By Chris Jennewein, Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

Photo:  Sen. Toni Atkins speaks during a press conference to promote her Senate Bill 447. With her are Assemblymember Chris Ward (left), Sen. Steve Padilla and Fernando Lopez, executive director of San Diego Pride. Photo by Chris Jennewein

July 15, 2023 (San Diego) - State Senate President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins welcomed San Diego Pride on Friday with with an emotional pitch for legislation that would enable California to lead the nation in expanding acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Pro-choice demonstrators tonight at Waterfront Park in San Diego, by Josan Feathers

June 24, 2022 (Washington D.C.) – Ending a half century of women’s rights to end a pregnancy, the U.S. Supreme Court today issued a ruling overturning the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. 

That means abortion becomes illegal in 26 states immediately due to trigger laws or older statutes on the books, many banning abortion even to save a mother’s life or prevent a rape or incest victim from being forced to give birth. More states are poised to consider banning or restricting abortion, while Republican leaders have pledged to seek a nationwide abortion ban if they regain control of Congress in November.

Today’s decision has sparked protests nationwide, including thousands protesting outside the Supreme Court and justices’ homes this evening, as well as a large crowd gathered in San Diego outside the County adminstration building at Waterfront Park.

By Miriam Raftery

March 21, 2018 (San Diego) – San Diego State Senator Toni Atkins this week became the first woman to lead California’s State Senate, as well as the first gay or lesbian person to hold the legislature’s highest office. Atkins previously served as Speaker of the Assembly.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Senator Ricardo Lara and Toni Atkins, authors of Healthy California Act.

June 4, 2017 Sacramento) – Both houses of California’s Legislature have passed a landmark bill  called the “Healthy California Act”  to create a single-payer, universal healthcare system and eliminate private insurance companies  from covering anything covered by the state plan, which is broad.   

If enacted  the measure coauthored by Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) and Senator Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) would  cover all Californians, with no premiums, copays or deductibles, for all medical, dental, vision care, mental health and chiropractic services.   

But Senate bill 352 must go back to the Assembly to remedy a major flaw: the bill was advanced without details on how to pay for it, in order to meet legislative deadlines, and contains a clause that without the Secretary of Health and Human Services determining that a new Healthy California Trust Fund has sufficient revenues to fund the bill’s costs,  it will not become law.  

View a video on the San Diego River Conservancy’s report to the Legislature

March 18, 2017 (Sacramento) -- This week, two bills authored by Sen. Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) cleared key policy committees and moved on to the Senate Appropriations Committee for consideration. One wil help enhance portions of the San Diego River in East County. The other provides funding to build affordable housing.

East County News Service

February 4, 2017 (Sacramento) - Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) this week introduced new bills that will strengthen the San Diego River Conservancy (SB 214), bolster language-assistance services in medical care (SB 223), and help prosecute human traffickers (SB 230).

East County News Service

January 11, 2017 (San Diego) – State Senator Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) has issued a statement criticizing Governor Jerry Brown’s newly released 2017-18 California budget for cuts to affordable housing and scholarships.

Workers share how wage theft damages families, drives poverty; elected leaders share solutions to multi-billion annual wage heist  

August 28, 2015 (San Diego)--Speaker of the Assembly Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) along with California Labor Commissioner Julie Su and local leaders will host a “Fair Day’s Pay” town hall with San Diego workers on Saturday, August 29 from 10 a.m. to 12 noon.  The forum will spotlight how wage theft denies workers the opportunity to participate in the American Dream and leaves families in poverty.

The forum comes after a joint study by San Diego State University and the Center on Policy Initiatives found persuasive evidence of wage theft throughout San Diego’s food industry, with more than three-quarters (77%) of workers reporting having been victims of wage theft during the past year and a third saying theft from their paychecks occurs regularly.  Wage theft plagues workers in many other low-wage industries, and adds up to billions drained from California’s economy each year.

By Miriam Raftery

December 2, 2014 (Sacramento)—Today Senate Democrats announced a plan to prevent a tuition hike approved by University of California Regents from taking effect for California students. However out-of-state students’ tuitions would increase by 17 percent. 

The plan follows an earlier proposal by Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins (D-San Diego). The two plans have similarities, but also differences in their approaches.

By Miriam Raftery

November 21, 2014 (San Francisco)—Ignoring protests from students, opposition from the Governor and legislative leaders, University of California’s Board of Regents voted Thursday to approve Tuition hikes.  The increase will be 5 percent a year over the next five years – 25 percent total—at all UC campuses .  For the 2015-2016 school year, tuition will be $12,804 and by 2019, students will be forced to pay $15,000 a year in tuition.

Some Regents indicated that if that state increases funding, they would vote to reduce tuitions. 

Assembly  Speaker Toni Atkins (D-San Diego)  has pledged to introduce a measure to boost funding for the UC system.  She had urged the Regents to reject any tuition or fee hikes. Atkins, an ex-officio Regent with voting rights, called the fee hikes “unacceptable” adding, “California students and their families have faced too many fee increases already.”

By Miriam Raftery

October 10, 2013 (Sacramento ) – Governor Jerry Brown has signed into law Assembly Bill 154, by Assemblywoman Toni Atkins ( D-San Diego).  The measure allows nurse practitioners, certified nurse-midwives and physician assistants to perform certain first-trimester abortions.

September 18, 2013 (San Diego ) – On September 26, the Green Experts Academy presents a panel focused on green jobs, the clean tech sector development, renewable energy, climate mitigation, solar and the vision for America’s Finest Green City.  Participants include mayoral candidates David Alvarez, Nicole Capretz, Office of Interim Mayor Todd Gloria, Deanna Sphen, Office of Assembly Majority Leader Toni Atkins, and other green experts.

By Miriam Raftery

January 5, 2013 (San Diego)—Assembly Speaker John Perez has announced committee assignments for the new term. San Diego’s delegation will be well represented on several key committees.  San Diego County members will control 3 of 7 votes on Housing and Community Development, with two or more members on several other key committees, notably education  and the budget committee. Our region lacks representation on several committees however, such as transportation, revenue and taxation, and natural resources, where San Diego doesn’t have a single member.  Below are the assignments of our region’s members.