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Press Releases

Governor Signs Two Bills to Fight Opioid Crisis

SACRAMENTO—Two bills authored by Assemblymember Jim Wood (D-Santa Rosa) intended to address the opioid crisis – AB 2760 and AB 2789 – have been signed by Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr.

Last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that, “on average, 115 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose.” Overdoses from prescription opioids are a driving factor in the 16-year increase in opioid overdose deaths and California emergency rooms treat one overdose every 45 minutes.

“If we had a plane crash every day where 120 people onboard lost their lives, the federal government would be hitting the alarm button and doing everything possible to stop that from ever happening again,” said Wood.

Wildfire Preparedness and Response Conference Committee Votes to Support Report

SACRAMENTO—Today, after an intense period of discussion, debate and negotiation, the Conference Committee passed its report responding to the many issues posed by the recent devastating wildfires. “We’ve lost 58 people to wildfires in the past two years and thousands of homes,” said Wood. “This is not a situation where we can celebrate a win. Lives were lost and homes were destroyed.

As Legislature’s wildfire conference committee seeks solutions, Assemblymember Jim Wood draws a line in the sand

SACRAMENTO—This is a statement from Assemblymember Jim Wood (D-Santa Rosa):

“As a member of the Wildfire Preparedness and Response Legislative Conference Committee, I won’t support a “solution” that doesn’t include, quite frankly, what’s in the title of this committee – and that’s prevention and response. We’ve lost 58 people to wildfires in the past two years. What more of a wake-up call do we need?

Putting victims first in wildfire legislation

When asked by Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon if I would be willing to join the legislative Wildfire Preparedness and Response Conference Committee, of course I said yes. After all, the district that I proudly represent suffered the most – the most lives lost, the most structures destroyed, and the most livelihoods affected.  

The first of what I anticipate could be a series of meetings will be July 25, and the conference committee will almost certainly be focused on the issue of wildfire liability in those meetings. I want to be very clear that my role will be to ensure that the needs of fire survivors, taxpayers and utility ratepayers will take precedence, not the utility companies.

Governor signs Assemblymember Jim Wood’s AB 710 allowing FDA-approved cannabinoid medications to be prescribed

SACRAMENTO–On June 25, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued approval of a new drug, Epidiolex, to treat seizures associated with two severe childhood-onset epilepsies, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome or Dravet syndrome. Epidiolex is the first prescription, plant-derived cannabinoid (CBD) in the category of anti-epileptic drugs and has been approved to treat children two years of age or older.

“That was great news but we discovered a problem that would have prohibited patients from receiving it,” said Assemblymember Jim Wood (D-Santa Rosa). “Prior to this bill, any product that contained CBD was considered a Schedule I Controlled Substance under California statute, and because of that doctors wouldn’t be allowed to prescribe it, but AB 710 fixes that.”

Assemblymember Jim Wood Says Soda Industry is Extorting Our Local Governments

Deal struck between the beverage industry and SEIU is handed off to Legislature

 

SACRAMENTO–Today the Assembly and Senate voted on a budget bill, AB 1838, which was handed off to them as the result of an outside deal struck between the beverage industry and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).