Assemblywoman Fiona Ma: College grants, laws passed

Over the last several years, the number of students who have gone on to college after high school has increased exponentially. Unfortunately, the amount that students pay for tuition has sky-rocketed as well. There are a plethora of options to help cover the cost of education today; however, one in particular really sticks out. Cal Grants is one of the smartest ways to get cash for college - you do not even need to pay them back. All graduating high school seniors who meet academic, financial and eligibility requirements can receive a Cal Grant!

I am a strong proponent of public education, and believe Cal Grants play an imperative role in providing opportunities to our potential future leaders that might not be available to them otherwise. If you are interested in applying for a Cal Grant, the deadline to complete the application is March 2.

For more information on Cal Grants, visit the website at www.calgrants.org.

Victory for Working Families
The SF Board of Supervisors' proposal to implement congestion pricing on the San Francisco-San Mateo border was removed from further study. However, the prospect of congestion pricing within San Francisco remains, with the board voting to further study the issue in certain areas of San Francisco, including downtown. I have been an opponent of congestion pricing since serving on the Board of Supervisors. Working families cannot afford to pay outrageous fees just to drive from the West of Twin Peaks to downtown.

The SF Transportation Authority should proceed with great caution before approving any final congestion pricing plan. The reality is that many families have no other choice but to drive their children to school, soccer practice and the doctor's office. I have always been, and will continue to be, a proponent of public transportation and I have worked hard to increase funding for local and regional transit, most recently by joint-authoring Prop. 1-A (high speed trains bond). However, congestion pricing puts additional financial pressure on families during these difficult economic times, and now is not the time to force people to pay more to live and drive in San Francisco.

A New Year, New Laws
Last month, I was reappointed by Speaker John A. Perez as the Speaker pro Tempore of the Assembly. I was also appointed to serve on several committees, including agriculture, business and professions, governmental organization, public employees, retirement and Social Security, and utilities and commerce.

Legislation Enacted on Jan. 1
Last year was another successful year. Of the bills I authored in 2010, 12 were signed into law, bringing the total number of bills signed for the two-year session to 19. Here is a snapshot of a few of the new laws I have authored that went into effect Jan. 1:

• AB 987 - Transit Villages
This bill maintains California's strong commitment to keeping the state a leader in reducing carbon emissions by updating Transit Village Development Planning. Assembly Bill 987 provides cities and counties with tools to pursue additional transit-oriented development (TOD) to decrease traffic congestion and air pollution;

• AB 1050 - Children in Family Courts
This bill strengthens current law to ensure that children of sufficient age and maturity are able to provide input in court custody proceedings with judicial discretion;

• AB 1800 - Landlord Imposters
This bill will enhance penalties on criminals who pose as owners of a residential dwelling and prey on would-be tenants of foreclosed and vacant apartments and homes;

• AB 2700 - Separation Equity Act
This bill is an equality measure that will permit same-sex and other couples, who are both married and registered as domestic partners, to dissolve both relationships in a single proceeding, rather than two separate court processes.

Assemblywoman Fiona Ma represents the Richmond and Sunset districts.