Jesse Arreguin represents the 7th District in the California State Senate, which runs along the coast from Oakland north to Hercules. A member of the Democratic Party, he was previously a mayor of Berkeley.

What major issues do you think the legislature must deal with in 2026?

The impact of HR1 on our Health and Human Services safety net. We saw what happened during the prolonged government shutdown, where thousands of Californians did not have access to SNAP benefits. We saw a significant increase in food insecure Californians who came to food banks, churches, non-profits to get meals and produce. I think it’s incredibly cruel of this administration to pass a law that gives billionaires enormous tax breaks at the expense of food and healthcare, which are essential for all Americans.

I think the most critical issue is, how do we mitigate the harm, and try to ensure that we have some basic level of healthcare for everyone in California. How do we supplement funding for our food banks, through the Cal Food Program, to ensure that we can maintain access to food for Californians. And related to that, how do we do so without negatively impacting the state’s budget. Since there is a deficit in the state budget, which is forecasted to grow, we need to amend the state constitution to raise the GAN limit, which caps state and local government spending, to allow the legislature to save more money in the event of surpluses. So the budget is the biggest issue this year.

Other issues include how we respond to this administration’s cruel immigration policies; the revocation of climate regulations at the risk to the health and safety of Americans. Should we continue to fight for our values and invest in economic prosperity and innovation?

What are your personal legislative priorities?

There are two issues that are so important to our East Bay communities - housing and public safety. I am the new chair of the Senate Housing Committee and Public Safety Committee.

I intend to introduce bills related to a number of issues important to our Senate district. There is a bill to give the DMV the ability to not renew licenses for commercial and individual licenses for people that have outstanding illegal dumping penalties - create good disincentives to dump stuff on our streets, which creates health and safety impacts on our community.

There is another bill that would allow the use of PACE financing, that was started in Berkeley by my predecessor, Mayor Tom Bates, to help finance residential solar installation. This bill will allow the use of PACE for home hardening and fire mitigation work. There will be bills on housing, immigration, and transportation.

What local issues concern you?

Transportation - I co-authored a bill, SB63, with Senator Weiner that allows the Bay Area to place on the November ballot a regional sales tax that will provide a 14-year expenditure plan to provide the critical operating review for all transit operators in the Bay Area, with accountability and oversight built in.

Climate change - first, we have to sue the Trump administration over their absurd action. Just because the federal government has invalidated the fuel efficiency standards and certain clean air standards doesn’t mean that California shouldn’t implement our own standards.

Any additional comments or observations:

Senator Arreguin is receptive and looks forward to working with the League.

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