Lorena Gonzalez-Fletcher

ASSEMBLYWOMAN GONZALEZ 'CANCER FREE' FOLLOWING WEEKEND SURGERY, HUSBAND REPORTS

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

Photo:  Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher and Nathan Fletcher last month. Photo by Chris Stone

September 12, 2021 (San Diego) - Lorena Gonzalez of the California State Assembly underwent successful surgery for breast cancer this weekend.

Gonzalez, a Democrat who represents the 80th Assembly District, came through Saturday’s surgery “tired, sore and groggy, but cancer free,” her husband, Nathan Fletcher, said in a Twitter post.

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GOVERNOR SIGNS BILL TO EXEMPT MANY INDEPENDENT WORKERS FROM AB 5

Update September 5, 2020 : Governor Gavin Newsom has signed this bill into law. It takes effect immediately as an emergency measure.
 
By Miriam Raftery
 
September 3, 2020 (Sacramento) – A bill to exempt many occupations from AB 5, California’s controversial new employment law, and allow those exempted to work as independent contractors instead of employees, has passed the Legislature overwhelmingly. Governor Gavin Newsom is expected to sign the measure, AB 2257, into law. If signed, it would take effect immediately as an urgency measure. View full text of AB 2257.
 
The trouble began in 2018 when the state Supreme Court’s decision in the Dynamex case imposed a strict new test of employment status in California’s burgeoning gig economy.  AB 5, authored by Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego), sought to codify the court ruling but went farther, requiring that a broad range of freelancers and independent contractors be treated as employees eligible for benefits ranging from unemployment to medical care.
 
AB 5 triggered a backlash of criticism from many freelancers whose income and flexibility were severely impacted, including musicians, writers, translators and many others walloped first by AB 5, and then by the COVID-19 pandemic and shutdown.

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BILL TO EXEMPT MANY WRITERS, VIDEOGRAPHERS AND MUSICIANS FROM AB 5 SET FOR HEARING MAY 20 IN SACRAMENTO

By Miriam Raftery

Update: This bill passed the Labor and Employment committee 7-0 and next heads to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

May 18, 2020 (San Diego) – A bill to provide relief for many freelance writers, videographers and musicians negatively impacted by California’s sweeping new labor law, Assembly Bill 5, has been introduced by Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez (D- San Diego).  Assembly Bill 2257, a measure to exempt many in these occupations from requirements of AB 5, is slated for hearing May 20 in the Assembly Labor and Employment Committee.  Letters can be send to committee members at https://calegislation.lc.ca.gov/Advocates/.


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LAWSUITS MOUNT AGAINST NEW CALIFORNIA LABOR LAW, AB 5

Judge issues injunction on behalf of independent truckers; freelance journalists and other gig worker groups also file legal challenges
 
By Miriam Raftery
 
January 6, 2020 (San Diego) – A new law making it harder for businesses to classify workers as independent contractors instead of employees took effect January 1st. Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez-Fletcher, the bill’s author, aims to provide more workers with benefits such as healthcare, unemployment insurance and the option to unionize. But a flurry of lawsuits are challenging the measure as unfair and constitutional.  

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ASSEMBLY UNANIMOUSLY PASSES GONZALEZ-FLETCHER BILL TO COMBAT BARK BEETLE SCOURGE RAVAGING LOCAL FORESTS

 

East County News Service

Photo:  Creative commons photo by Youli on Wikipedia

May 29, 2018 (Sacramento) -- The California State Assembly today unanimously passed a bill authored by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D-San Diego)  to help prevent future deadly wildfires caused when trees dry up into kindling after being killed by beetles that have become a scourge of the Southern California countryside.


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GONZALEZ FLETCHER BILL WOULD BAN GUN BUY-BACK PROGRAMS FROM GIVING VOUCHERS TO STORES THAT SELL GUNS

 

East County News Service

January 23, 2018 (San Diego) -- California State Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D-San Diego) introduced a bill this week that would prohibit public agencies during gun buy-back events from handing out taxpayer-funded vouchers to any store that sells firearms.


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LORENA GONZALEZ FLETCHER LAUNCHES “FAIR SCHEDULING” BILL TO GUARANTEE WORKERS ADVANCE NOTICE OF SHIFTS

 

Measure aims to help workers balance needs of work, family and school

East County News Service

November 5, 2017 (San Diego) -- State Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D-San Diego) announced this week that she will author legislation in 2018 to prevent erratic scheduling practices that have become common in part-time workplaces.


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BILL PREVENTING WOMEN FROM BEING FIRED FOR PREGNANCY HEADS TO GOV'S DESK

 

Lorena Gonzalez-Fletcher bill would protect a woman’s right to make her own reproductive health decisions

East County News Service

September 15, 2017 (Sacramento) -- California State Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D-San Diego) won final Legislative approval of her bill protecting women from being fired for a pregnancy. The Reproductive Health Non-Discrimination Act would also prevent an employer for firing or disciplining a woman for making any other decision related to her reproductive health. The bill now heads to the Governor, who has until Oct. 15 to either sign or veto the proposal.


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“INSPIRED TO RUN”: SUSAN DAVIS, SCOTT PETERS, LORENA GONZALEZ FLETCHER, TODD GLORIA & OTHERS TO SPEAK AUG. 2 AT LA MESA'S DEMOCRATIC CLUB

 

East County News Service

July 27, 2017 (La Mesa) –A high-powered panel of local political heavy-weights will discuss what inspired them to run and why others should consider entering the political arena at the Wednesday August 2 meeting of La Mesa Foothills Democratic Club (7 p.m. in the La Mesa Community Center (4975 Memorial Dr, La Mesa).

This panel includes Congressional members Susan Davis and Scott Peters, Assembly members Todd Gloria and Lorena Gonzalez-Fletcher, Helix Water Board Director Mark Gracyk, Executive director of The Center on Policy Initiatives (CPI), Dr. Kyra Greene.   (Photo, left)

Democrats outnumber Republicans in La Mesa, Lemon Grove and San Diego, yet there are scores of seats on local boards and jurisdictions where Republicans run unopposed every election cycle.  Now, Democrats are taking their “Resist Trump” agenda to the grass-roots by enticing new leaders to run for office.and inspiring those on the sidelines to get involved. 


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ASSEMBLY APPROVES LORENA GONZALEZ-FLETCHER BILL REQUIRING LEAD TESTING FOR SCHOOL WATER

 

East County News Service

May 31, 2017 (Sacramento) - California State Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D-San Diego) today won approval by the Assembly for her legislation that will require school districts to test for lead contamination in their water supplies, and to notify parents if any lead is discovered. Assembly Bill 746 was approved on a vote of 68-0.


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GONZALEZ-FLETCHER BILL REQUIRING LEAD TESTING OF SCHOOL WATER PASSES COMMITTEE UNANIMOUSLY

 

East County News Service

AB 805 ADVANCES IN LEGISLATURE AS EAST COUNTY CITIES FIGHT BACK AGAINST SANDAG POWER GRAB

 

 

By Miriam Raftery

 

“I will argue that my minority and low income citizens have just as much right to be fairly represented as San Diego and Chula Vista.”—Lemon Grove Councilman Jerry Jones

April 23, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) – Assembly Bill 805  passed the Assembly Local Government Committee on Wednesday by a 5-4 vote.  The measure claims to  reform SANDAG,  but in fact gives virtually all power to the cities of San Diego and Chula Vista, leaving East County cities and other communities in our county powerless to add agenda items to benefit other cities or block objectionable measures at SANDAG, the Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) and North County Transit District.

Now East County cities are fighting back.   On Tuesday, La Mesa’s City Council will consider a proposal from Council members Bill Baber and Kristine Alessio to hire a legislative lobbyist to advocate on La Mesa’s behalf against AB 805, which was authored by Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego), according to the agenda.

El Cajon’s City Council has voted to oppose AB 805, as did Lemon Grove and La Mesa.  East County Assemblyman Randy Voepel, former Mayor of Santee, voted against the measure in committee.


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