The first thing that must happen: California voters unite to elect a Republican Governor and break the Democrat veto-proof supermajorities in the State Legislature.

There are currently 60 Democrat and 20 Republican members of the State Assembly. To break the supermajority we need to increase the number of Republicans to at least 27. In the State Senate the split is the same: 30 Democrats and 10 Republicans. We need to elect at least 14 Republican Senators. Numerically it’s less challenging, but as State Senators serve 4 instead of 2 year terms, only half will be running for reelection this year.

In Grants Pass v. Johnson (2024) The US Supreme Court granted more power to cities to arrest, cite and fine people who sleep outside in public places. All California cities have had this power for over a year. Few are using it.

I will work with Republicans and reasonable Democrats in the Assembly to create legislation mandating:

1. Combined state and local funding of mental health, drug and alcohol treatment centers for those who opt-in to the program’s attendance and performance requirements.

2. Combined state and local funding for job training and placement programs for those who opt-in to the programs’ attendance and performance requirements.

3. Combined state and local funding for food and housing for those in one or more of the above programs as long as they are in full compliance with the attendance and performance requirements.

4. Combined state and local funding for food and housing for program graduates for up to 6 months provided the meet the graduate’s post-program performance requirements.

5. Participating cities aggressively enforce the power granted under Grants Pass v. Johnson. Failure to do so by a city will reduce or if repeated end state funding of these programs for that city.