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Assemblymember Blanca Pacheco wants to ensure college students finish their education — and one way to do that is by helping them with debt owed directly to schools.

A bill in the California state Assembly proposes a variety of consumer protections for students who owe debts directly to a college or university related to a mid-semester withdrawal from classes, unpaid meal plans or other outstanding fees.

“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.”

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

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.

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.

Beyoncé may finally have her name recorded correctly in California.

In one of the most diverse states in the nation, some names still cannot be recorded correctly on birth certificates, marriage licenses and other vital records.

Assemblywoman Blanca Pacheco wants to put an end to that.