The Pasadena / San Gabrial Valley Journal News - Black African American Business, Educational and Social News
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Rep. Bass Statement On Recent Student Arrests Following An Off Campus Party At USC
Today, Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-Calif.) released the following statement on the recent arrests of students following an off-campus party at the University of Southern California.
"I'm deeply troubled by the very serious allegations made by several African American students with regards to their treatment by LAPD police officers during this off campus party. Since the incident happened, my office has been in contact with students, USC and LAPD officials to gather as many of the facts as possible and urging continued cooperation in addressing the allegations made by African American students who felt they were profiled. I commend USC for their responsiveness in making sure students have had a venue to make their voices heard, as was evidenced by the recent town hall where over 1,000 students and alumni turned out. I'm also encouraged the LAPD has launched an internal investigation and commend them for their willingness in participating in a constructive dialogue to address the concerns of students.
Holden's Prescription for Patient Choice in Pharmacy Benefits Passes Key Committee (AB 299)
The Assembly Health Committee has approved Assemblymember Chris Holden's (D-Pasadena) bill to give patients a choice in pharmacy health plans.
AB 299 targets mail-order prescription mandates by prohibiting any mail-order pharmacy from entering into contracts with health insurance companies when the insured are required to purchase their medications from a mail-order pharmacy.
"Let's use some common sense here. The average consumer wants to have a choice in where he or she purchases prescription drugs," said Assemblymember Holden. "These plans shouldn't discriminate on where you buy your medications. Let the patient choose what works best for him or her - a local pharmacy or a mail-order pharmacy. I am especially concerned that seniors or those with complicated conditions such as cancer, hepatitis or HIV/AIDS have access to the pharmacist of their choice."
Reps. Adam Schiff and Judy Chu Introduce Legislation to Ensure Cities Can Qualify for Federal Disaster Relief After Major Storms
Washington, DC – Today, Reps. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) and Judy Chu (D-El Monte) introduced legislation that would fix the problems that Pasadena and other cities in the Southern California faced in qualifying for federal disaster relief from the devastating windstorms of November and December 2011. Currently, small and medium sized communities located in large states like California have a particularly difficult time reaching the state-wide and county-wide thresholds needed to qualify for federal disaster relief. This legislation would direct the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to take into account the ability of small and medium sized communities in large counties and in large states to recover from natural disasters.
"After the devastating windstorms two years ago, medium-sized cities like Pasadena and Temple City were unable to access essential federal disaster relief merely because they are in a large county and state," said Rep. Adam Schiff. "Natural disasters don't choose to fall only in cities that are able to apply for federal assistance – they strike indiscriminately and without warning. We need to reform the process so small and medium-sized cities in more populous states like California are not penalized when it comes to getting much-needed disaster aid. While this legislation won't help the Foothills recoup money they had to spend recovering from the last storm, it will hopefully prevent that from happening to these and other communities in the future."
AB 366: Expanding Eligibility for Minority Businesses to Create Jobs and Grow Minority - Owned Enterprises
A Message From Assemblymember Chris Holden
District 41
Since the passage of Proposition 209 in 1996, consideration of ethnicity in the areas of public education, employment and public contracting has been banned. This has had a chilling effect on minority business enterprises. According to a 2006 study, only one-third of the minority businesses certified to contract with the California Department of Transportation were still in business, and surviving women-owned businesses still struggle to win contracts and overcome gender bias in the transportation construction industry.
Earlier this year I introduced legislation that I believe will promote corporate diversity and open pathways for minorities, disabled veterans and women. The goal of Assembly Bill 366 is to build upon the Public Utilities - Supplier Diversity Program and encourage companies to open up their boardrooms and executive management teams to minority business leaders.
It is my intention to broaden and include more minority businesses in the PUC Supplier Diversity Program for financial and legal services only. The original legislation that created the program authorized publicly-owned businesses (corporations) to participate if 51 percent of the stock was owned by minorities, disabled-veterans or women. AB 366 does not change this requirement. As amended May 1, 2013, this bill – and only for corporations offering financial and legal services – would permit corporations to participate if their board of directors and executive management team is diverse; that means 51 percent of their board and managers must be minorities.
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