FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 27, 2021

CONTACT: Jonathan.Davis@sen.ca.gov, (714) 473-3072

              Umberg Legislation Advances to Assembly Floor and Governor’s Desk

(Sacramento, CA) – Senator Thomas J. Umberg (D-Santa Ana) announced today that a significant portion of his 2021 Legislative Package passed the Assembly Appropriations Committee yesterday and will advance to the Assembly Floor and the Governor’s Desk in the coming weeks. These five bills consist of measures pertaining to genetic data, veterans, court efficiencies, and substance abuse.

“It goes without saying that it has been an incredibly difficult year for us all,” said Senator Umberg.  “But through COVID, natural disasters, and many other complications, I remain humbled to be diligently working to help bring change and new, innovative programs to the people of Orange County and Long Beach and statewide.”

Senator Umberg’s measures moving forward include:

Authored Legislation

SB 41 – DNA Testing Data Privacy: Requires direct-to-consumer genetic testing companies to obtain informed consent for the collection, use, or disclosure of a consumer’s genetic data.  Requires companies to destroy a consumer’s genetic data sample within 30 days of that consumer’s revocation of consent.

SB 241 – 2021 California Court Efficiency Act: Strengthens access to justice by reforming and modernizing our court system. This bill would require courts to prioritize sensitive judicial proceedings, and allow courts to electronically serve court-issued documents to parties with their consent.

SB 349 – Ethical Treatment for Persons with Addiction Act: Protects people seeking treatment for substance use disorders and their families by granting patients additional rights, prohibiting payment for patient referrals, and barring deceptive advertising and marketing practices.

SB 366 – Cracking Down on Catalytic Converter Theft and Illegal Auto Dismantling: Requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to investigate unlicensed and unpermitted auto dismantlers and the growing issue of catalytic convertor theft.

SB 665 – Veterans Hiring Preference: Allows private employers to establish, and maintain, a written veteran’s preference employment policy and hiring program.

“Rightfully so, the past two years have been focused on public health and healthcare delivery in California,” said Senator Umberg. “In the middle of this, I am proud to continue fighting for efficiencies and programming for some of our marginalized populations – the unemployed, veterans, crime victims, those with addiction, and others.”

The above five measures will be heard on the Assembly Floor in the coming weeks as the Legislative Session comes to a close.

For questions about these or any other portion of the Senator’s 2021 Legislative Package, please feel free to contact his Capitol Office at (916) 651-4034.

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Senator Thomas Umberg represents the 34th Senate District which includes the cities of Anaheim, Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, Garden Grove, Long Beach, Los Alamitos,

Midway City, Orange, Santa Ana, Seal Beach, and Westminster. Umberg is a retired U.S. Army Colonel, and former federal prosecutor. He and his wife,

Brigadier General Robin Umberg, USA (ret.), live in Orange County.