SACRAMENTO, CA – Following major disease outbreaks that exposed dangerous gaps in California’s public health infrastructure, Senator Melissa Hurtado (D–Bakersfield) is calling for urgent action to modernize the state’s disease surveillance systems and protect frontline communities. As Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee and architect of California’s One Health Framework, Hurtado is backing budget proposals she helped shape—proposals that reflect years of work to shift the state from reactive crisis management to proactive public safety.

SACRAMENTO, CA — Today, Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Bakersfield) announced that several major bills from her Common Sense Plan have passed out of the Senate Appropriations Committee, clearing a critical hurdle and moving one step closer to delivering real results for working families across California—and especially the Central Valley.

The bills advance a focused agenda: putting people first, driving down costs, and holding the powerful accountable.

SACRAMENTO, CA — Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Bakersfield) has called on the California Department of General Services (DGS) to immediately review the state’s contract with Socure, a data broker hired by the Employment Development Department (EDD) to verify the identities of Californians applying for unemployment and disability benefits.

Sen. Hurtado’s early support and $1 million in initial state funding helped launch a water project now bringing clean water to families once left behind.

SANGER, CA — Senator Melissa Hurtado (D–Bakersfield) today congratulated the residents of Tombstone Territory in Fresno County as they celebrate the completion of the Tombstone Drinking Water Project, a long-awaited milestone that now brings clean, safe, and reliable drinking water to a community that for years struggled with dry wells and water contamination.

BAKERSFIELD, CA — Senator Melissa Hurtado’s (D-Bakersfield) is condemning the Governor’s planned early-parole release of Maricruz Galaviz for the horrific murder of Kern County teenager Amanda Zubia.

BAKERSFIELD, CA – Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Bakersfield) held a press conference alongside Bakersfield Mayor Karen K. Goh, Kern County Supervisor Jeff Flores, River Partners Planning Director Bill Eisenstein, and numerous community partners to announce legislation supporting floodplain restoration, enhanced flood safety, and improved groundwater recharge in the Kern, Kings and Tulare counties.

HANFORD, CA – Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Bakersfield) has introduced a bill providing additional sources of funding to the state’s fire training programs. Senate Bill 345, the State Fire Training Accessibility Act of 2025 will ensure the State Fire Marshall can utilize additional funding from Federal and state programs to reduce the training costs paid for by those seeking fire-training certification through the California Fire Service Training and Education Program.

SACRAMENTO, CA – For far too long, billion-dollar corporations have rigged the system, manipulated prices, and crushed small businesses—all while treating penalties as nothing more than a cost of doing business. But California is fighting back.