A flurry in the statehouse last week can only mean one thing: This year\u2019s legislative session is wrapping up.<\/p>\n
While the California Legislature<\/a> doesn\u2019t actually adjourn \u201csine die\u201d \u2014 that\u2019s a Latin term that means \u201cwithout a day,\u201d and it also signals the end of the legislative session<\/a> \u2014 until Nov. 30, it\u2019s today, Aug. 31, that closes out work. It\u2019s the last day for the Assembly and the Senate to pass bills.<\/p>\n Sacramento Snapshot<\/p>\n Editor\u2019s note:\u00a0Sacramento Snapshot<\/a>\u00a0is a weekly series during the legislative session detailing what Orange County\u2019s representatives in the Assembly and Senate are working on \u2014 from committee work to bill passages and more.<\/p>\n That means it was a frenetic dash to the finish line last week for several priority bills for Orange County\u2019s lawmakers, from an effort to strengthen local partnerships that help older adults to a measure re-establishing a statewide wildlife coexistence program, and much, much more.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s take a look at what happened with just a few of Orange County legislators\u2019 final week priorities.<\/p>\n Lawmakers agree on healthy aging<\/p>\n With strong bipartisan support, an effort to support local partnerships helping older Californians stay connected, healthy and independent moved out of the legislature and to the governor\u2019s desk last week.<\/p>\n The bill<\/a> from Sen. Steven Choi, R-Irvine, allows local health departments, community colleges, universities and other appropriate county departments to establish \u201chealthy aging community partnership programs\u201d geared at providing education and technology training, social connections and healthy living ideas to older adults.<\/p>\n These partnership programs are subject to local resources, Choi\u2019s office said, and should not duplicate or replace existing community college adult education services.<\/p>\n \u201cOur seniors deserve opportunities to continue learning, build friendships and remain active in their communities,\u201d Choi said.<\/p>\n Wildlife coexistence program may be coming back<\/p>\n Among the bills sent to the governor last week was one that would re-establish a statewide wildlife coexistence program that ended in 2024 after funding expired. These programs, Sen. Catherine Blakespear\u2019s office noted, help people keep a safe distance from wildlife and deter conflicts, as well as support efforts to remove and reduce trash, food and other things that could attract animals to unsafe areas.<\/p>\n Senate Bill 1135<\/a> establishes the California Wildlife Coexistence Act, and along with it, state policy requiring an emphasis on the safe coexistence of both humans and wildlife, according to the bill analysis.<\/p>\n It also requires the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to establish a program meant to help participants proactively and nonlethally deter wolf attacks on livestock.<\/p>\n \u201cWe need a wildlife coexistence program in California, so we can better protect communities, people and animals, both wild and domesticated,\u201d said Blakespear, a Democrat from Encinitas who represents communities in southern Orange County.<\/p>\n Governor gets to signing<\/p>\n While lawmakers were busy making deals and pushing bills across the finish line, the governor was also busy signing a bevy of legislation into law that had already made it in front of him by last week.<\/p>\n By veteran Sacramento lobbyist Chris Micheli\u2019s\u00a0count: Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed more than 160 bills this year, with hundreds more due by the Sept. 30 deadline, Micheli said midday Friday.<\/p>\n Among the bills Newsom OK\u2019d last week was a bipartisan effort that places a greater focus on suicide prevention efforts geared at boys and young men.<\/p>\n From Assemblymember Avelino Valencia, D-Anaheim, the bill directs<\/a> the state\u2019s Office of Suicide Prevention to explicitly focus efforts on boys and young men. This was a particular priority for the lawmaker this legislative session<\/a>.<\/p>\n Back in February, when Valencia introduced the bill, he noted the Office of Suicide Prevention already places a focus on other groups that are also disproportionately impacted by suicide, including tribal populations, older adults, veterans and LGBTQ+ people.<\/p>\n \u201cYoung men and boys are sending us clear signals that they are struggling,\u201d Valencia said then. \u201cSuicide accounts for one of the leading causes of death for people aged 10 to 24, and four out of five youth suicides are male.\u201d<\/p>\n Newsom, in announcing his signature on the bill, said too many young men are \u201cstruggling in silence.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe have to meet young people where they are, break down the stigma around asking for help and make sure they have the relationships, support and opportunities they need to thrive,\u201d the governor said, adding the bill builds on work \u201cto make sure boys and young men are seen, supported and connected before a crisis becomes a tragedy.\u201d<\/p>\n Here are some other bills Newsom signed last week from Orange County\u2019s representatives:<\/p>\n \u2022 Sen. Tony Strickland\u2019s bill<\/a> meant to help students make healthier daily choices got the governor\u2019s approval. The Huntington Beach Republican\u2019s bill, dubbed the Ready to Learn, Ready for Health Act, instructs the commission tasked with revising California public schools\u2019 health education framework \u201cto consider including information on evidence-based preventive health instruction, including information on nutrition, exercise, stress and sleep health, use of digital technology and environmental factors.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2022 Speaking of education, Newsom also signed a bill from Assemblymember Laurie Davis<\/a>, R-Laguna Niguel, directing the Department of Education to develop standardized e-bike safety and training programs for students in grades 7 through 12.<\/p>\n