Compiled by RADC Members - Tracy Wise and Jeff Poggi

1. Ensure Voting Rights Legislation Is Passed in the U.S. Senate:

Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia told fellow Democrats that he wanted a bipartisan voting rights bill and demanded that his own version replace the Dems’ S.1 bill, as he claimed his would secure at least 10 Republican votes. No Republican voted for Sen. Manchin’s bill in the Senate. 

Please write to Senators Feinstein and Padilla ASAP with this message (feel free to replace with your own words):

Dear Senator Feinstein/Padilla:

I am one of your California constituents who believes that passing voting rights legislation ASAP is vital to pushing back against efforts across the country to disenfranchise voters and block access to the polls. I ask that you either at least implement a carve-out in the filibuster for voting rights or cancel the filibuster altogether so that this bill can be passed.

Thank you

YOUR NAME

YOUR ZIP

Senator Diane Feinstein, 11111 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 915, Los Angeles, CA 90025 - (310) 914-7300 or [https://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/e-mail-me].

Senator Alex Padilla, 11845 West Olympic Blvd., Suite 1250W, Los Angeles, CA 90064 - (310) 231-4494  [https://www.padilla.senate.gov/]

 

2. Protect Redlands Unified School District from Anti-Maskers/Anti-Vaxxers:

Anti-mask and anti-vaccine advocates continue to press their harmful and unscientific arguments at our school board meetings. Here is what you can do:

1. 1. Attend the meetings virtually, or, if you can, in person (the 10/26/21 meeting was virtual only, for example).
   2. Submit a request to speak for two minutes on behalf of the health and safety of our students, teachers, and staff.
      1. Written public comments are due by 4 pm the day prior to the meeting: [email protected] – I recommend including “Public Comment” in the subject line.
      2. Public comments for Zoom are due by 4 pm the day of the meeting: [email protected] – include your name, EM, and Zoom account name plus include “Public Comment” in the subject line.
      3. The RUSD website: www.redlandsusd.net

 

• For additional action possibilities, please DM Felipe Albertao via Facebook Messenger and he will get you access to the latest information.

 

The next RUSD Board meeting will be Tuesday, November 9, 2021, at 7:00 pm.

3. Get Involved in Local Government

City government occasionally has postings for open volunteer positions on city-based boards and commissions.  Here is the latest, with a deadline of November 5:

 

Residents invited to apply for Airport Advisory Board position:

The City of Redlands invites residents to apply for a position on the Airport Advisory Board. Deadline for filing applications is Nov. 5. Members are appointed by the City Council. 

The Airport Advisory Board acts in an advisory capacity to the City Council in all matters pertaining to the administration, operation, development, improvement and maintenance of the Redlands Municipal Airport. The Airport Advisory Board meets on the third Thursday of each month at 6 pm.

Residents interested in applying for the non-salaried position may request an application form from the City Manager's Office, City Hall, 35 Cajon St., Suite 200, by phone at (909) 798-7510, or on-line at https://www.cityofredlands.org/current-openings.

 

ONGOING REMINDERS

 

• REMINDER:  Voting Rights:  New *City* Redistricting Information/Action

Upcoming City of Redlands public meetings are scheduled:

• January 18, 2022 (time, etc. tbd)
• February 15, 2022 (time, etc. tbd)
• April 17, 2022 – adoption of the final maps

 

• REMINDER:  Voting Rights:  New *County* Redistricting Information

Here is the website, with the list of upcoming meetings *and* information on how to submit a map to the redistricting committee:  https://sbcountyredistricting.com/  The next two meetings are:

 

Advisory Redistricting Commission Meeting

October 27, 2021

1:00 pm-3:00 pm

San Moritz Lodge

24640 San Moritz Dr.

Crestline, CA 92325

+ Google Map

Watch Live

 

Advisory Redistricting Commission Meeting

November 2, 2021

6:00 pm-8:00 pm

Ontario Museum of History & Art

225 Euclid Ave.
Ontario, CA  91762

+ Google Map

Watch Live

Advisory Redistricting Commission Meeting

November 9, 2021

10:00 am-12:00 pm

San Bernardino County Government Center

385 N. Arrowhead Avenue, 1st Floor
San Bernardino, CA  92415-0835

+ Google Map

Watch Live

 

• REMINDER:  Voting Rights:  New *Water* Redistricting Information

No new information available.  Here is a link to the current maps of the IE’s water districts:  https://www.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=e1a0b6df610f490892a970b01952274d&entry=3 

 

We will continue to keep you up-to-date on redistricting efforts around our county (they voted NO on any meeting[s] in Redlands) and water districts and any further City redistricting news.

 

• REMINDER:  Replacement process for Councilmember Paul Foster still pending
  • Councilmember Foster has said that he will continue to serve until he and his wife leave.  His departure date is pending.  However, the City Council is working with a tentative date of January 3rd for his departure and will discuss next steps at the November 2nd City Council meeting. https://www.redlandscommunitynews.com/news/government/council-ponders-how-to-replace-paul-foster/article_22c07b48-278a-11ec-b075-0b070ab9980f.html 
  • "The council must either appoint a replacement, or call a special election within 60 days of the vacancy, said city spokesman Carl Baker in an email. [emphasis added]

“Anyone who wants to fill the position would have to live in the area Foster represents, District 5, which is the south side of the city. If the council decides to call a special election it would likely be in the statewide primary on June 7, 2022. 

“Whomever [sic] fills the vacancy will hold office for the rest of Foster’s unexpired term, which ends in December 2022 after the November 2022 election results are certified by the county, Baker said."

https://www.redlandsdailyfacts.com/2021/09/10/paul-foster-to-retire-from-redlands-city-council/

 

STICK A PIN IN THIS

 

 

• UPDATED:  The California 2021 Legislative Session ended with Governor Newsom signing his last bills prior to the October 10th deadline.  The next Legislative Session should reconvene in December.

 

• • The final set of approved bills included:
    • Providing Immediate Relief for those Hardest Hit by COVID-19
    • Confronting the Homelessness & Housing Affordability Crisis
    • Transforming Public Schools as Gateways for Opportunity
    • Building Infrastructure for the Next Century
    • Combating Wildfires & Tackling Climate Change

https://www.gov.ca.gov/2021/10/09/governor-newsom-takes-final-action-of-2021-legislative-session/

• Of the 836 bills presented to him for approval, he signed 770 or 92%.  Some of those signed include the following (from CalMatters):
  • Making ethnic studies a high school graduation requirement, as CalMatters’ Joe Hong reports. Under a bill Newsom signed last year, California State University students must also take an ethnic studies course to graduate.
  • Mandating mental health instruction in middle and high schools that have an existing health education course.
  • Requiring public colleges, universities and secondary schools to provide free menstrual products on campus.
  • Requiring large department stores to maintain a gender-neutral section of toys and child care items.
  • Restricting sentence enhancements for many crimes, as recommended by an obscure committee examining California’s penal code.
  • Ensuring police can’t block journalists from covering protests and demonstrations.
  • Cracking down on sideshows and illegal street racing by allowing courts to suspend convicted motorists’ licenses for up to six months.
  • Giving cities more authority to reduce their speed limits.
  • Making it illegal to harass people entering vaccination clinics. First Amendment experts say several aspects of the law — including an exemption for “lawful picketing arising out of a labor dispute” — may be unconstitutional.
  • Ending “surprise billing” for COVID-19 tests and vaccinations.
  • Extending a phone tax to fund high-speed internet in underserved areas.
  • Allowing restaurants to continue selling to-go cocktails, using parking lots for expanded seating, and serving alcohol in parklets.
  • Offering year-round fishing licenses.
  • Banning the sale of new gas-powered leaf blowers, lawn mowers and other small off-road engines by as soon as 2024.
  • Phasing out controversial donor dog facilities to create a  new canine blood bank system. https://calmatters.org/newsletters/whatmatters/2021/10/new-california-laws/ 

For the full text of the bills, you can go to:  http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov