Everyone deserves to feel safe in their communities. With kids at school facing the threat of gun violence, small businesses experiencing retail theft, seniors targeted by scammers, tragic accidental fentanyl overdoses and more, an all-of-the-above approach to community safety is the only answer.
That’s why, when I was elected to represent Assembly District 40, I went to work starting on day one to pass public safety legislation and deliver unprecedented district funding to help everyone feel safe in our community. I’m proud that this work earned me the support of the Los Angeles Police Protective League and the California Correctional Peace Officers Association in my re-election, recognizing my commitment to community safety.
Talking with families who have experienced crime, it was clear that one major challenge was not being able to afford to take time off work to get into safe situations, heal, or help a family member heal, after being a victim of a crime. That’s why I authored a bill aimed at extending leave to cover instances when an individual or their family has experienced violent or traumatic events.
No one who is the victim of a crime should have to worry about losing their job when they are taking needed time off to get a restraining order or recover.
Because of my commitment to community safety, I was appointed to serve on the Select Committee on Retail Theft, where we put forward recommendations and legislation to support small businesses impacted by shoplifting, give law enforcement more tools, and stop organized retail theft crime rings. I have also co-authored and supported bills to tackle many major issues related to public safety, including opioid and fentanyl use and distribution, child pornography and sex trafficking, domestic violence, and more.
In the unprecedented funding we secured in the budget for our district, $1 million was for an emergency mobile command unit for Santa Clarita, as well as money for school safety in both the Santa Clarita and San Fernando valleys, infrastructure upgrades for Santa Clarita’s only domestic violence shelter, and other safety upgrades at nonprofits and interim housing sites throughout the district.
In the spirit of doing everything we possibly can to ensure everyone in our community feels safe, I am also supporting Proposition 36 on the November ballot, which takes some significant steps to reform Proposition 47, prevent retail theft and fentanyl-related deaths, and hold people accountable for committing those crimes.
As a victim of crime myself, I know the toll surviving such a trauma can take on your daily life and the lives of your loved ones. For some, the aftermath of experiencing such an event can last a lifetime. As a legislator, it is critically important that I do all I can to ensure our community is as safe as possible, and I will continue to work every day to have your back here in our community and in Sacramento.
Pilar Schiavo, D-Chatsworth, represents the 40th Assembly District, which includes most of the Santa Clarita Valley in addition to the northwest San Fernando Valley. “Democratic Voices” appears Tuesdays and rotates among local Democrats.
