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You loot, we prosecute

“Voters spoke loud and clear that they don't want crime within their communities,” Assemblymember Blanca Pacheco, a Los Angeles County Democrat behind a proposal to stiffen penalties for looting and impersonating first responders during emergencies, told Playbook. “People are frustrated that they don't feel safe, and as you know, perception is reality.”

California lawmakers want tougher penalties for looting and first responder shams

Assemblymember Blanca Pacheco, (D-Downey), a co-author of the bill whose brother is a Los Angeles County firefighter who responded to the Eaton fire, noted the “clear risks” that these deceptions pose to public safety and emergency operations. “When people see a firefighter or other first responders during an emergency, they need to know with absolute certainty that the uniform and equipment is being worn and used by someone who is sworn to protect,” Pacheco said

California Lawmakers Announce Legislation to Strengthen Penalties for Looting, Impersonation of Emergency Personnel During Wildfires and Other Emergencies

Assemblymember Pacheco speaking at the podium during a press conference.

LOS ANGELES, CA – Today, Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D - Encino), Assemblymember Blanca Pacheco (D - Downey), and Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D - Thousand Oaks) announced the introduction of Assembly Bill 469, bipartisan legislation that provides law enforcement with better tools to crack down on looting and imp

Why California Doesn’t Allow Accent Marks On Official Documents

Does your name have a hyphen or accent mark that isn’t reflected on your California driver’s license or birth certificate? This is the norm in the Golden State, which doesn’t allow accents or hyphens in official documents. However, a proposed bill would allow residents to change their names to include diacritical marks — like accents and tildes — on government documents.

New Legislation Introduced on Police K9s

(SACRAMENTO) – Today, Assemblywoman Blanca Pacheco (D-Downey), introduced new legislation to standardize the use of police K9s across California.

New bill would give legislators more info about legislations’ costs to utility customers

With monthly electricity bills soaring in California, a state legislator is pushing for independent analyses of rate changes to understand better how they impact residents and help ease the financial strain. Introduced by Assemblymember Blanca Pacheco, D-Downey, AB 61 — one of the earlier bills filed for the 2025-26 legislative session — would require the California Public Utilities Commission to review any legislation that could raise costs for electricity and natural gas customers.