Look West: How California is Leading the Nation

Meet the other new Members of the Assembly Democratic Caucus in these two episodes:https://look-west-how-california-is-leading-the-nation-22f6dfb5.simplecast.com/episodes/freshman-class-filled-with-moms-dads-teachers-doctors-and-morehttps://look-west-how-california-is-leading-the-nation-22f6dfb5.simplecast.com/episodes/new-faces-join-the-assembly-democratic-caucus-in-2025 

Seventeen new faces have joined the Assembly Democratic Caucus. Joining the Caucus for the 2025-26 legislative session are several veterans of local government, advocates and attorneys, Moms and Dads, teachers and educators and more. Each new Member brings their own unique experience and background to the State Assembly. You met seven of the new Members in the last Look West episode. In this episode Look West caught up with five new Members as they were going through their orientation shortly after being elected. (Maggy Krell, Sade Elhawary, Jessica Caloza, Chris Rogers and Patrick Ahrens). You’ll meet five more in next week’s episode.

The incoming class of the Assembly Democratic Caucus includes 17 new faces. Joining the Caucus are several veterans of local government, advocates and attorneys, Moms and Dads, teachers and educators and more. Each new Member brings their own unique experience and background to the State Assembly. In the next three episodes of Look West we will meet them all. In this episode: Assemblymembers Mark Gonzalez, Rhodesia Ransom, Nick Schultz, John Harabedian, LaShae Sharp-Collins, Celeste Rodriguez and Anamarie Avila Farias.

Assemblymember Gail Pellerin proudly announces the signing of Assembly Bill (AB) 2839 into law, marking a significant advancement in the protection of electoral integrity and voter trust in California. This groundbreaking bipartisan legislation, authored by Assemblymember Pellerin and coauthored by 11 legislators, addresses the growing threat of deepfake technology that is used to manipulate and deceive voters with false information related to an election.AB 2839 specifically prohibits the distribution of digitally altered election communications—including mailers, robocalls, and video advertisements—that present false or misleading information pertaining to an officer conducting an election, an elected official, voting equipment, or candidates running for office. The bill acts to safeguard the democratic process from the harmful effects of deceptive deepfake materials by targeting materially deceptive content that is distributed 120 days before an election.The bill prohibits content that is likely to harm a candidate’s reputation or electoral prospects, or to falsely undermine confidence in the election outcome. Under AB 2839, recipients of such content can seek injunctive relief or damages from the distributor. Additionally, the bill mandates that deepfake parody material be clearly labeled as digitally manipulated.“Signing AB 2839 into law is a significant step in continuing to protect the integrity of our democratic process,” stated Assemblymember Pellerin. “With fewer than 50 days until the general election, there is an urgent need to protect against misleading, digitally-altered content that can interfere with the election. By targeting deceptive deepfakes and ensuring transparency in parody content, we are reinforcing the public’s trust in our electoral system. I’m thankful that Governor Newsom signed this legislation to ensure that voters are equipped with the accurate information they need to make informed decisions this November.”The bill will take effect immediately due to its urgency clause, ensuring its provisions are in place well before the November 5, 2024, general election. This timely action reflects California’s commitment to maintaining the integrity of its elections and protecting voters from misleading information.