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Delivering for our Communities

Assemblymember Sabrina Cervantes has been a strong advocate for the Inland Empire, effectively championing legislation and state investments that strengthen the economy, increase wildfire resilience, protect voting rights, and increase access to open spaces and critical resources for everyone in our region. To date, she has had 42 pieces of legislation signed into law and delivered over $650 million in investments to the Inland Empire.2022-23 State Budget Victories


Environmental Justice

California is making strides to combat climate change and advance environmental justice. Assemblymember Cervantes has authored legislation and secured state investments to preserve natural habitats and resources, improve access to parks, and address pollution in impacted communities.

  • AB 777 will expand prohibitions on waste treatment, storage, transfer, or disposal at the Stringfellow Acid Pits in Jurupa Valley. The bill also requires timely notification by the DTSC to the City of Jurupa Valley and Riverside County Board of Supervisors if any material or substance is treated, stored, transferred, or disposed of at the site. Signed Into Law October 2023.
  • AB 176 requires the California Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority to evaluate a project's impact on permanent job creation in California. Signed into law October 2019.
  • AB 179 helps ensure representation on the California Transportation Commission for communities affected by pollution. Signed into law October 2017.
  • AB 193 creates the Zero-Emission Assurance Project (ZAP), which will provide a rebate for the purchase of a replacement battery or fuel cell for a zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) for qualified consumers. Signed into law September 2019.
  • $18 million for the Jurupa Area Recreation and Park District to improve access to parks and open spaces.
  • $15 million for the preservation of Jurupa Mountain by the Western Riverside County Regional Conservation Authority to protect the region’s natural open space habitats for wildlife and future generations to enjoy.
  • $5.5 million for the continued mitigation and restoration efforts of the Stringfellow Superfund Site in Jurupa Valley.
  • $2 million for the City of Corona to continue the renovation of Griffin Park.

Transportation Infrastructure

To address Western Riverside County’s infrastructure needs, Assemblymember Cervantes successfully secured $427 million for the Riverside County Transportation Efficiency Corridor (RCTEC) to enhance road safety and reduce traffic congestion. The RCTEC comprises of 5 key transportation projects, including:

Assemblymember Cervantes also advocated for state investments in the 71/91 Interchange Project in Corona, the new non-tolled interchange designed to improve safety, expand access to other modes of travel, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and enhance traffic flow.

Additionally, she authored AB 91 which will study the feasibility of allowing single-occupancy cars to use high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes, commonly known as “carpool lanes,” during non-peak traffic hours on certain freeways in Western Riverside County. Signed into law September 2018.


Veterans

Coming from a family who has served in every branch of the US Armed Forces since World War II, Assemblymember Cervantes is committed to serving those who have served by fighting for expanded resources to aid their success.

As former Chair of the Select Committee on Veteran Education and Employment, Assemblymember Cervantes introduced AB 1786 – Veteran Student Curriculum Articulation to create a system to help veteran students attending community college get class credits for their military-based training. Signed into law September 2018.

This initiative was supported by a $250,000 budget allocation for the development of California’s Military Articulation Platform (MAP). An additional $2 million was secured in 2022 for the expansion of MAP to fulfill the promise of AB 1786 (Cervantes) and support student veterans in attaining community college credit for their military training and experience statewide.

  • $25 million for the Department of Veterans Affairs to develop a competitive grant process to support organizations that provide services to veterans who are at-risk or are experiencing homelessness, pursuant to Assembly Bill 1618 (Cervantes, 2017).
  • $2 million for western Riverside County’s first Veterans Resource Center at Norco College to better support student veterans.

  • $500,000 for the California Military Department to conduct a feasibility study regarding a possible Youth Challenge Academy in Riverside County.

TK-12 & Higher Education

As the daughter of an elementary school teacher, Assemblymember Cervantes has demonstrated her commitment to education by working to transform the lives of students and their families.

  • AB 463 allows part-time college faculty to receive employment certification so they can apply for federal student debt relief. Signed into law September 2019.
  • AB 1786 creates a system within the California Community College system to help veteran students obtain credits for their military-based training. Signed into law September 2018.
  • AB 1124 supports juvenile court school students who want to pursue college by allowing them to take additional courses before graduating. Signed into law October 2017.
  • $201 million for infrastructure improvements at UC Riverside.
  • $91.39 million to support debt service payments for, among other projects, the expansion of enrollment and classroom facilities for the Master of Science in Physician Assistant Program at California State University, San Bernardino.
  • $33.3 million to support debt service payments for campus expansion projects at UC Riverside.
  • $33 million to Riverside Community College District for the future Inland Empire Technical Trade Center (IETTC) in the City of Jurupa Valley.

Assemblymember Cervantes serves as Chair of the Assembly Select Committee on Career Technical Education and Building a 21st Century Workforce. As a member of the committee, she previously convened a hearing on Pathways to Employment to hear from leaders in business, education, and economic development about the work being done to help train our future generations for 21st Century jobs.


Jobs, Economic Development, and the Economy

Assemblymember Sabrina Cervantes has advocated for California’s businesses as Past Chair of the Committee on Jobs, Economic Development, and the Economy by supporting and authoring policies and championing state funding for technical assistance and access to capital. Including—

  • $23 million for Small Business Technical Assistance Centers to provide one-on-one counseling, training, and access to capital.
  • $1 million for a regional Workforce Development Center at Norco College to help close the skills gap and bolster the economy.
  • $500,000 to study ways that mitigate the effects on employment of automation at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach which is also critical to the Inland Empire’s logistics economy.
  • AB 2342 modifies the Community Economic Resilience Fund (CERF) Program to improve implementation and better support regions in developing equitable and inclusive economic recovery and transition strategies. Signed into law September 2022.
  • AB 1553 improves the Capital Access Loan Program and enables more small businesses to access funding to upgrade properties under ADA guidelines. Signed into law October 2017.
  • AB 639 initiates a stakeholder process to engage those most impacted by the transition to a lower-carbon economy at Southern California’s largest seaports. Signed into law September 2020.

    Housing

Access to safe and affordable housing is a crucial component of overall health and well-being. Assemblymember Cervantes has taken significant steps to expand access to housing and address student housing needs in the Inland Empire.

  • $126 million for a joint student housing project between UC Riverside and the Riverside Community College District.
  • $10 million for TruEvolution’s Project Legacy in the City of Riverside to provide transitional housing and wrap-around services to Riverside County’s most vulnerable communities, including individuals experiencing chronic homelessness.
  • $8 million to refurbish “Las Coronas” affordable housing communities (Corona de Oro & Corona del Rey) in the City of Corona, which will ensure 232 housing units remain available for low-income families to call home.

Public Safety and Access to Justice

Working to enhance public safety and keep our communities safe, Assemblymember Sabrina Cervantes has authored legislation that provides public safety officials with more tools to protect our communities.

  • AB 1994 requires county jails to notify the Department of Justice within 15 working days when a registered sex offender has been admitted to or released from their custody. Signed into law September 2018.
  • AB 2080 clarifies that local law enforcement agencies must provide data to the Department of Justice on both the admission and release of criminal offenders within 30 days. Signed into law September 2018.
  • AB 2606 extends an existing requirement that state prisons and state hospitals update a statewide information database about offenders under their supervision every 10 days to county probation departments. Signed into law September 2020.
  • AB 764 helps protect survivors of criminal stalking by modernizing our laws to include “social media, electronic communication, [and] electronic communication devices” to the forms of contact prohibited by a protective order. Signed into law October 2021.

Recognizing the need for increased access to the judicial system in Western Riverside County, Assemblymember Cervantes successfully advocated for $2.9 million in ongoing funding for 2 newly created judgeships for the Riverside County Superior Court, intended for the Corona Courthouse.


    Sexual Assault

    Assemblymember Cervantes has authored key legislation to strengthen protections for survivors of sexual assault.

    • AB 1467 provides campus sexual assault counselors with the independence necessary to assist survivors to the fullest extent. Signed into law September 2022.
    • AB 939, Denim Day Act of 2021, fulfills the promise of Denim Day by removing an existing provision of law that allows how a survivor was dressed to be admitted as evidence of consent in a criminal case involving sexual assault, making it clear that clothes can never provide consent. Signed into law October 2021.
    • AB 164 protects survivors of domestic violence by allowing California courts to honor firearm prohibitions that are part of out-of-state restraining orders. Signed into law October 2019.
    • AB 303 prevents the early release of sexually violent predators without a trial. Signed into law October 2019.
    • AB 1896 ensures confidential counseling for student survivors of sexual assault at our public and private colleges and universities. Signed into law July 2018.
    • AB 1746 expedites the process of prosecuting serial perpetrators of sexual battery and statutory rape by making prosecutions of these crimes eligible for consolidation into a single trial. Signed into law September 2018.

      Emergency Preparedness

    • AB 477 ensures that representatives from access and functional needs populations are included in local emergency transportation planning.
    • AB 2730 ensures that counties and cities benefit from sharing resources, such as paratransit vehicles, drivers, and equipment, and providing logistical support to meet evacuation needs during declared emergencies, disasters, or public health emergencies and facilitate potential collaborative efforts.
    • $200,000 for the City of Corona to develop a Community Wildfire Protection Plan to reduce the risk of wildfires in the region.

      Family Health & Wellness

    Recognizing the healthcare needs of our rapidly growing region, Assemblymember Cervantes has successfully advocated for investments in opportunities to grow our future healthcare workforce and address the physician shortage in the Inland Empire. As a mom to young triplets, Assemblymember Cervantes has authored important legislation relating to maternal mental health. She’s also worked to expand access to resources for California’s aging population.

    • $28.55 million for the development of the development of the Center for Human Performance and Kinesiology at Norco College.
    • $25 million for expanded enrollment and operational costs at the University of California, Riverside School of Medicine.
    • $25 million for the University of California, Riverside School of Medicine to expand its clinical facilities and increase access to medical care in Riverside County.
    • $6.5 million in ongoing funding to support debt service payments for the UC Riverside School of Medicine.
    • $2.7 million for Norco College Human Performance and Kinesiology Capital Facility Project to provide students with coursework, training, and certificate programs in Kinesiology, Applied Biomechanics, and Applied Sports Nutrition.
    • $2 million in ongoing funding to support operational costs at the UC Riverside School of Medicine.
    • AB 1200 establishes the Aging & Disability Resource Connection program to provide elders and their families with information regarding long-term care programs. Signed into law October 2017.
    • AB 1477 increases access to maternal mental health care by requiring licensed health care practitioners who provide prenatal, postpartum, or interpregnancy care, to give expectant mothers appropriate screening for maternal mental health conditions. Signed into law October 2021.


      Community Infrastructure

    Assemblymember Cervantes has successfully advocated for significant investments in community infrastructure projects that improve the quality of life for residents and enhance our region’s historical significance

    • $30 million for infrastructure improvements for Citrus State Historic Park in the City of Riverside.
    • $25 million for the Cesar Chavez Community Center renovations in the City of Riverside.
    • $4.5 million for the Army Specialist Jesus S. Duran Eastside Library Project in the City of Riverside.
    • $500,000 for local historical preservation efforts by the Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern California in the City of Riverside.

      LGBTQ Equity

    As a member of the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus, Assemblymember Cervantes is committed to ensuring inclusivity and equity for all individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.

    • $3.063 million for a new Inland Empire LGBTQ Resource Center powered by TruEvolution and services provided in Southwest Riverside County, including in the cities of Menifee, Lake Elsinore, and Norco.
    • AB 2466 strengthens anti-discrimination policies for LGBTQ+ resource families and helps to end the statutory stigma attached to LGBTQ+ foster children by eliminating the term “hard to place children” from our state laws.
    • AB 746 establishes a statewide standard for couples seeking stepparent adoptions to ensure that California’s adoption laws guarantee equal access to parentage, especially for our LGBTQIA+ community.

      Elections and Voting Rights

    Assemblymember Cervantes has authored legislation aimed to make the voting process more accessible, fair, and transparent for all California voters, especially in the Inland Empire. One of the most significant policies is the creation of an independent citizens redistricting commission for the Riverside County Board of Supervisors through AB 1307 (Cervantes), which will begin with the 2030 round of redistricting, and is backed by a $1 million 2022-23 State Budget allocation secured by Assemblymember Cervantes. This commission will ensure that redistricting is done fairly and independently.

    • $1 million for the creation of an independent citizens redistricting commission for the Riverside County Board of Supervisors.
    • AB 1307 creates an independent citizens redistricting commission for the Riverside County Board of Supervisors beginning with the 2030 round of redistricting. Signed into law September 2022.
    • AB 63  would require county registrars to provide updated election results at least two times per week. It would also require the Secretary of State to notify the relevant house of the Legislature if any legislative candidate who won their race was not continually registered to vote in the district that they ran to represent. Signed into law October 2023.
    • AB 1619 improves voter education, strengthens voter protections, and addresses high rejection rates for mismatched signatures on vote-by-mail ballots for registered voters. Signed into law July 2022.
    • AB 1631 would improve access to the ballot box by requiring counties to provide multilingual polling pace workers to provide language assistance to bilingual and non-English-speaking citizens. Signed into law September 2022.
    • AB 2172 updates the Political Reform Act of 1974 to reflect the electronic realities of the 21st Century by authorizing electronic FPPC filing. Signed into law September 2022.
    • AB 49, California Voter Protection Act of 2019, expands and protects voters' rights by strengthening the vote-by-mail process and requiring ballots be mailed to voters 29 days before election day. Signed into law October 2019.
    • AB 201, Text Message DISCLOSE Act, helps further transparency in our politics by requiring mass campaign text messages to include "paid-for-by" disclosures, allowing California voters to see who is paying for them. Signed into law October 2019.
    • AB 2123 Provides local governments with more time to effect transitions from at-large to district-based elections. Signed into law September 2018.