Assemblymember Chris Ward (D-San Diego) released the following statement on being elected as Vice Chair of the California Legislative LGBTQ+ Caucus:

(SACRAMENTO, CA) – California is facing a critical shortage of substance use disorder counselors needed to help people who are struggling with addiction.

(SACRAMENTO,CA) – California continues to lead the way in adopting renewable energy solutions to fight climate change with over 20% of the state’s energy generation coming from solar.

(SACRAMENTO, CA) – Renters in California often have to pay an application fee ranging from $25 to $55 per adult for credit checks, employment verifications and criminal background reports each time they apply to lease an apartment or home. These fees can add up to several hundreds of dollars before a prospective tenant even gets approved to move into a new residence.

(SACRAMENTO,CA) – More than 6,000 Californians die from drug overdoses each year, according to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics.

(SACRAMENTO,CA) – California is home to roughly 40 million people with nearly half of the population being renters. While the Golden State has made significant strides to move toward green energy solutions to fight climate change, these goals cannot be met leaving renters and those who cannot install rooftop solar behind.

(SACRAMENTO,CA) – Nearly one in four transgender people avoid seeking necessary health care due to fear of discrimination or mistreatment based on their gender identity, according to a national survey from the Center For American Progress. To help address this issu