Sen. Leland Yee: My Office is at Your Service

As your state senator, I am very proud to serve the Richmond and Sunset districts of San Francisco.

In the past, we have had constituents come to us to address problems or concerns with state government agencies, or to request various kinds of information and support. My staff and I are committed to continuing to provide the highest quality of public service possible for our constituents.

The following are examples of services that our offices can provide for you:

Community Services
• Speaking to community groups, schools and organizations;
• Assisting with community grant applications;
• Presenting commendatory and memorial resolutions.

Public Services
• Reports issued by the legislature and state agencies;
• Consumer protection information;
• "Where to find it" - state agency information.

Constituent Services
• Department of Motor Vehicles;
• Veterans' affairs;
• Assistance with other local, state and federal agencies. Legislative Services
• Copies of legislation or information on the status of legislation;
• Summaries and analysis of specific bills;
• Legislative committee rosters.

Please feel free to contact my staff if there is anything our office can do for you. The number for the San Francisco district office is (415) 557-7857. We look forward to working with you.

The State of the State
In January, we heard the governor outline his ideas for California. I share many of the ideals he expressed, many of which are Democratic ideals, such as universal health care, a cleaner environment, and better schools.

But we must go beyond good sound bites and talking points in order to best serve our neighborhoods and communities.

I am anxious to hear the specifics of the governor's plans and I am ready to work with him in a bipartisan fashion to move California forward. In January, the governor issued a good-faith proposal for providing health care for all Californians, but he also proposed making unfair cuts to child welfare programs. In good conscience, we can not balance any budget on the backs of our children. The answer is not to simply provide them health care and then remove the social services they need.

Rather than borrow from one program to support another, we need to roll up our sleeves and work together to come up with better, more creative solutions to these problems. We made great progress last year on important issues, such as the landmark global warming law, the voter approved bond package and decreasing the cost of prescription drugs. We will continue to work on these important issues.

As well, now that I am in the Senate, I will continue to fight for issues that affect children, families and seniors.

My first order of business this year will be to introduce a bill that will increase social services and improve mental health for students. The lack of mental health resources in schools is a gaping hole in the system, and I hope that this bill will be a catalyst for a sea change in society's attitude toward school success and mental health.

We must continue on that path to make sure that our kids get the education they deserve, our environment is protected, roads and levees are built, the economy continues to grow, and all Californians are provided the health care they need and can afford.

California Sen. Leland Yee is the Assistant President pro tem of the Senate, making him the first Asian-American to ever hold the number two leadership position in the Senate.