Assemblywoman Lori D. Wilson

Today, I had the pleasure of speaking with 22 students in Assemblymember Blanca Rubio’s Young Legislators program. During lunch with current lawmakers, they asked us about our path to the California Legislature and what informs the decisions we make every single day.

It was inspiring to speak with students so engaged in public service who posed such thoughtful questions. I look forward to watching how they help shape California’s future.

Today, I had the honor of accompanying Capt. Victor J. Glover Jr., the pilot of the Artemis II lunar flyby mission, to the Capitol.

A native Californian and the first Black astronaut to travel around the Moon, Victor Glover was then recognized on both the Assembly and Senate Floors.

Yesterday, I spoke in favor of SB 1021, a bill with bipartisan support that I co-author. If passed, it would increase opportunities for youth with life-threatening illnesses to fish and hunt.

Children with life-threatening illnesses often experience significant physical, emotional, and psychological challenges associated with their diagnosis. Studies show spending time outdoors and engaging in nature can improve mental health, reduce stress, and improve quality of life for those with serious medical conditions.

SB 1021 recognizes that for youth facing life-threatening illnesses, healing extends beyond medical treatment by creating opportunities to experience the outdoors through fishing and hunting in a manner that is safe, ethical, and grounded in science-based wildlife management.

On Saturday, I had the honor of being the Dignitary Speaker at the City of Oakley’s 2026 Juneteenth Celebration.

Juneteenth is not just Black history, Texas history, or American history — it is the American story. The American story is not a straight line. It is a journey marked by incredible achievements and painful contradictions. It challenges each generation to move closer to the promises articulated in our founding documents.

Juneteenth belongs alongside Independence Day. One celebrates the birth of a nation, and the other celebrates the expansion of freedom within that nation. Together, they tell a more complete story — a story of imperfect people striving toward perfect ideals, a story of setbacks and breakthroughs, and a story of courage.

A few more red carpets are in my future — the California Senate Committee kind, that is!

Yesterday, I presented a bill to the Senate for the first time this year. I spoke before the Senate Local Government Committee about AB 1621, which deals with post-entitlement permits, and it passed with bipartisan support.

Currently, delays in post-entitlement permits slow down housing production and drive up costs, making homes less affordable for Californians. AB 1621 establishes clear timelines and real accountability for local agencies to process post-entitlement permits, ensuring that approved housing projects can actually move forward.

For context: Post-entitlement permits are required permits and reviews for construction filed after a project’s developer obtains government approval for their plans. Post-entitlement permits can be for building, improvements, excavation, grading, or demolition.

I’m looking forward to presenting more bills to the Senate and helping AB 1621 cross the finish line!

On April 28, the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) updated its autonomous vehicle (AV) regulations, providing additional oversight and enforcement for AVs while also permitting heavy-duty AVs with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) over 10,001 pounds to operate on California roads with a testing and deployment permit. 

These changes are the most significant update to the DMV’s AV regulations since the DMV first permitted driverless testing and deployment on April 2, 2018.

On Monday, I chaired Transportation Committee where we held an information hearing focused on three major changes DMV made to its AV regulations:

1. DMV’s oversight role in collecting data regarding AV operations and its new enforcement tools.

2. Updates to requirements for interaction with first responders, the ability for law enforcement to issue notices of noncompliance for violation of the laws, and regulations for the remote operation of AVs.

and 3. Testing and deployment of AVs with a GVWR of greater than 10,001 pounds.

The hearing gave the Legislature the opportunity to learn about these new regulations and how DMV will improve its oversight of AV operations in the state, while giving the members of the Legislature the opportunity to hear from stakeholders.