LAMONT, Calif. (October 1, 2026)— State Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Bakersfield) joined local leaders Thursday afternoon at Bear Mountain Park to celebrate $150,000 in state funding she secured for public safety improvements in Lamont.
The funding will support safety upgrades at Bear Mountain Park and other community facilities, including improved park lighting, mitigation of unsafe public pool facilities and the removal or rehabilitation of unsafe restroom facilities.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (October 1, 2026)— Three bills authored by Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Bakersfield) as part of her 2026 Valley Taxpayers Protection Plan were signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom Wednesday, advancing a central piece of Hurtado’s effort to strengthen transparency, accountability and protections for taxpayer dollars.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (September 30, 2026)—State Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Bakersfield) announced Wednesday afternoon that her bill, SB 661, the Airport Expansion and Regional Optimization (AERO) Act was vetoed by Governor Newsom.
KINGSBURG, Calif. (September 29, 2026)—State Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Bakersfield) joined City of Kingsburg leaders for a $1 million ceremonial check presentation for the design and renovation of a vacant insurance building into Kingsburg’s new City Hall and Emergency Operations Center.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (September 28, 2026)— Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senator Melissa Hurtado’s (D-Bakersfield) SB 1220, the Peace Officer Protection Act, into law over the weekend, strengthening efforts to keep firearms out of the hands of individuals convicted of ghost gun-related offenses.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (September 3, 2026)—State Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Bakersfield) secured $171 million in the 2026–27 state budget package for the Safe and Affordable Funding for Equity and Resilience (SAFER) program, protecting critical drinking-water assistance for communities across California.
SAFER helps meet that need through emergency water supplies, system repairs, technical assistance, infrastructure improvements and permanent solutions for struggling water systems.
Sacramento, Calif. (September 2, 2026)—Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Bakersfield) issued a statement applauding the inclusion of language in the state budget which restores wage parity between sheep and goat herders through January 1, 2029. Senator Hurtado’s leadership protects an industry which is increasingly relied upon to reduce wildfire fuels and safeguard communities across California.
Sacramento, Calif. (September 1, 2026)—Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Bakersfield), Chair of Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 4 on State Administration and General Government, announced a series of major taxpayer protections secured through the 2026 state budget aimed at cutting waste, strengthening oversight of state spending, protecting consumers and making government more accountable for how it spends taxpayer dollars.