A Note From Tom Umberg:
Session continued to pick up pace throughout April, with committees I’m on like Judiciary seeing the bulk of bills make their way to. Next month will see the Governor’s May Revise for the state budget, which will occupy much of the Legislature’s attention until passage in June. That being said, I’ve been meeting with constituents and local organizations to hear about their priorities and concerns on the legislation being heard in Sacramento. Please continue to send me your thoughts and opinions. As always, I look forward to seeing you throughout the month of May!
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
Many of you may have heard about the most recent Bar exam debacle, where students experienced a number of issues including glitches that prevented answers from being saved or submitted at all, incomplete exams submitted on students’ behalf, and questions that were either lifted from previous years’ exams or written entirely by artificial intelligence. As a legislator, I’m outraged. As a lawyer myself, I’m furious. In response to this mess, I introduced SB 47 mandating the State Auditor conduct an Audit of the Bar’s exam. Failure of government is not an option, and the California State Bar has proven time and again that it’s willing to cut corners and ignore the real issues, so I want this bill to be the first effort to get the Bar back in shape. SB 47 will be heard in committee on May 6, if you’d like to tune in to watch, go to https://senate.ca.gov. If you’re interested in learning more about what our team and I are also working on, please click link below.
Yamaha HQ Ribbon Cutting
Team Umberg joined the City of Buena Park to celebrate the grand opening of Yamaha’s new American headquarters! For over 50 years Yamaha has called Orange County home, and this state of the art facility embodies the bright future for a valued partner!
La Palma Park Way Promenade Ribbon Cutting
Team Umberg joined Anaheim Councilmembers Meeks, Rubalcava, and Balius for the ribbon cutting of the La Palma Park Way Promenade. This new one-way, green, pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly corridor features outstanding new upgrades for countless residents to enjoy. We’re so proud we could be part of the first phase of a revitalization of Anaheim’s second oldest park, and look forward to seeing the progress continue!
Show Off - West Anaheim 2025
Team Umberg attended Show Off – West Anaheim 2025 at Maxwell Park. This annual event is put on by our local West Anaheim Organization as a half-day fair to celebrate what activities and resources are in West Anaheim. Thank you to Councilmember Maahs who stopped by and greeted the team!
SPOTLIGHT ON...
Young Senators
One Young Senators program is picking up speed as we started Session 2 of our six month program. This program gives high school students the opportunity to learn about the legislative process, engage with their classmates on different ideas, and learn important life skills as they get ready to start thinking about college. This session, we heard from Dr. Shirin Mostofi from Children’s Hospital of Orange County, who talked to the students about the importance of mental health and strategies for dealing with anxiety, stress, and feeling overwhelmed. Even as adults, I know we struggle with these issues, and it’s important we equip our young people with the tools needed to deal with them. I want to thank Dr. Mostofi for speaking to the students, and I look forward to giving you more updates about the program as we move forward throughout the year!
UPCOMING EVENTS
05/25
Garden Grove Strawberry Festival
Garden Grove Community Center
11300 Stanford Ave.
Garden Grove, CA 92840
The City of Garden Grove is hosting the 65th Annual Strawberry Festival. The parade will start on Chapman and Ninth, with the festival grounds being across from Garden Grove High School where families can enjoy free concerts, carnival rides, games, and food! For more information, click here.
05/26
Memorial Day
Buena Park Civic Center
6650 Beach Blvd.
Buena Park, CA 90621
The City of Buena Park is hosting their annual Memorial Day Service starting at 10:00 AM. The City will be honoring those individuals who gave the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country. This event is open to the public and invited to attend. For more information, please go here.