SideBar Podcast on The Legal Talk Network Welcomes California Assemblymember Buffy Wicks
SideBar podcast on The Legal Talk Network welcomes California Assemblymember Buffy Wicks to the program with a new episode Tuesday, February 21, 2023.
Assemblymember Wicks discusses California’s efforts to protect women’s reproductive health care after the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobb’s decision overturned Roe v. Wade. She also discusses California’s response of modeling assault weapon legislation after the Texas SB-10 “private bounty law”. Private bounty laws are highly controversial because they allow unrelated and uninjured individuals to sue targeted categories of individuals, such as abortion providers or assault weapon sellers, seeking individual court judgments of up to $10,000 per “violation” as defined by state statute. The laws are controversial because they are designed to bypass possible constitutional law issues by authorizing cases to be brought by individuals rather than the government.
As Chair of the Assembly Housing Committee, Wicks has championed solutions needed to solve California's housing and homelessness crisis. Her legislative work also focuses heavily on expanding the state’s social safety net, championing the rights of women and working families, protecting consumers, and reducing gun violence in our communities. Wicks received international attention in August 2020 after being denied the right to vote by proxy and appearing as a new mother on the floor of the State Assembly holding her crying newborn baby while speaking in favor of expanding parental paid leave. Wicks is a graduate of the University of Washington with a B.A. degree in political science and history.
Co-host Jackie Gardina stated, “given all of the negative press surrounding the behavior of so many state and federal elected officials, it is so refreshing to visit with an elected representative who brings her passion and values into the process of focusing on legislation that benefits so many of the vulnerable members of our community.”
“I am particularly impressed with Assemblymember Wicks belief that it is at the state level that so many important changes can be accomplished. She calls on all of us to get engaged, communicate with our local and state elected officials, and take personal responsibility to be part of the solutions,” said SideBar cohost Mitch Winick.
Gardina, Dean of the Colleges of Law in Santa Barbara and Ventura adds, “the drafting and passing of legislation does not exist in a historical vacuum. If we want to understand the context of current legal issues, it is important to discuss why these laws originally came about, how they have evolved over time, and how they will be applied in the future.” In discussing the importance of discussing these types of issues on SideBar, Winick, President and Dean of Monterey College of Law2, emphasized that “Jackie and I believe that legal education and familiarity with important laws and regulations should extend beyond the law school classroom and be part of our public dialogue.”
To listen to current SideBar episodes, read our blog, learn about future guests, and to contact the co-hosts with ideas, comments, or questions, go to www.sidebarmedia.org.
Mitchel Winick
MONTEREY COLLEGE OF LAW
+1 831-582-4000
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1 http://www.sidebarmedia.org
2 http://www.montereylaw.edu
3 https://www.collegesoflaw.edu