Sacramento, Calif. (May 29, 2026)—Ahead of the Legislature’s House of Origin deadline, Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Bakersfield) announced that key components of her 2026 Valley Taxpayers Protection Plan successfully advanced through the California State Senate and now heads to the State Assembly for consideration.

The 2026 Valley Taxpayers Protection Plan focuses on lowering costs for working families, strengthening public safety, supporting economic growth in the Central Valley and improving government accountability and transparency.

“The Central Valley deserves a government that puts people before special interests,” Senator Hurtado said. “By protecting taxpayers, rooting out corruption, and eliminating waste, we can lower costs, strengthen trust in government, and make everyday life more affordable for working families.”

Creating Jobs and Investment in the Central Valley

• SB 661: Aviation Modernization and Jobs Act
  • Redirects aviation fuel tax revenue to further support rural airports in modernizing infrastructure, attracting new air service and meeting growing passenger and cargo demands
• SB 924: The Access to Energy Savings Act
  • Ensures that families struggling with affordability are prioritized when gas and electrical companies provide upgrades to t make homes more efficient and resilient

Protecting Central Valley Families and Communities

• SB 557: Families First Act
  • Broadens the definition of family resource centers with the goal of preventing child abuse and neglect and strengthening children and families
• SB 1025: The Food Access and Affordability Act
  • Creates the Office of Food Security and Affordability to bring coordination to food delivery systems and expand outreach for food assistance programs, including creating a 24-hour hunger hotline
• SB 1181: The Valley Youth Safety Act
  • Bridgers the gap between local schools, local law enforcement agencies and the California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) to ensure school safety threats are identified as they emerge
•  SB 1220: The Peace Officer Protection Act
  • Strengthens accountability for illegal ghost gun-related offenses and would ensure that individuals convicted of specific misdemeanor ghost gun offenses are subject to California’s existing 10-year firearm prohibition

Safeguarding Central Valley Tax Dollars through Oversight

• SB 295: The California Fair Pricing Act
  • Targets the misuse of AI and algorithm-driven pricing tools that drive up costs.
• SB 401: Public Service Reporting Act
  • Would authorize the Fair Political Practices Commission to extend any filing deadline for individuals that live in an area impacted by an emergency situation
• SB 932: The Litigation Transparency Act
  • Brings fairness and accountability to our judicial system by making sure that a person or entity benefiting in a court case is clearly identified.
• SB 1172: The Local Tax Savings Act
  • Cracks down on the often-secret fees charged by consultants in tax sharing deals between private companies and local governments

Senator Melissa Hurtado is Chair of Senate Budget Subcommittee #4 on State Administration and General Government and currently represents the 16th Senate District in the California Legislature, which includes portions of Fresno, Tulare, Kings and Kern Counties.

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