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Press Releases

Local Leaders Applaud State’s Recommendation to Relinquish Control of Alfred E Alquist Building

Beall and Kalra Want Downtown Property to Go to San José State University

SACRAMENTO – Today, California’s Department of General Services posted a list of office buildings that it recommends selling or transferring for other uses. Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D-San Jose) and Senator Jim Beall (D-San Jose) celebrated the state’s recommend relinquishing control over the Aflred E. Alquist building in downtown San Jose. They believe the property, situated adjacent to San José State University, would be better utilized by the campus as additional housing and classroom space. Assemblymember Kalra and Senator Beall have requested $250,000 from the State’s general fund to begin planning a mixed-use housing project on the current site of the Alquist building.

Assemblymember Ash Kalra Introduces Bill to Make California a Leader in Protecting Tropical Forests

If passed, AB 572 would mandate state contracts involving forest-risk commodities only go to companies with sustainable practices

SACRAMENTO – Given the ever-present and increasing threat climate change poses to all Californians, and the role tropical deforestation plays in escalating that threat, Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D-San Jose), along with Assemblymember Richard Bloom (D-Santa Monica), Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia (D-Coachella), and Assemblymember Eloise Reyes (D-San Bernardino), and accompanied by co-sponsors Social Compassion in Legislation and Friends of the Earth, today announced the introduction of AB 572, the California Deforestation-Free Procurement Act. If passed, all California state contracts involving forest-risk commodities, such as palm oil, soy, cattle, rubber, paper/pulp, and timber, would require their suppliers to have a No Deforestation, No Peat, No Exploitation (NDPE) policy.

Assemblymember Ash Kalra Named Chair of Labor Committee

SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D-San Jose) was named Chair of the Assembly Committee on Labor and Employment Committee for the 2019-20 legislative session by Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood).

Governor Signs Timely Bill Authored by Assemblymember Ash Kalra, Paving Way for California to Become First State in Nation to Allow Veterinarians to Discuss Medical Cannabis for Pets

SACRAMENTO – Governor Jerry Brown has signed into law a bill authored by Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D-San Jose), Assembly Bill (AB) 2215, which will allow veterinarians to discuss the use of medicinal cannabis for their animal patients in their licensed practice, making California the first state in the country to give veterinarians the protection they need to answer questions about using medical cannabis for pets. AB 2215 also requires the California Veterinary Medical Board to adopt guidelines that veterinarians may use to follow in discussing medicinal cannabis on an animal within the veterinarian-client-patient relationship.

Assemblymember Ash Kalra Commends California Supreme Court Ruling on Predatory Lending

SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember Ash Kalra commends the California Supreme Court’s ruling in De La Torre v. CashCall finding that high-interest rates on loans above $2,500 are “unconscionable.” Over the past two years Assemblymember Kalra has been leading the effort to place reasonable interest rate caps on high dollar consumer loans over $2,500.

“I applaud the California State Supreme Court for doing what the Legislature could not; finding that high-interest rate loans are unacceptable.” Assemblymember Kalra goes on to say, “This ruling is a significant step forward, however, it remains the responsibility of the Legislature to put in place sound and reasonable financial protections for consumers who need a loan when faced with stressful financial circumstances.”