Today Governor Jerry Brown Addressed Californian’s from the Capitol in his record 14th State of the State Address this morning. In response to the Governor’s address, North Coast Assemblyman Jim Wood had this to say.

“The Governor is, right we have come a long way, but there is still a lot to do.

We are experiencing a healthcare crisis in our rural communities.  In most small towns across California residents have to drive hours in each direction to get the medical attention they need.  We must develop a strategy to convince more healthcare providers to set up shop and stay in our small towns.

Sacramento Today – AB 21, the bill that would remove the March 1 deadline included in last year’s Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act (MMRSA), was unanimously passed by the Senate Health Committee today.

Assemblyman Wood said, “I made a commitment to do everything I can to give local lawmakers the time they need.  We have been working hard to move this as quickly as possible.  I am hopeful that given our success today we can have this on the Governor’s desk by the end of the month.”

Sacramento, CA – Assemblymember Jim Wood and Senator Mike McGuire, authors of the recently signed Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act, will host a Forum to provide residents with an opportunity to hear how the new statewide regulations and license program will roll out over the next two years and how those new statewide rules will  interact with the proposed Medical Marijuana ordinance being discussed in Humboldt County.

Representatives from state agencies tasked with writing and carrying out the rules and regulations will be on hand at the Forum along with County of Humboldt department heads who are point on the proposed local ordinance.

Sacramento - Today AB 21, Assemblyman Wood's bill to remove the March 1 deadline from last year's Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act (MMRSA), was unanimously passed by the Senate Government and Finance Committee.

Assemblyman Wood said, "Nobody intended to give local lawmakers such a short timeline to develop regulations for an industry as complex as medical cannabis."

Sacramento - Assemblyman Jim Wood’s Broadband Map Act, AB 1549, passed its first major hurdle in the Assembly Transportation Committee today.  There to testify on behalf of the bill was California Center for Rural Policy Executive Director, Connie Stewart.

Assemblyman Wood said, “In 2016 there are still too many Californians that do not have access to high speed internet, or reliable telecommunications.  As Chair of the Select Committee on the Digital Divide in Rural California it is my intention to do everything possible to ensure our rural communities have access to a dependable digital infrastructure.”

In an effort to give local lawmakers more time to develop medical cannabis regulations Assemblyman Jim Wood has adopted, and amended AB 21.

Assemblyman Wood said, “It was never our intention to place such a short timeline on local lawmakers.  The current deadline gives jurisdictions just 65 more days to consult stakeholders, learn about the industry, and write good policy; that is not nearly enough time.”

TODAY, Assemblyman Jim Wood chaired the second committee hearing of the “Select Committee on Digital Divide in Rural California”.

“I am really pleased with the progress we made today”, said Assemblyman Wood. “My goal is to bring telecommunication stakeholders to the table and to walk away with a clear path forward.”

Today’s committee meeting called Public Utilities Commissioner Catherine Sandoval, USDA Rural Development State Broadband Coordinator Robert Tse, and other stakeholders to Sacramento to weigh solutions for delivering broadband to rural communities.  Participants discussed the regulatory challenges new telecommunications projects face in California as well as the funding opportunities available for future projects.

Wood said, “It is our responsibility to ensure that our rural communities have a fighting chance in today’s 21st century economy.”

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Elected in 2014, Assemblymember Jim Wood (D- Healdsburg) represents the 2nd Assembly District, which includes all of Del Norte, Trinity, Humboldt and Mendocino counties, plus northern and coastal Sonoma County, including the northern half of Santa Rosa.

http://asmdc.org/members/a02/

Today Assemblyman Jim Wood chaired the first meeting of the “Select Committee on the Digital Divide in Rural California”.  The committee, called for and organized by Wood earlier this year, aims to shine a spotlight on the lack of digital infrastructure in rural California.

Assemblyman Wood said, “In light of the recent fiber break leaving thousands of North Coast residents without communication services this committee is particularly timely.  We need people to understand that our concerns are not about downloading movies and streaming TV shows. This is about kids having access to education, doctors having access to patient information, businesses having the resources they need to operate in a 21st century economy, and residents having access to emergency services in times of need.”