An incredible honor to be sworn in as
@SFCityAttorney
today.
I’m excited and inspired to lead such a reputable office with an impressive group of legal minds. Together, we will use the power of the law to stand up for San Franciscans and confront our city’s greatest challenges.
AANHPI Men are uniting for Kamala Harris this Wed Aug 7 at 5pm PST/8pm EST
Asian American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander men - join the next big call to show our power and help elect our first Asian American and Black woman President!
RSVP here:
I'm grateful and humbled by the opportunity to serve as San Francisco's next City Attorney.
Over my career, I've seen the impact of the law on everyday people. It's an honor to be able to use the power of the law to fight for justice for San Francisco.
No, anti-vaxxers are not the face of a “New Civil Rights Movement” and vaccines are not “Medical slavery.” These offensive comparisons must stop because they represent a colossal misappropriation of the civil rights movement.
#SB276
#VaccinesWork
#SigntheBill
#FakeMEsHurtKids
“This is the new civil rights movement”
Anti-vaccine protesters camp outside Gov.
@GavinNewsom
’s office a day after lawmakers passed
#SB276
.
Still unclear: Will Newsom sign the bill?
@sfchronicle
TIME’s person the year covers are important. Journalists have been risking their lives to tell the truth since the beginning of the profession. Sadly, that sacrifice is more apparent in 2018 than ever.
Thank you Governor
@GavinNewsom
for signing our bill AB 1184 to protect health care patient privacy in California!
We are making sure that no patient forgoes the health care they need because they are worried about their privacy being violated.
🗣BIG NEWS🗣
Mayors across CA are officially endorsing our bill to create a permanent source of funding for homelessness by eliminating tax breaks on vacation homes.
We shouldn’t subsidize the wealthy’s ability to have two homes when so many sleep on our streets.
Flight attendant: Is there a doctor onboard?
Mom: *nudging me* that should've been you
Me: Not now Mom
Mom: Not asking for an Assemblymember to help, are they?
Me: Mom, there's a medical emergency happening right now
Mom: Go and see if “engaging key stakeholders" helps
Flight attendant: Is there a doctor onboard?
Dad: *nudging me* that should've been you
Me: Not now Dad
Dad: Not asking for a Product Manager to help, are they?
Me: Dad, there's a medical emergency happening right now
Dad: Go and see if “let’s have a follow-up meeting" helps
Today marks the 150th anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad. It is long past time that the tens of thousands of Chinese immigrants who built the railroad are recognized for their contribution to American history.
It's difficult to say this as someone who generally believes in govt’s ability to help, but
@CA_EDD
is failing CA.
I have done just about everything I know how to do as a public official to make things work, but my colleagues, my staff, my constituents & I are at our wits' end.
Taking public transit should feel like one seamless experience.
Unfortunately, it doesn't feel that way now.
Today I am announcing w/
@seamlessbayarea
a bill to move towards more intuitive, convenient & reliable public transportation in the Bay Area.
BIG NEWS: In an unanimous vote, the Judicial Council is suspending all eviction cases in CA!
CA courts will not be issuing summons or judgements in unlawful detainer cases.
This means no CA tenant will be evicted unless it's necessary to protect public health & safety.
I am deeply sad & frustrated to report that
#AB550
, our bill to allow the use of speed safety technology and reduce speeding, will not be moving forward this year.
The bill was held in the Appropriations Committee today.
I'm announcing a bill (
#AB1905
) to create a permanent funding stream for homelessness in CA by eliminating a tax break on vacation homes & capping it on expensive primary homes.
Everyone should have a roof over their head before we help people buy two.
Top GOP recall candidate Larry Elder used his radio show to push anti-vaccine conspiracy theories. He could be our next Governor if we don't vote by September 14.
National Republicans like Newt Gingrich, Rudy Giuliani & Devin Nunes have all publicly supported the recall attempt in CA.
We have to make sure they can't enact their extremist agenda in CA. Contribute to help
@GavinNewsom
defeat the Republican recall:
This is such tragic news. Wilma Chan was an icon in the Asian American community & fought tirelessly to lift up all Californians.
This senseless traffic violence needs to end.
Thrilled to welcome
@KamalaHarris
back to San Francisco's Chinatown, to meet Chinese & Filipino tenants at the International Hotel, historic site for the Asian American, tenant & immigrant rights movements. Unlike Trump, she'll be a President who'll truly fight
#ForThePeople
. 🇺🇲
Today my office blocked a nonprofit from receiving City contracts & grants after an investigation revealed an egregious & intentional scheme to illegally extract over $100,000 from the City and its taxpayers.
BREAKING: San Francisco has secured a $230 million settlement with Walgreens following our landmark court victory over the pharmacy chain & opioid distributor in our federal opioid litigation.
BIG NEWS:
#AB550
our bill to save lives & allow for speed safety systems in CA just passed the Assembly Transportation Committee 12-0!
This is an incredible step towards making our streets safer & putting a stop to speed-related traffic fatalities.
It’s been a long day, but good news is worth the wait. Our bill to protect tenants from large rent increases & unfair evictions just passed the Senate Judiciary Committee!
As COVID spreads, CA is once again staring down an eviction cliff.
We must keep people safe in their homes.
Today, my colleagues & I are introducing bills to extend eviction protections through 2021 & create a framework for rental assistance.
I'm so excited that Governor
@GavinNewsom
has nominated my good friend
@RobBontaCA
to be CA's next AG.
Rob is a fighter for justice & will protect Californians at every opportunity.
This is a historic nomination for API communities at a time when it could not be more critical.
As CA's first Filipino Attorney General,
@RobBontaCA
will fight to reform our justice system & stand up to hate. He has led efforts to end cash bail, ban for-profit prisons, renter protections, and hate crime protections. He will be a staunch advocate for CA values.
I am joining over 60 of my colleagues in calling for systemic change at
@CA_EDD
.
We have seen little to no progress over the course of the pandemic & 1.13 million Californians are still waiting on benefits.
The situation at EDD is unacceptable.
While I've appreciated my name being floated to be the next CA Attorney General, I am not actively seeking the position at this time.
My friend
@RobBonta
would be an excellent choice & I'm excited to join the growing list supporting him to be our next AG.
My full statement:
I'm introducing a bill to shift some of the $1.5B in anticipated prison savings to fund housing solutions for formerly incarcerated people.
There's a cycle of homelessness & incarceration in the US. Homes would go a long way towards ending that cycle.
$2.2 million median home prices? New Apple campus for 12,000 workers w/ no new housing? Cupertino needs to step up, instead of exporting its housing problems to SF.
A magical moment for a dad with my son. Lucas learned to ride a bike without training wheels today!
Thanks to
@SFBike
's Freedom from Training Wheels program &
@sfmta_muni
@sfcta
@sfrecpark
at
#BaysideSaturdays
(every Saturday this April) at India Basin Shoreline in the Bayview!
Big news! A SF Superior Court judge ruled yesterday that SF’s partial closure of the Great Highway, JFK Drive, and MLK Drive was authorized by law.
These spaces have become beloved, safe recreation areas in the City.
@philginsburgsf
@jeffreytumlin
It's official -
@JerryBrownGov
has signed our bill w/
@AsmGrayson
to increase affordable housing at BART stations! This new law will allow us to simultaneously address housing affordability & traffic congestion in the Bay Area.
San Francisco - a profound thank you for electing me to continue to serve as your City Attorney.
I look forward to leading our office into the future and pursuing the fight for justice for all.
Put simply, the raid should not have happened. It was very likely illegal under CA law & we should not be defending it now.
Freedom of the press is sacred & it is one of the few things holding our country together at this moment. (1/2)
BIG NEWS: AB 525, our offshore wind bill, is on its way to the Governor's desk with overwhelming bipartisan support!
Offshore wind is coming to California--allowing us to combat climate change & create thousands of jobs.
"If California has any hope of easing homelessness, the state has to adopt tenant protections to ensure that people living on the edge financially don’t get pushed into homelessness by exorbitant rent hikes or unwarranted evictions."
Great news! Our bill to increase affordable housing near BART stations just passed the Senate. Thank you to
@AsmGrayson
@NPHANC
@CA_Bldg_Trades
@ilike_mike
& the thousands of constituents who supported this bill!
Senate Bill 9 allows as many as two duplexes, two houses with attached units, or a combination — capped at four units — on single-family lots across California, without local approval.
The bill was approved by the full Assembly on Aug. 26 on a 44-16 vote
This morning I am announcing new legislation to increase affordable housing production by allowing 100% affordable projects to be built taller and denser -- allowing us to stretch affordable housing funding further & add more units to our housing stock.
BIG NEWS--
#AB857
our public banking bill was just signed into law by Governor
@GavinNewsom
!
With this victory, CA is putting people before Wall Street profits.
It's about time.
March Fong Eu, the 1st Asian American in the U.S. to serve in a state Legislature, will have the secretary of state building in Sacramento named after her. It will be the 1st state building named after a woman.
Today we introduced our bill to allow speed safety systems in CA.
Every year, over 1,000 Californians die in speed-related traffic crashes. Our streets are getting deadlier, and yet, we know how to stop this.
It's time we said enough is enough.
Gov
@GavinNewsom
signed our bill prevent deadnaming on college diplomas.
This is bittersweet because it is my last bill in the legislature, but I'm excited to be leaving on a high note & so proud of the work our team did for LGBTQ college students.
The name on a diploma should not be a barrier someone has to overcome.
So, today we are announcing a bill to make sure trans & nonbinary college students in CA have their name accurately reflected on their diploma.
Day 1, San Francisco Shelter-In-Place
Me: "Papa has to work at home today. Mama has to work at home today. Lucas, can you work too?"
My 4-year-old son: "Can I have a computer and a phone now?"
Good news!
#AB1436
cleared its first big hurdle in the Senate Judiciary Committee today.
We are one step closer to preventing a wave of evictions & foreclosures in CA.
Thank you to
@AsmMoniqueLimon
,
@SenHannahBeth
, our coauthors & our growing coalition of support!
Excited to announce we are again introducing our bill to work towards a seamless transit system in the Bay Area.
As we navigate our way out of the pandemic and look to increase ridership, we must rebuild better & put the rider experience first.
During this week of inaugurations, this was a precious moment: Brooklyn Jenkins, the six-year-old daughter of San Francisco's newly sworn-in DA
@BrookeJenkinsSF
, reading a congratulatory letter from Vice President
@KamalaHarris
.
It doesn't make sense to have large, surface parking lots around BART stations when we could build affordable, mixed-used communities on them. Excited that our BART transit-oriented development law w/
@AsmGrayson
&
@josefow
is starting to have an impact.
After 30 years of vision & hard work, the entire Central Subway connecting Bayview to Chinatown is fully operational. Grateful to community advocates, elected leaders (particularly
@SpeakerPelosi
),
@SFMTA_Muni
, labor, our deputy city attorneys & many more who made this possible.
I think it's crucial we understand who the opponents to Proposition 16 are.
Their movement has been tied to white supremacy & continues to cozy up to the most insidious & hateful forces in the US.
Let's dive in.
Despite all that's happening in the world, can't be happier to celebrate my son's 1st real birthday today on Leap Day. Can't really call him
#BabyLucas
anymore, now that 4 years have passed.
(And my wife is an incredible baker of cakes.)
Before the workweek begins, if you haven't already, take 3 minutes tonight to fill out the simplest ballot ever. Vote No on the Recall, sign the envelope, and drop it in the mail tomorrow.
California depends on you. Let's stand with
@GavinNewsom
.
#StopTheRepublicanRecall
.
In light of the ongoing pandemic, the CA Supreme Court & State Bar should cancel the bar exam & grant diploma privilege to graduates.
I stand with my colleagues
@LorenaSGonzalez
&
@AsmMarkStone
in calling for
#DiplomaPrivilegeNow
.
This morning I am announcing legislation to eliminate poverty-related towing. For many low-income Californians, taking away someone’s car takes away their ability to make a living & in some cases, their shelter.
Couldn't have said it better myself!
There is no coherent argument for recalling
@GavinNewsom
. The Governor has led us through a number of unprecedented crises.
Vote NO on the recall before September 14.
It's official--offshore wind is coming to California!
Thank you Gov
@GavinNewsom
for signing our bill to jumpstart the offshore wind industry on the West Coast. This is a step forward in combatting climate change & will create thousands of good jobs.
It's easy to think the housing crisis is localized to SF or CA, but this data shows how much of a national crisis it is.
Rents are rising faster than incomes in *every* large US county.
We must prevent large rent increases & keep families in their homes.
Every year, over 1000 Californians die in speed-related crashes.
Tens of thousands more are severely injured.
Just two days ago, another pedestrian in SF was killed near Civic Center.
A new report by the Schwarzenegger Institute documents how offshore wind will deliver clean air and jobs to CA communities burdened by pollution.
Thanks to Gov
@Schwarzenegger
&
@SenatorPavley
for your bipartisan support of AB 525!
Full report here:
Lucas had an important question for the man running to be the next U.S. Senator to represent California. (For the record, the Congressman & I did not receive a memo to wear the same outfit.)
Thanks
@AdamSchiff
for joining our community in San Francisco's Chinese New Year Parade!
I will continue to fight for this policy because we need safer streets.
These deaths are preventable & 150 other cities use the technology to prevent them.
There is no reason CA shouldn't use this technology to reduce speeds & save lives.
The SF Chronicle endorsed our bill to create a seamless Bay Area transit system noting integrated transit means better service & increased ridership.
"Now it’s time to consider the next age, when a single, easy-to-use operation will better serve riders."
At a time when Asian Americans are increasingly the targets of racist attacks, it would send a powerful message if our state's top law enforcement official came from our API communities.
I know
@RobBontaCA
is qualified & ready to get to work.
Many of you have encouraged me to run for Mayor, and I am humbled by that support. However, after discussions with my wife, friends and allies, I will not be running for Mayor this June.
Woke Lucas up early to plant trees in the Bayview with
@SFUrbanForester
.
Thanks to Friends of the Urban Forest for 40 years planting over half of SF's urban canopy & investing in our next generation's natural assets!
Exciting news--The Assembly just passed our bill to prevent trans & nonbinary college students from being deadnamed on their college diplomas.
This is a simple policy to lift up all of our students in CA.
Now, off to the Governor's desk!
Candace, Lucas and I wish you and your loved ones a merry Christmas filled with good health, hope and happiness. We look forward to seeing you soon in the New Year!
I asked my 4-year old whether the ferris wheel should stay in Golden Gate Park.
Lucas: "I want to ride it!"
Since he wants to ride it, our family would like it to stay. It's fun - and we need some fun at this moment.
While driving decreased during COVID, pedestrian & traffic deaths increased.
The reason? People drove faster on emptier roads & faster speeds made crashes deadlier.
This is why we are fighting for speed safety systems in CA. They will save lives.
Our Central Subway is finally running! Thanks to all who fought to connect SF's northeast neighborhoods & Chinatown with the rest of the city & worked so hard to make this a reality! After being involved in this project for 20 years, it was great to join the first historic ride!
I deleted an earlier tweet that misidentified a Glock 19 air pistol. While not a semi-automatic, it's still disturbing to see remnants of a weapon that can cause injury, especially in an area where young kids play and while we are dealing with a surge of gun violence in SF.
At the end of this difficult year, Candace, Lucas and I want to wish you and your loved ones all the very best during this holiday season.
Here's to a much better 2021, and hope to see you in person in the not-too-distant future!
This analysis finds 900,000 renters in CA owe an average of $4,600 in back rent.
Removing eviction protections while there is ample funding available to help these people stay in their homes would be a disaster. We must extend protections past June 30.
Today, we thanked
@SecretaryPete
Buttigieg &
@SpeakerPelosi
for supporting the soon-to-be-opened Central Subway. After decades of community advocacy & work by
@SFMTA
@SFBCTC
workers & transportation leaders, Central Subway will finally connect Chinatown with the rest of the city!
Today, we are announcing a bill to prevent trans & nonbinary college students from being deadnamed on their college diplomas.
This simple step will ensure our trans & nonbinary students have one less barrier to overcome.
This week has been so difficult for Asian Americans. Thanks to the hundreds of folks - including non-Asian allies - who joined our Chinatown rally today to support our community, and to the organizers for creating a space for healing & unity.
#LoveNotHate
#StrongerTogether
Looking forward to seeing the results of my friendly wager with
@JustinTrudeau
on the
#NBAFinals
. The only thing sweeter than watching the
@warriors
once again become world champions is doing so while enjoying a selection of Canada’s finest.
#DubNation