Then There's California

Central Valley State Senator Melissa Hurtado sits down with Liset Garcia, the owner of 'Sweet Girl Farms' in Reedley, CA, to talk about how drought, climate change and water shortages are continuing to impact valley farmers. Click here for a closed-captioned version of this episode!

State Senate President Pro Tem Toni G. Atkins shares how California has long been a reproductive rights leader, and will continue to protect and expand abortion rights, as other states further restrict those rights, and as the US Supreme Court is poised to overturn Roe v. Wade. Click here for a closed-captioned version of this episode!

State Senator & Latino Legislative Caucus Chair, Maria Elena Durazo shares the story of her personal and professional advocacy on behalf of immigrants & workers, and talks about her new law, SB 62, the Garment Workers Protection Act, and her efforts to secure Medi-Cal coverage for ALL Californians, regardless of immigration status. Click here for a closed-captioned version of this episode!

In addition to State Senator Ben Hueso's long-time passion for public policy, there's his lifetime passion & love for music! Senator Hueso plays the piano at Sacramento's Stanford Mansion, and talks about his musical & legislative rhythms. Click here for a closed-captioned version of this episode!

Senator Steve Glazer, the Chair of the CA. State Senate Elections Committee, talks about legislative efforts, in the wake of 2020's gubernatorial election, to consider proposed reforms & changes to California's recall election process. He also shares reflections about the Jan. 6th riots in nation's capitol last year, and the ongoing threats to voters' rights across the country. Click here for a cl...

CA State Senators Monique Limón, Josh Newman and Mike McGuire share candid and personal stories about life as a mom/dad to their young children, and the challenges and joys of balancing legislative priorities, travel schedules and other work obligations...with their priorities of being a 'senator parent!'

The 5-member California State Senate Delegation to the COP26 Climate Conference in Glasgow, Scotland, joins us to share their experiences on the world stage, representing CA's impressive leadership on climate policy and goals for future climate action. Click here for a closed-captioned version of this episode!

Equity Advocate Ifeoma Ozoma & State Senator Connie Leyva are co-sponsors of SB 331, the "Silenced No More" Act, a new law that prohibits non-disclosure acts (NDAs) involving workplace harassment or discrimination. Click here for a closed-captioned version of this episode!

Senator Steven Bradford, the Chair of the CA Legislative Black Caucus, discusses restorative justice, reparations, 'atonement' for the many injustices still being directed against African-Americans...and the governor's signing of SB 2 & SB 796. Click here for a closed-captioned version of this episode!

State Senator Lena Gonzalez reacts to the recently-enacted, controversial Texas abortion law and its potential to further threaten women's reproductive rights across the country...and highlights her ongoing legislative efforts to ensure California remains a strong, reproductive freedom state. Please click here for a closed-captioned version of this episode!

Izabella Vasquez, a senior at San Joaquin Memorial High School in Fresno, recently joined her state senator, Melissa Hurtado, for a day at the Capitol! Izabella talks about her ambitions as a future leader, how young people in the valley are coping with economic, environmental and social challenges, and the work she does to support her peers and their farmworking families. Click here for a closed-...

Law School Professor-turned-freshman State Senator, Dave Min (D-Irvine), discusses his pre-legislative career & family background, the continued struggle against anti-Asian-American violence and racism...and explains how a collective philosophy of long-term investment in the future can help California and America. Click here for a closed-captioned version of this episode!

Central Valley Senator Melissa Hurtado reminds us that hunger knows no border, no race and no nationality, and explains how her 'Comida Para Todos (Food For All) Act' will provide greater food security to low-income immigrant workers in California. Click here for a closed-captioned version of this episode!

Kingsburg, CA City Councilmember Jewel Hurtado and State Senator Anna Caballero discuss how a Pride Month resolution and a request by Councilmember Hurtado to fly the rainbow flag in Kingsburg prompted intense and caustic debate within the city, and on-going civic and personal soul-searching  - even statewide - about the acceptance of diverse individuals and communities. Click here for a closed-ca...

Senator Bob Archuleta, a military veteran and Chair of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, talks about how 4th of July fireworks can trigger anxiety in military veterans, and how those veterans and their families can ease the anticipated tension and still celebrate a holiday that honors their service to our country, Senator Archuleta is joined in this discussion by two distinguished California...

From growing up in a mixed-race family in Chicago...to becoming the only African-American female lawmaker in the California State Senate, LA Senator Sydney Kamlager talks about life, legislating, fighting for social injustice...and compelling the world to listen to the voices of women of color. Click here for a closed-captioned version of this episode!

June is Pride Month…and on this episode, State Senate Leader Toni G. Atkins shares her enthusiasm about Pride 2021, reflects on her memories of past Pride celebrations, and talks about her coming-of-age and 'coming out' experiences as a young college student in conservative Virginia in the early 80's. Please click here for a closed-captioned version of this episode!  

California's Senate Majority Leader Robert Hertzberg uses the movie "The Princess Bride" as a metaphor for explaining how Californians are not always handed the perfect tools for dealing with the state's challenges, including housing, homelessness and drought, but "..we have to use what we got, and figure it out." Click here for a closed-captioned version of the audio!

Senator Bob Wieckowski reminds us that CA ranks third to last in bottle recycling redemption rates among bottle deposit states, and he discusses his ongoing effort to transform our state's broken bottle recycling system with SB 38, which would make CA's bottle recycling process more consumer-friendly. Click here if you would like to access a closed-captioned version of this episode!

State Senator Susan Eggman of Stockton has found a heart for the art of baking bread, and loves to share her homemade loaves with legislative colleagues and friends! On this episode, Senator Eggman, a trained hospice social worker, also talks about life, and death, and reminds us that, even as with baking bread...for everything there is a season. Please click here for a closed-captioned version of...

Freshman State Senator Dave Cortese is following the path of his father, former Assemblyman Dominic Cortese, in becoming a Silicon Valley lawmaker, but he has his own, unique legislative priorities and goals for navigating a 21st century California. Click here for a closed-captioned version of this podcast!

On our 50TH podcast episode, Santa Barbara State Senator Monique Limon recalls growing up amidst the environmental awareness image of the coastal district she currently represents, and talks about co-authoring SB 467, which would ban hydraulic 'fracking' in CA by the year 2027. Click here for closed-captioned version of this audio!

LA Senator Anthony Portantino talks about the violence, oppression and hate crimes that have impacted the diverse communities in his 25th senate district, how COVID has affected the mental health of students as well as the public at-large...and the societal and environmental issues that we still need to confront, post-pandemic. Click here for a closed-captioned version of this audio!

State Senator Bill Dodd, along with two water equity and affordability advocates, discusses his legislation that would protect Californians from 'water debt' - ensuring protections for all ratepayers who are struggling to afford access to safe, reliable drinking water, especially during the COVID pandemic. Click here for a closed-captioned version of this audio!

John Laird may be a 'freshman' state senator, but he is NOT a newcomer to the arena of public policy in CA, and has, in fact witnessed the arc of history as one of the first gay elected officials in the US, and a steward of California's environmental legacy. Click here for a closed-captioned version of this episode!