Lowering Costs For Working Families

High prices affect every family in the Valley. Senator Hurtado is fighting to lower the cost of living by holding powerful corporations accountable when they manipulate markets or unfairly drive up prices.

She authored legislation to stop corporations from using artificial intelligence and pricing algorithms to inflate consumer costs, strengthened protections against anti-competitive practices, improved utility accountability during outages and power surges, and expanded consumer privacy protections after data breaches.

The economy has changed. Families deserve a government that understands the digital economy and protects consumers from new forms of corporate abuse.

“Hard work should pay off.  I’m fighting for fairness, opportunity, and a  Central Valley where every family can thrive.” – Melissa

Keeping Families Safe

When Senator Hurtado first took office, she saw firsthand how far behind the Central Valley had fallen in basic public safety infrastructure. During a ride-along with local law enforcement, the patrol car she was riding in broke down. In some communities, police officers and firefighters were stretched so thin they were filling multiple roles. Some Valley communities didn’t even have a local police station, while others desperately needed new fire stations, equipment, and trained first responders.

Senator Hurtado made closing that gap a priority, helping secure more than $90 million in public safety investments for Central Valley communities—investments needed just to begin catching up after years of being left behind.

Even as these new police and fire stations are being built, the threats facing families are changing. Fentanyl, human trafficking, school violence, cybercrime, scams, online exploitation, wildfires, and extreme heat require new tools, technology, training, and investment.

The Valley cannot afford to fall behind again. Senator Hurtado is fighting to make sure our communities have the resources to confront the threats of tomorrow—and that Valley families receive the same level of protection and preparedness as families in San Francisco or Los Angeles.

Jobs & Economic Opportunity

Senator Hurtado is working to bring investment and good-paying jobs home to the Central Valley while helping local businesses grow.

The Valley has made real progress. Employment has grown across Fresno, Kern, Kings, and Tulare counties, unemployment has declined from its earlier highs, and business formation remains strong. In 2025 alone, Small Business Development Centers in Senate District 16 assisted 1,210 businesses, helped launch 100 new businesses, supported 4,796 local jobs, and helped secure $46.2 million in capital for local entrepreneurs.

That progress shows what the Valley can accomplish when local businesses and workers have the support they need. But even after accounting for agriculture’s seasonal swings, the Central Valley continues to face higher unemployment than the state average. Closing that gap requires building an economy that can create opportunity here, rather than depending on other regions to provide it.

That is why Senator Hurtado has fought for $490 million to expand Highway 99 to three lanes, $200 million for the Friant-Kern Canal, and, through SB 661, investments to modernize Meadows Field and smaller Valley airports. These projects create jobs now while strengthening the transportation, water, and aviation infrastructure that local businesses need to grow, reach new markets, and compete without relying on San Francisco or Los Angeles.

She also authored SB 910, ratifying the Tribal-State compact that helped make the Hard Rock Tejon project possible. The project brings another major investment to Kern County, along with thousands of construction and permanent jobs, expanding the Valley’s economic base and creating more opportunities for residents to build careers close to home.

As technology transforms how we work and compete, these investments are part of a broader vision for a self-reliant Central Valley—one with strong local businesses, modern infrastructure, and a skilled workforce prepared for the economy of tomorrow.

Valley families shouldn’t have to leave the Valley to find opportunity—and the Valley shouldn’t have to depend on other regions to create it.

Healthcare

Senator Hurtado is fighting to make health care more affordable and accessible across the Central Valley. She has worked to expand access to Medi-Cal for working families including mental health and addiction treatment and to hold insurance companies accountable so they respond to the people they serve. Additionally, Senator Hurtado secured millions of dollars in funding for Valley Fever testing and support services. 

Senator Hurtado believes no families should have to choose between seeing a doctor and paying the bills.

Housing & Affordability

Senator Hurtado is working to build housing that working families can actually afford. She has fought to cut red tape that slows new construction, expand assistance for renters and first-time homebuyers, and crack down on unlawful rent hikes in efforts to reduce homelessness and keep Valley families in their homes. 

Education & Public Schools 

Senator Hurtado is committed to giving every Central Valley student the opportunity to succeed. She has fought to secure funding for public schools from pre-K through our community colleges and universities, and to expand career technical education, job-training programs, and apprenticeships that lead to good-paying careers close to home. She believes investing in students today builds a stronger Central Valley tomorrow. 

Veterans 

Central Valley veterans served our country honorably, and Senator Hurtado is fighting to make sure they have the services and support they need to live with dignity. She has worked to cut taxes for veterans by expanding property-tax exemptions, support military families by extending scholarship benefits to veterans’ children, reduce veteran homelessness through funding for supportive housing, and protect military pensions. 

Preparing the Valley for Tomorrow

The world is changing rapidly. Artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, online fraud, digital privacy, workforce technology, energy reliability, and water resilience will shape the next generation of opportunities and challenges. Senator Hurtado believes California must prepare—not react.

That means investing in education, workforce development, healthcare, infrastructure, veterans, and modern technology so Valley families can succeed in an increasingly connected world.

Senator Hurtado is also opposed to the expansion of AI data centers in the Valley that strain the grid and drive up energy costs for local families.

The Valley shouldn’t simply keep up with change—it should help lead it.

Hold The Powerful Accountable

Whether it's the government or billion-dollar corporations, Senator Hurtado believes accountability builds public trust. She has led efforts to improve transparency in government, strengthen oversight of public agencies, increase financial disclosures, protect taxpayers, and hold powerful interests accountable when they put profits ahead of people.

No one should be above accountability—not the government, not corporations, and not special interests.

Protecting the Valley

The Central Valley feeds America and powers California. Senator Hurtado is working to secure the Valley’s future by protecting our water, strengthening agriculture, investing in infrastructure, and creating good-paying jobs.

As Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, she has championed farmers, farmworkers, food security, flood protection, water transparency, energy reliability, and transportation improvements because strong communities begin with a strong local economy.

Protecting the Valley means preparing it to compete in a changing world while preserving the industries and values that built it.