Sacramento today – Assemblyman Wood’s landmark Medical Marijuana Bill, The Marijuana Watershed Protection Act (AB 243), was passed by the Assembly today and now moves on to the State Senate.  The passage of AB 243 marks the first medical marijuana bill this year that made it to the next house – State Senate.

Assemblyman Wood said, “The cultivation and sale of medical cannabis in my district isn’t just the elephant in the room, it’s the whole house.  My district is also one of the most environmentally conscious regions in the state and we must continue fighting to protect it.  That’s what AB 243 is all about, ensuring cannabis cultivation and cultivators are respecting the environment and protecting our natural resources.”

Sacramento – Assemblyman Wood’s package of healthcare bills moves on to the Senate today following votes by the State Assembly.

“As a healthcare provider myself I am acutely aware of the access to healthcare challenges we face in rural areas and I am committed to making a change” Wood said. “Legacy issues like access to healthcare take time to make right.  There simply is no magic bullet or home run to be had; they require persistence and a whole bunch of base-hits.”

Sacramento – Assemblyman Jim Wood’s “Small-town Grant Bill” unanimously passed the Assembly and moves on to the Senate.

AB 325 broadens access to millions of federal dollars for small counties and towns to address job creation, affordable housing, small business stimulus, and social service needs.

“Small California towns deserve a win, and this is a big step in the right direction,” said Wood.  “I am really excited to see this bill earn so much support from both sides of the aisle.”

(Sacramento, CA) – Key legislation authored by Assemblyman Jim Wood cleared an important hurdle today.  The powerful Assembly Appropriations committee approved all but one of Dr. Wood’s priority legislation to help the Second Assembly District, including AB 243, the Marijuana Watershed Protection Act.

Assemblyman Wood said, “I am grateful to have the broad support of my colleagues on these bills that we have worked so hard on.  My bills this year focus specifically on issues that will have a direct impact on the Second Assembly District including: increasing accessibility to mental health services, increasing access to broadband, holding state agencies accountable, and addressing the environmental impacts of medical marijuana.  There is still a long way to go, but this is a major milestone in the legislative process, and as a first year member I am grateful to have gathered so much support for issues that are so important to our communities.”

(Sacramento, CA) – Assemblymember Jim Wood (D- Healdsburg) issued the following statement today regarding Governor Brown’s May Budget Revise:

“My Assembly Colleagues and I have made it clear to the Governor that California needs to re-establish its commitment to the future of our state.  During California’s fiscal crisis we did a huge disservice to our children and the future of our economy by making big cuts to our education system.  The “May Revise” released by Governor Brown’s office today is a good first step towards correcting those mistakes.  The Governor’s emphasis on education from early childhood through higher-ed. provides a much needed lift for future generations of Californians.” 

As Sonoma County home prices soar to their highest level since 2007, one of Santa Rosa’s affordable housing projects has hit a major speed-bump.  Burbank Housing’s “Catalina Project” is at risk of losing $3.8 million in state funding if a solution is not delivered before June 30th, 2015. 

Burbank Housing recently received word that funding from the California Department of Housing and Community Development’s (HCD) BEGIN program, a program designed to provide down-payment assistance loans to qualifying first-time low- and moderate-income homebuyers, would be lost if it is not spent by the last day in June of this year.