Assemblymember Luis Alejo, D-Salinas, is asking residents of the 30th Assembly District—which includes all of Gilroy and Morgan Hill—to enter his annual “Ought to be a Law” contest. It works the way it sounds; residents within the district send Alejo ideas about the laws they’d like to see tackled in Sacramento.
“Often times, people can feel removed from the law making process that affects their everyday life,” Alejo said in a press release. “My annual “Ought to be a Law” contest grants the public an exciting opportunity to have a seat at the table.”
Prospective contestants have until January 15 to submit their a idea for a new law. Contestants must live within Alejo’s district, spanning Gilroy, Morgan Hill, San Benito County, the Salinas Valley and Watsonville.
Last year’s winner of the contest, Dori Rose Inda of Watsonville, watched as her idea—a law to help injured workers whose employers illegally withhold health insurance receive their benefits-—became a reality with a swipe of Governor Jerry Brown’s signature.
Brown signed Assembly Bill 1746, which expedites the employee’s ability to access workers’ compensation benefits, helps injured worked get help they otherwise wouldn’t receive without significant delays, according to the press release.
“This bill is truly a win-win. It will help a vast number of low-wage workers and also benefit businesses that play by the rules,” Alejo said. “It will save the state money and put hardworking Californians back to work. I truly thank Dori for bringing me this great idea. This contest has been a great avenue for us to hear solutions to issues important to Californians, and it has proven to be a useful tool in shaping policy that benefits our state.”
The winner of the “Ought to be a Law” contest will be announced shortly after the January deadline, the press release states. Alejo’s office will accept submissions by mail, email, in-person or online. For more information, visit http://asmdc.org/members/a30/.
