Contaminated water has long plagued California’s Southern Central Valley, a region home to many farmworkers. SB 974, a bill by Senator Melissa Hurtado, seeks to provide safe drinking water by exempting small disadvantaged communities from certain CEQA provisions.

Senators Scott Wilk, representing the 21st Senate District and Melissa Hurtado, representing the 14th Senate District, announced they have submitted a request to Governor Newsom urging him to issue an Executive Order to keep EDD phone lines and operations open and fully staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week until the delay in claims processing is addressed.

Central valley COVID-19 relief package advances to the Assembly for approval. This district-specific legislation focuses on clean water, jobs, workforce training, and protecting our most vulnerable.

Senator Hurtado Joins City of Sanger in hosting a ribbon cutting to celebrate the new operations of the city’s new water systems and holding tank. The 750,000 gallon tank, nitrate blending station and booster pumps is a joint project with the California Division of Drinking Water and the U.S Economic Development Administration to help the city to serve the residents with clean water. With $4 million secured through State investments, this project took about a year to complete.

SACRAMENTO, CA - SCR 86, designating the 19th Avenue Lemoore Overpass as the “Officer Jonathan Diaz Memorial Overcrossing” won bipartisan approval from the California State Senate with a 37-0 vote. The resolution by state Senator Melissa Hurtado, D-Sanger will memorialize the fallen Officer’s service and contributions to the community.

According to the Bakersfield Police Department Robert Forbes was fatally injured after being hit by a car at a protest against police brutality. To help the police, anyone with information regarding this investigation is encouraged to contact the Bakersfield Police Department at(661) 327-7111, or by emailing Officer C. Ott at cott@bakersfieldpd.us.

SACRAMENTO, CA - George Floyd and his family deserve justice for this unnecessary and tragic death. As we all stand up against inequality and remember George Floyd, it’s important these protests remain focused on bringing the needed change to our country. I support every American’s right to peacefully protest, and I am listening to ideas from my community and neighbors on how to change the system and ways we can better support all Black Americans.

SACRAMENTO, CA – Today, State Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Sanger) issued the following statement on the Fresno County Stage 2 Variance Request:  

As a representative for the southern Central Valley, I’ve experienced firsthand the struggles that rural communities are currently facing due to the pandemic. Local leaders in the communities are grappling with an increase number of unemployment, closure of businesses and limited access to health care services.