Press Releases

Bipartisan Coalition of California Legislators Defend Head Start Program Performance Standards

SACRAMENTO, CA – Assemblymember Patrick Ahrens (D-Cupertino) and Assemblywoman Heather Hadwick (R-Alturas) today announced that they are leading a bipartisan effort to defend Head Start’s foundational and evidence-backed performance standards from a proposal by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that would strip the standards that underpin Head Start’s high-quality and...

Governor Newsom Signs Assemblymember Patrick Ahrens’ Legislation to Support Foster Kids

All 4 Bills Delivered to California Governor’s Desk Signed; New Laws Will Help Prevent Homelessness and Hunger, Promote Student Success, and Improve Life Outcomes for California’s Current and Former Foster Youth

SACRAMENTO – All four bills that passed the California Legislature this year authored by Assemblymember Patrick Ahrens (D-Silicon Valley) in his Support California Foster Kids Bill Package were signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom. Together, the new laws expand supports for more than 60,000 current and former foster youth and their families in California to help prevent homelessness and hunger...

California Makes Landmark Investments in Health Care While Federal Cuts Continue to Threaten Lives

State Budget Includes More Than $1 Billion this Year to Protect Health Care, including $250 Million to Support Public Hospital Systems and Lifesaving Care

SAN JOSE, CA – Assemblymember Patrick Ahrens (D-Cupertino) and Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D-San Jose) joined with County of Santa Clara and Santa Clara Valley Healthcare leaders, the California Association of Public Hospitals, SEIU California healthcare workers, and County doctors and nurses for a press conference in front of O’Connor Hospital in San Jose to highlight landmark state investments to...

Statement on the Passage of the 2026-27 State Budget

SACRAMENTO – The California Legislature passed the 2026-27 State Budget, Assembly Bill (AB) 109. Assemblymember Patrick Ahrens (D-Silicon Valley), a member of the Assembly’s Committee on Budget, issued the following statement upon passage of the Budget Act of 2026:

“Today we passed a budget that puts people first; despite Donald Trump’s devastating federal cuts to our social safety net programs...

California Legislators, Physicians and Workers Urge State Budget Funding for Public Hospitals to Protect Health Care Access

Federal and state budget cuts amount to billions annually for public hospitals serving millions of Californians, state support urged to maintain life-saving care

SACRAMENTO – Assemblymembers Patrick Ahrens (D-Silicon Valley), Robert Garcia (D-Rancho Cucamonga), and Tina McKinnor (D-Inglewood), stood with California’s public hospital system administrators, doctors, nurses, and workers at the State Capitol to urge a $500 million state budget investment to stabilize operations at California’s 17 public hospital systems facing $3 billion in losses yearly as a...

California Legislators Reject Cuts to In-Home Supportive Services

State Assemblymembers and Senators Stand United with Vulnerable Californians and Caregivers at State Capitol to Reject Harmful Cuts to Services

SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember LaShae Sharp-Collins (D-La Mesa) and Patrick Ahrens (D-Silicon Valley) joined Assemblymembers and Senators, as well as IHSS recipients, providers, and members of United Domestic Workers (UDW), to uniformly reject cuts to California’s In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program that serves 905,000 vulnerable seniors, children, and people with disabilities with basic needs...

Support California Foster Kids Bill Package Passes Assembly Policy Committees

SACRAMENTO – All six bills authored by Assemblymember Patrick Ahrens (D-Silicon Valley) in his Support California Foster Kids Bill Package introduced two months ago today to expand supports for foster youth and their families passed Assembly policy committees this week.

Assemblymember Ahrens shared, “As someone who personally faced homelessness, hunger, and relied on state support growing up, I am...

Assemblymember Patrick Ahrens and Coalition Detail Six New Bills to Overhaul Support for California’s Foster Kids

New legislation would extend supports to prevent homelessness and hunger, promote student success, and improve outcomes for California’s foster youth

SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember Patrick Ahrens (D-Silicon Valley) stood with former foster kids, families, advocates, workers, and foster youth serving organizations in Sacramento today to announce a package of six new Assembly bills to expand support for 60,000 foster youth and their families throughout California.

Assemblymember Ahrens shared, “I am deeply proud to introduce this package of...

Assemblymember Patrick Ahrens Introduces Legislation to ‘Rein in Out-of-Control’ California State University (CSU) Management Pay

AB 1831 Caps CSU Administrators’ Pay at 125% of Governor’s Salary, Reverses Recent Salary Increases, and Prohibits Raises When CSU Increases Student Tuition

SACRAMENTO, CA – Today, Assemblymember Patrick Ahrens (D-Silicon Valley) introduced Assembly Bill (AB) 1831 (bill fact sheet) to impose reasonable parameters on the compensation of California State University (CSU) administrators, managers, and contractors. AB 1831 establishes a salary cap for all CSU administrators, managers, and contractors not to exceed 125% percent of the salary of the...

Assemblymember Ahrens' Statement Demanding Justice in Murders by Federal ICE Agents of Americans Alex Pretti & Renée Good

For second time in January 2026, a fellow American was unjustly gunned down by agents of the federal government

“Renée Nicole Macklin Good and Alex Jeffrey Pretti: the names of two innocent and peaceful Americans killed by United States’ ICE agents that will never ever be forgotten.

For the second time in January of 2026, a fellow American was unjustly gunned down by agents of the federal government in the streets of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Public servants in the United States swear an oath to uphold the...