The California State Senate opened the 2013-14 legislative session Monday and Sen. Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills) was sworn into office by the Honorable Tani Cantil-Sakauye, Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court. Pavley was re-elected on November 6, 2012 to represent the newly redistricted 27th State Senate District.
The 27th State Senate District includes all or part of the communities of Santa Clarita, Stevenson Ranch, Simi Valley, Moorpark, Thousand Oaks, Oak Park, Bell Canyon, Westlake Village, Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Hidden Hills, Malibu, Topanga, Woodland Hills, Tarzana, Encino, West Hills, Canoga Park, Reseda, Chatsworth and Granada Hills. Approximately 931,000 people reside in the 27th State Senate District.
“I am proud to continue my public service to my community, Ventura and Los Angeles Counties, as well as the State of California. It is an honor to be re-elected and represent all of the people in this very diverse district,” said Pavley.
In her first day in office, Pavley introduced several legislative proposals. One of the proposals is a comprehensive bill to address on-going concerns about a controversial oil and gas extraction method called hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking.” The new proposal would direct the California Division of Oil Gas and Geothermal Resources (DOGGR) to enact fracking regulations which include advance public notice of planned fracking activities and fracking fluid chemical disclosure.
“Public interest and concern remain high about the practice of fracking wells to facilitate oil and gas production here in California," said Pavley. "Significant environmental, health and public safety concerns have been raised across the country by fracking.
“Nationally, numerous interests including water providers and agriculture have raised serious concerns about fracking impacting their businesses while homeowners have seen their property values negatively impacted. I am introducing this bill today because the status quo is unacceptable. DOGGR has promised to release draft fracking regulations in the very near future and I will take those draft regulations into consideration once they are released."
Pavley will also be introducing “The Higher Education Energy Solutions Act,” a proposal to cut the state’s higher education costs through comprehensive energy savings action plans at California’s public colleges and universities.
“This new legislation seizes a unique opportunity to save money, keep tuition down, and create jobs in the energy sector," she said. "But unlike colleges in other states that are attempting to frack their campuses for extra cash from oil and gas, California’s colleges and universities can save millions of dollars every year without a drill. By investing in building repairs, energy efficiency retrofits, and on-campus clean energy generation, this bill will help our colleges and universities achieve the cost cuts that are critical to keeping tuition affordable.”
