If you agreed to a mind-meld with Spock, you wouldn’t expect the Vulcan to share all of your deepest thoughts with the entirety of the United Federation of Planets, would you? That’s exactly what Sen. Tom Umberg’s newest bill would prevent in the real world, where brain-computer interfaces are becoming more of a reality rather than a phenomenon from “Star Trek.”

(Sacramento, CA)— Earlier today, Senator Thomas J. Umberg (D-Santa Ana), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, announced his introduction of Senate Bill 44, the Neural Data Protection Act.

(Sacramento, CA) – Senator Thomas J. Umberg (D-Santa Ana) announced the introduction of his Senate Bill 448 to address the rising problem of trespassers unlawfully occupying properties across California.

“At a time when the supply of rental housing is extremely low, I’m proud to be authoring a measure that delivers a comprehensive process for Californians, local governments, and law enforcement to tackle the issue of illegal squatting,” stated Senator Umberg, Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee. “SB 448 will help ensure that quality, affordable housing remains accessible to lawful renters, and that our communities are protected from the dangers and disruptions caused by illegal trespassing.”

(Sacramento, CA) – Senator Thomas J. Umberg (D-Santa Ana) announced the introduction of his Senate Bill 398 which criminalizes, among other things, the offer of a chance to win a lottery or similar prize-drawing contest to register to vote.

As home to 70% of the world’s leading artificial intelligence companies, California is positioned at the forefront of innovation. With that position comes a responsibility to take the lead on sensible AI regulation. Moving forward, California must continue to lead on AI advancements, but we should also follow the example set by the European Union, which recently passed the AI Act, the world’s first comprehensive AI law. On Tuesday, however, President Donald Trump rescinded President Joe Biden’s AI Executive Order, which aimed to reduce risks to consumers, workers and national security posed by AI technology. Now, with a divided Congress, little can be expected of Washington on this front in the foreseeable future. Working cooperatively with the European Union, California must step up to set a model that will guide international technology conglomerates and protect consumers.

California’s Proposition 36 is a compelling story about how Californians respond when feeling unsafe and ignored by their elected representatives. It is also a near-perfect example of how Californians have repeatedly responded to crime via initiative.  This started with the strict Three Strikes initiative passed in 1994, was followed by the more lenient Proposition 47 in 2014, and most recently by the more-balanced approach of Proposition 36. As fentanyl poisoning deaths exploded, news footage of smash and grabs became routine, and deodorant was shelved under lock and key – Californians again reacted strongly this November.  Proposition 36 was approved in every California county and had the highest percentage of support for all ballot measures. To prove that voters meant what they said, they also unelected several progressive district attorneys.  Those of us charged with the duty to keep our constituents safe now have a choice to make. We can assume that nearly 70% of voters were wrong-headed about their support of Proposition 36 or we can look to the mandate and spirit of the measure and answer the call to protect Californians.

The Los Angeles County Bar Association (LACBA) is proud to announce the distinguished recipients of its highly coveted 2025 annual awards. LACBA will celebrate the following three exceptional individuals for their outstanding achievements and remarkable contributions to the legal community at its Installation and Awards Dinner on Friday, June 20, 2025, at the Bonaventure Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.

Proposition 36 will be less expensive to enforce than critics have claimed – and the state will pick up the tab.  That was Sen. Tom Umberg’s message while speaking to a conference of nurses and public health officials in Sacrament on Wednesday. “I say this without seeing exactly how the Senate’s going to respond to the budget, but I think it’s a state responsibility,” the Santa Ana Democrat said of the tough-on-crime measure passed by over 68% of California voters in November. “I don’t think it’s a county responsibility.”  Umberg added, “I think that there are some exaggerated estimates as to what the additional costs may be.”