manufacturers, we must do a better job of alerting consumers to the recalls that affect them, and what they can do about it,” said Assemblyman Rich Gordon. “This legislation will increase awareness of recalls and encourage more outstanding recalls to be fixed, making our roads safer for everyone.”

February 10, 2015 (SACRAMENTO) – Assembly Speaker Toni G. Atkins has reappointed Assemblymember Mark Stone (D-Monterey Bay) to serve as the Chair of the Assembly Select Committee on Coastal Protection, and has appointed him to serve as the Chair of the newly-convened Assembly Select Committee Expanding Access to California’s Natural Resources.

“If Californians want to continue to benefit from the state’s singular coastal resources that support its $43 billion coastal economy, we must find ways to address the numerous threats the coast faces. I look forward to continuing the work that this committee started last session,” said Stone.  “And to ensure that all Californians have the opportunity to enjoy, we need to focus on simple, affordable access to the state’s coastline and other natural resources.”

SACRAMENTO –Assemblymember Mark Stone (D-Monterey Bay) and Assemblymember Jose Medina (D-Riverside) have introduced legislation to help eligible undocumented students at California public universities graduate with less loan debt and more job opportunities. AB 206 establishes the California DREAM Work-Study program to provide need-based work-study grants to undocumented students who would be eligible for the program under standards set for other UC and CSU students. The measure provides 100% of funds for work-study grants for students employed by a UC, CSU or public school district, and 50% of funds for job placements with other private and non-profit employers.

“An important part of a university education is networking and gaining skills that will help students start their careers after graduation.  Work-study programs can provide these opportunities,” said Stone. “At the same time, these programs can help students reduce their loan burdens.  AB 206 helps ensure that DREAM Act students can benefit from the same access to work-study programs as other eligible students.”