Re-elect John Laird for Senate 2024

Dear Friends,

As hard as it is to believe, the primary election for 2024 is now less than a year away. Looking back on my first term in the State Senate, I’m proud of the progress made on many key issues.

When I ran for the Senate in 2020, I promised to hit the ground running and that’s exactly what I have done. I promised to work on climate change—and led a climate change working group of 12 Senators that resulted in a major legislative package signed into law. I promised to focus on our education system, and last year, as Chair of the Senate Budget Subcommittee on Education, we successfully achieved the largest year over year increase to K-12 education in modern times. I promised to work on housing—and we produced $3.5 billion dollars for higher education housing, to benefit both students and their surrounding communities. I’m proud of the progress made on many key issues. I’m energized to continue to meet the challenges, as well as the opportunities, we face on the Central Coast and in California.

Since being elected to the Senate, I’ve moved 29 bills to Governor Newsom’s desk that were signed into law. Some of the issues I’ve addressed through legislation include:

Climate change (including sea level rise, data forecasting and greenhouse gas emissions tracking)
Fentanyl overdose reversal drugs
Survival benefits for families of fallen officers
Services for foster youth who attend community college
Support for older Californians living with HIV
Protections against excessive rents for mobile home residents

I’m working hard for the Central Coast, with tens of millions of dollars secured for important priorities in the 17th Senate District. I’m proud the governor signed my bills to help save Watsonville Hospital and provide funding to reduce future flood risks along the Pajaro River. And through the state budget, I’ve been able to:

Restore UC cooperative agricultural services
Provide key support to CSU agricultural programs, such as those at Cal Poly
Provide support for public schools so they could reopen after pandemic lockdowns, including support to address the learning loss of students during the pandemic
Fix a long-term funding issue for the City of Atascadero
Provide funds for water projects on the Monterey Peninsula and the reservoirs in southern Monterey County
Address issues related to homelessness in Santa Cruz
Get help for the Point Sur Lighthouse and Garrapata Park trail system in Monterey County
Provide key support to help Cal Poly rebuild its Swanton campus facilities
Ensuring continued support for state food banks, and much, much more

I have brought voice to the needs of the Central Coast. Other key wins include Community Human Services’ Shuman Heart House in Monterey, the Carmel River Floodplain Restoration and Environmental Enhancement project, Camatta Ranch in San Luis Obispo County, Toro Coast Preserve Project, Cayucos Veterans Hall, Creston Road Active Transportation and Bike and School Access Improvements in Paso Robles, and SURF! Busway and Bus Rapid Transit in Monterey County.

People like you have made it possible to serve the people of the 17th State Senate District. I truly appreciate the opportunity to serve – and I appreciate your support.

John Laird