Press Releases

Assemblymember Freddie Rodriguez held his Annual Thanksgiving Turkey Drive and donated 140 turkeys to families in need throughout the 52nd Assembly District this holiday season.

"The holidays are about giving back to those in need. I started this turkey drive when I was a member of the Pomona City Council and I have made it a priority to continue it every year," said Rodriguez. "There is a lot of need in our community and I am grateful to everyone who donated food for helping to put a hot meal on the table for many of our local families."

Assemblymember Freddie Rodriguez today announced he has requested the Joint Legislative Audit Committee to conduct an audit of the Los Angeles County Fair Association after a recent LA Times investigation called into question the Association's financial operations.

"Recent disclosures have raised serious and troubling concerns about the management at the Fairplex," said Rodriguez. "There appears to be a complete lack of transparency in its operations and the taxpayers are paying the price. The salary and bonuses being paid to the executive staff at the Association are way out of line with salaries paid at other fairs across California. This audit will help us find out if the Association has received any state funds, if those funds were mismanaged and if we have the authority to establish caps on executive pay."

Assemblymember Freddie Rodriguez and the American Red Cross will host an Earthquake Preparedness Workshop on Thursday, October 29th at 6:00 pm at the American Red Cross Blood Donation Center.

“Just this week, scientists at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab predicted that a magnitude 5.0 earthquake is expected to strike the LA area in the next three years,” said Rodriguez. “The more that can be done now to prepare will help save lives and minimize damage when the next earthquake strikes.”

Today, Assembly Bill 69 and Assembly Bill 71 by Assemblymember Freddie Rodriguez were signed by Governor Jerry Brown.

Assembly Bill 69 establishes best practices and procedure for the download and storage of police body camera footage. It is groundbreaking legislation that, for the first time, sets statewide standards for the use of body cameras by police officers.

Assemblymember Freddie Rodriguez is encouraging residents of the 52nd Assembly District to consider making contributions to the recovery and relief efforts underway to respond to the catastrophic wildfires that have plagued California.

The California State Assembly gave final approval to Assembly Bill 172 by Assemblymember Freddie Rodriguez which seeks to close a loophole in the law and prevent workplace violence in the Emergency Room. The bill now goes to Governor Jerry Brown.

Under current law, an assault or battery against a physician or nurse rendering emergency medical care outside of a hospital, clinic or health care facility is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $2,000, or a one year jail time, or both.  However, if an assault or battery occurs inside the health care facility, the crime is punishable as a lower misdemeanor with a jail time of up to 6 months.  Sponsored by the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA), AB 172 would close this loophole by increasing the penalties for violence committed against all health care workers engaged in providing services within the ER.

Assembly Bill 71 by Assemblymember Freddie Rodriguez was given final approval by the State Assembly today and sent to Governor Brown for consideration.

Assembly Bill 71 will require law enforcement agencies in California to annually submit to the California Department of Justice, a report on peace officers involved in shootings or incidences where serious bodily injury occurs.  The report will collect demographic data and statistics that will track cases where individuals or peace officers are injured or killed.

Assembly Bill 69 by Assemblymember Freddie Rodriguez was given final approval by the State Assembly today and now heads to the Governor’s Desk. The bill establishes best practices and procedures for the download and storage of body-worn camera footage that law enforcement agencies should consider when establishing a body camera program.

“Body-worn cameras are an effective tool for law enforcement and are increasingly becoming more popular,” said Assemblymember Rodriguez. “It is important for law enforcement agencies to have a set of guidelines to turn to while establishing their body camera programs while still providing each department the flexibility to tailor their program in a way that works for their department. That’s what my bill does.”

Assemblymember Freddie Rodriguez released the following statement in response to California Attorney General Kamala Harris’ endorsement of his Assembly Bill 71 and creation of the OpenJustice data initiative:

“Our communities are the safest when there is a trust between law enforcement and the population they serve and protect,” said Rodriguez. “What we have seen over the past few years is that there is a lack of data that can put use-of-force incidents in a broader context. I applaud Attorney General Harris for her leadership and creation of the Justice Dashboard and Open Data Portal. This is a valuable tool that can increase transparency and strengthen trust between law enforcement and the community.

Assemblymember Freddie Rodriguez introduced ACR 104 to name a portion of Interstate 10 in Pomona after fallen Pomona SWAT Officer Shaun Diamond. The measure will declare I-10 from the SR-57 interchange to Indian Hill Boulevard as the “Officer Shaun Diamond Memorial Highway.”

“Officer Diamond was a dedicated officer and an honorable man,” said Rodriguez. “I knew him for many years through his work in Downtown Pomona. He was a great person to be around and his absence continues to be felt throughout our community. The Officer Shaun Diamond Memorial Highway will be a lasting commemoration of his sacrifice and dedication to helping others.”