In a letter sent to Gov. Gavin Newsom, state Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil asked that he sign into law Assembly Bill 2129, which would require the state to bargain in good faith with rank-and-file Cal Fire firefighters in Bargaining Unit No. 8 toward a competitive salary.

Last year, Alvarado-Gil urged colleagues to override Newsom’s veto of AB 1309, a related bill to address firefighter pay. The governor vetoed the bill after signaling his unease with signing pay formulas into law. AB 2129 returns the issue to Newsom.

“Cal Fire firefighters risk their lives battling wildfires to protect our homes, businesses, and communities,” Alvarado-Gil said, who was defeated in the June primary and is serving out the final four months of her first and only term. “Rural Californians in districts like Senate District 4 depend on them. They deserve compensation that reflects their bravery and the work they do.”

Critics of AB 2129 point out that the Assembly Appropriations Committee flagged a potential hit to the state’s general fund in the neighborhood of $375 million to $600 million, turning what might’ve been a quiet labor tweak into a high-profile budget brawl, according to reporting in The Sacramento Bee.

Alanis bills focus on public safety, student-athlete protection, government efficiency

Assemblymember Juan Alanis (R-Modesto) announced a number of bills from his 2026 legislative package have advanced through the state legislature, with one now on the Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk and another already signed into law earlier this year. The package focuses on public safety, student-athlete protection, government efficiency, and critical needs for residents of the 22nd District.

“I am immensely proud of this bill package and deeply grateful for the hard work of our team to get these measures across the finish line,” said Alanis. “It is an honor to serve the people of Assembly District 22, and I remain focused on legislation that supports our families, strengthens local businesses and neighborhoods, and delivers real results for our region.”

• Assembly Bill 767 aims to close legal gaps in the conditional placement of sexually violent predators near schools and daycare centers and defining private and home-based schools.
• AB 1728 would add firefighting and law enforcement courses to the California Community Colleges Common Course Numbering system to address first-responder shortages.
• AB 387 proposes to strengthen the Nevaeh Youth Sports Safety Act by expanding automated external defibrillator access at youth athletic venues.
• AB 1572 would require the California Interscholastic Federation to annually verify that sports officials meet coach-level safety and training standards for more than 800,000 student-athletes statewide.
• AB 2282 directs the California Department of Public Health to issue a waiver so a public hospital can temporarily operate a rural emergency stabilization care unit in Patterson with the Del Puerto Health Care District.
• AB 312 looks to shorten the holding period for proceeds from seized agriculture commodity sales from six months to three.
• AB 1617 standardizes reporting for household hazardous waste facilities.
• AB 2085, already signed into law, updates display requirements for commercial weighing and measuring devices to improve consumer transparency.

“These bills put our local communities and families first, whether improving emergency services, protecting student-athletes, or bringing critical medical access to Patterson,” Alanis said. “I am proud of the bipartisan momentum behind this effort and look forward to the Governor’s support to make these protections law.”

AB 767, awaiting Newsom’s signature, is of particular interest to residents of Turlock after a nearly two years of legal wrangling involving two convicted child molesters – Kevin Scott Gray, 74, and Timothy Roger Weathers, 63 – seeking to be released just west of the city limit. They were initially denied release when it was determined the proposed dwelling was too close to a home school. The case advanced all the way to the California Supreme Court before it was determined that the home school did not meet the technical definition (the SVPs were eventually denied release into the North Central Avenue residence on other grounds).

“This bill protects legitimate homeschools and day care centers while also providing certainty to the placement process,” Alanis added. “That balance helped us move this bill through both houses. I look forward to the governor’s consideration.”

Alanis has passed 20 bills into law over his first two terms in office, and another eight bills await the Newsom’s consideration. No member of the legislature has co-authored more bipartisan bills in 2026 than Alanis, according to his staff.

As a co-chair of the California Problem Solvers Caucus, Alanis is currently attached to 339 bipartisan bills, according to CalMatters.

Alanis also recently announced that the second annual Denim, Lights, and Country Nights fundraiser – featuring a barbecue dinner, dancing and live music, cornhole tournament, silent auction, and dessert auction – will be held Sept. 26 at 3501 Dunn Road, Modesto. Tickets are $75, and $125 for couples. Entry fee for a two-person team in the cornhole tournament is $40. Other VIP and sponsorship opportunities are available.