Senate District 26 April Newsletter: Tacos, Taxes, and Legislation
Dear Neighbors,
I wanted to share important opportunities for families in our district.
Free Tax Prepartion
Need to file your taxes? We've got you covered - with free tacos too. 🌮
Join my office and Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez’s office on Saturday, April 11 from 9 AM – 3 PM at PUENTE Learning Center for free tax prep assistance.
What you get:
✅ Free tax filing help (basic returns, W2 or 1099)
✅ Free tacos
✅ Community resources
Who's eligible:
Incomes under $69,000
Appointments required (no walk-ins)
Location:
PUENTE Learning Center
501 S Boyle Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90033
Register now at the link below or scan the QR code. Spaces are limited.
Sign up here:
https://www.mobilize.us/gso/event/912845/?utm_source=EOPromo
If you are unable to make it, free in-person and virtual tax preparation services are still available until April 15. For more information, please visit: https://www.lapl.org/tax-information
2026 LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE
This session, I introduced 16 bills to address some of the most pressing challenges facing California families - from housing and healthcare to workers' rights and immigrant protections.
Housing
SB 1160 - Requires courts to publicly report eviction data every four months to help direct housing resources where they're needed most.
SB 1170 - Allows affordable housing nonprofits to pool insurance costs, making it cheaper to build and preserve affordable units.
SB 1243 - Protects immigrant tenants from eviction if a household member is detained by ICE or experiences an immigration-related hardship, requiring courts to pause proceedings while families stabilize.
SB 1296 - Requires landlords to disclose pet policies before collecting application fees.
SB 1361 - Ensures transit expansion and affordable housing growth happen together, requiring at least 10,000 units - half of them affordable - near new transit by 2032.
Workers' Rights
SB 1149 - Extends job-protected bereavement leave to chosen and extended family members.
SB 1227 - Creates apprenticeship pathways into the state agency responsible for enforcing California's labor laws.
SB 1371 - Prevents companies from using contract loopholes or public health emergencies to undermine lawful worker strikes.
Healthcare
SB 1252 - Affirms that Californians who live, work, and pay taxes here have a right to public health coverage.
SB 1422 - Reopens Medi-Cal enrollment for income-eligible undocumented Californians starting January 2027.
Consumer Protections
SB 716 - Gives income-eligible households access to a low-cost, high-speed internet option.
SB 784 - Strengthens protections for homeowners financing home repairs or solar panels, ensuring no repayment begins until the work is complete.
Criminal Justice
SB 1285 - Ensures dismissed juvenile records are treated as if they never existed.
SB 1342 - Removes procedural barriers blocking eligible Californians from clearing their records.
SB 1399 - Makes permanent the California DOJ's authority to investigate conditions inside immigration detention centers.
Environment
SB 1085 - Restores the requirement for water agencies to confirm adequate water supplies before large new developments are approved.
To learn more, visit sd26.senate.ca.gov.
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
Click here to download the bilingual Know Your Rights Card (English/Spanish)
As your State Senator, I stand with you and am committed to ensuring you have immediate access to vital legal information, trusted resources, and unwavering support to protect your families and uphold your rights.
These cards are also available in:
If you have concerns if you see ICE in your neighborhood or if someone you know is detained, you can call the Los Angeles Rapid Response Hotline: 1-888-624-4752. This is a multilingual, confidential hotline.
LEGAL DISCLAIMER: This article and these documents are for general informational purposes only. The California State Senate is not responsible for the content of this non-Senate document and its presence does not constitute legal advice by the Senate. If you need legal advice, please contact an attorney.
My office is here to help. Contact us with questions about these events or assistance with state services.
