Good morning CalMatters reader,

Today's newsletter covers the work of State Sen. Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (R-Yucaipa), three summits held on Nov. 7 regarding health policy, trucking routes and artificial intelligence, and the March Field Air Museum.

Ochoa Bogh has had eight of her bills signed this legislative year. Speaking by phone in advance of her 79th town hall of the year on Nov. 12, she said she has eight more that she will be holding over until the next session. 

“This is the most I’ve ever had, but I’m so passionate about these bills, I couldn’t let them go,” Ochoa Bogh said.

Senate Bill 221 expands the definition of a threat for the purpose of securing stalking convictions. Prosecutors need to prove two things for stalking: that the defendant repeatedly follows or harasses the victim, and that the defendant made a credible threat to the victim’s safety or the victim’s family’s safety. Under SB 221, a threat to hurt the victim’s dog would satisfy the second requirement. The bill came out of the Riverside District Attorney’s Office, Ochoa Bogh said. 

Senate Bill 440 establishes a process to settle contract disputes between contractors and their clients, who often face work issues as the scope of work for projects changes. Under the bill, a client must respond to a disputed claim through a written statement by 30 days. Then, the contractor may require a meeting to discuss the dispute. If the meeting does not resolve the issue, the remaining dispute must be brought to nonbinding mediation. If mediation falls through, the contract’s dispute resolution process would kick in. This law was requested by a contractor, who was connected to Ochoa Bogh by lobbyist Todd Bloomstein, Ochoa Bogh said. “This is a huge win for contractors and subcontractors,” she said.

Ochoa Bogh wrote two minor health care bills. Senate Bill 389 clarifies that licensed vocational nurses can provide respiratory services in schools. Senate Bill 250 requires the state’s Medi-Cal website list skilled nursing facilities as one of the searchable provider types.

She was listed as a co-author for Assembly Bill 1370, which banned the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) among legislators. She was thinking about bringing the bill herself, until Assm. Joe Patterson (R-Rocklin) beat her to the punch, she said. Both representatives wanted to bring the bill in response to the Capital annex project. Two-thousand people, including lawmakers, government officials and state employees, signed NDAs related to the public works project. 

“My first thought: How is it legal for you to do NDAs on public contracts in our state? The idea to anybody that this would be a reasonable way to run government is ridiculous” Ochoa Bogh said.

As one of 30 Republicans in a legislature of 120 representatives, Ochoa Bogh says that she works to be bipartisan, but that it is hard with the Democratic supermajority. When she hears of bills from other lawmakers, she reviews them and offers feedback. With 487 no-votes, Ochoa Bogh was third in the legislature for voting no.

“I’m not going to vote no because it is a Democrat’s bill. I’m going to vote no because it doesn’t work for my district,” Ochoa Bogh said.

As far as her own bills, she says she focuses on root causes of the issues.

“My goal is to work on bills that are not partisan. They are going to be on things I think are good governance. Period. I am not going to do any political theater,” she said.

Nov. 7 seems to have been a good day to meet up in the IE if you were interested in the governor’s race, health policy, trucking routes or artificial intelligence 

Four candidates in the upcoming race for governor came to Riverside that day to debate health policy. 

Former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra touted his experience responding to a public health emergency and negotiating lower drug prices in President Biden’s cabinet. 

Among State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond’s boldest visions is that of creating a state-run single-payer system, where a public entity handles health care financing – acting as insurer, paying providers, and covering medical costs for all. 

Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa says he wants to go back to basics. In a state budget, that means prioritizing public safety, health care and education, in that order, he said.

Former State Controller Betty Yee wants to focus on oversight. Riverside Sheriff and governor candidate Chad Bianco did not attend or respond to questions about health policy.

CalMatters’ Ana B. Ibarra reported on the event. NBCLA recorded the hour-and-a-half discussion on YouTube.

In local politics, The Freight Communities Action Coalition hosted a trucking route summit that same day in the Mead Valley Library. Roughly 40 people participated, including Riverside County Supervisor Jose Medina and 60th District Assemblymember Corey Jackson.

“We're going to continue to make sure that the emissions that are being put into our region are not born on our lungs and our children's lungs,” said Jackson.

The Frontline Observer has the story.

In innovation, the Loma Linda Leadership Summit met, you guessed it, Nov. 7, to discuss artificial intelligence. 

Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-Big Bear) was the keynote speaker. Leaders from Loma Linda University Health Hospitals, Cal State San Bernardino and ESRI spoke.

“This summit shows what can happen when education, healthcare, business, and government all sit at the same table,” said Bruce Herwig, Loma Linda Chamber of Commerce president.

Community Forward Redlands published a recap of the event.

The March Field Air Museum’s Executive Committee fired three staff members to free up salary for a new executive director, a committee member wrote in an email to CalMatters last week. 

“In order to be able to offer a salary commensurate to qualified non-profit organization directors, the museum looked at current staff positions,” the statement says. Because the Board of Directors voted to temporarily pause donations, “There was no immediate need to maintain the current collections staff, and those dollars could be better spent to acquire a needed director.”

The Executive Committee found a candidate to fill the vacant position. The Board of Directors will vote on the hire on Nov. 20. Last year, the executive director was paid $85,000 per year, according to Board of Directors Secretary Richard Lemire, who did not disclose the proposed new salary or the candidate’s name.

The Executive Committee’s statement said their decision to terminate the employees did not violate the bylaws: “The Board has appointed committees which have the authority, pursuant to our bylaws, to execute Board instructions and mandates.”

Three members of the board said the Executive Committee does not have the power to terminate employees without consent of the 36-member board. The museum’s bylaws give control of terminations and hirings to the board, but allows the board to delegate that power to the Executive Committee. Lemire did not provide the minutes to a board meeting in which that power was delegated. Board President Jamil Dada and Lemire are two of the five members of the Executive Committee.

The statement said that no aircraft will be sold, and that the current construction of a garden in the front of the museum will be maintained and paid for by the Western Municipal Water District.  The Board of Directors has approved the construction of a hangar which the Dada Family Trust has agreed to donate $1.5 million to build. 

Dada discussed his plan for the museum with the Raincross Gazette last week, and with CalMatters in October.

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Thanks for reading,