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<h2>Delivers For The Central  Valley</h2>

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<h1><span style="color: var(--color-bg0-text); text-decoration-color: var(--color-bg0-text);">A Strong Voice for the Valley</span></h1>

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<h1>News</h1>

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<h2><span style="color: var(--color-text-accent-secondary); text-decoration-color: var(--color-text-accent-secondary);">The Latest from Senator Melissa Hurtado</span></h2>

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<h4>From Shafter to McFarland: New Investments in Public Safety</h4>

<h4>Bill aims to get a bigger slice of state funding to protect south San Joaquin Valley</h4>

<p>Expanding healthcare access has been central to Senator Hurtado’s work. She authored SB 367, the Campus Opioid Safety Act, requiring colleges to distribute naloxone and train students to save lives during overdoses. </p><p>She also pass legislation to give community colleges the authority to prioritize nursing program admissions for local underserved students, strengthening the future healthcare workforce in the Central Valley. In addition, she co-authored SB 1300, ensuring communities receive timely notice before hospital or emergency room closures. </p><p>Beyond legislation, she secured funding to expand residency programs and mobile health clinics in her district, bringing services directly to rural families. These efforts reflect her commitment to addressing shortages in care and ensuring access to critical health services.</p>

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<h2><span style="color: var(--color-text-accent-secondary); text-decoration-color: var(--color-text-accent-secondary)">Expanding Healthcare Access</span></h2>

<p><a href="https://legiscan.com/CA/bill/SB556/2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Legislation</a>&nbsp;that aims to reduce downstream disasters by funding floodplain restoration projects in Kern, Tulare and Kings counties was introduced March 28 in the California Senate.</p><p>Author Melissa Hurtado (D-Bakersfield) proposes funneling $43 million toward floodplain acquisition, habitat restoration and conservation projects:</p><p>$2 million for enhancement of Panorama Vista Preserve along the Kern River in Bakersfield.</p>

<h4>Hurtado's Bill Seeks More Funds to Protect South Valley From Floods</h4>

<h4>Tulare County gets $1M for rural road repairs, check presented by State Sen. Melissa Hurtado</h4>

<h4>Aviation Coalition Supports California Fuel Tax Bill</h4>

<p><strong><span style="color: var(--color-text-accent-primary)">BAKERSFIELD, CA (KERO)</span></strong> — Senator Melissa Hurtado's legislative package focuses on affordability, water management, and support for small businesses as it moves to the assembly.</p><p>Key measures include increasing water management transparency and investing in floodplain restoration.</p><p>The Aero Act will allocate aviation fuel tax revenue for regional airport infrastructure improvements.</p><p>New antitrust measures will strengthen penalties for violations and protect small businesses</p>

<h4>Hurtado’s ‘Common Sense Plan’ bills advance to California Assembly</h4>

<p>Sen. Melissa Hurtado promotes SB 661 during a press conference at Meadows Field Airport, saying bill will bring many opportunities to Bakersfield and Kern County.</p><p>Hurtado refers to SB 661 as a common sense bill that will be paid with existing taxes.</p><p>Bakersfield Mayor Karen Goh says Bakersfield is growing and SB 661 is needed for the airport to catch up to that growth.</p>

<h4>Sen. Hurtado promotes SB 661 at Meadows Field Airport</h4>

<h4>Central Valley lawmaker wants to make it easier to get help paying energy bills</h4>

<h4>Senator Melissa Hurtado Draws Nearly 200 Supporters For Final Push Ahead of Tuesday's Election</h4>

<h4>Hwy 99 Agri-Center Interchange Project complete</h4>

<h4>State Senate Bill aims to boost farmworker pay and support agricultural employers</h4>

<p>Hurtado has delivered historic infrastructure investments to her district. In 2022, she secured $56 million for new police and fire stations, emergency operations centers, and life-saving equipment in small cities like Lindsay, Porterville, and McFarland. She also won $1 million for rural roadway repairs in Tulare County, improving safety on neglected roads. Hurtado carried legislation to ratify new tribal gaming compacts that will create thousands of jobs and new economic opportunities. </p><p>She also authored SB 577, now law, which supports firefighter training and strengthens rural fire departments. Her transparency package in 2024 included SB 1151, SB 1155, and SB 1156, all aimed at improving accountability in government and water management. Together, these investments and reforms demonstrate her commitment to safe, strong, and thriving communities in the Central Valley.</p>

<h2><span style="color: var(--color-text-accent-secondary); text-decoration-color: var(--color-text-accent-secondary)">Building Safe and Strong Communities</span></h2>

<h4>Thank You Senate District 16! </h4>

<p><strong>BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO)</strong> — Senator Melissa Hurtado's legislative package focuses on affordability, water management, and support for small businesses as it moves to the assembly.</p><p>Key measures include increasing water management transparency and investing in floodplain restoration.</p><p>The Aero Act will allocate aviation fuel tax revenue for regional airport infrastructure improvements.</p><p>New antitrust measures will strengthen penalties for violations and protect small businesses</p>

<h4>Senator Hurtado introduces bill to tackle California's water crisis</h4>

<p>Hurtado has been a strong advocate for immigrant and farmworker families. She introduced SB 245, the Food for All Act, to extend food benefits to all Californians regardless of immigration status. While full passage is pending, her leadership secured $40 million in the state budget to begin expanding CalFood benefits to undocumented seniors and children. </p><p>She also authored SB 628, the Human Right to Food Act, which established in state law that every Californian has the right to sufficient and healthy food. Hurtado has spoken out against surprise immigration enforcement sweeps in her district, defending families’ rights to access schools, clinics, and public spaces without fear. Through legislation and advocacy, she has worked to ensure that no family goes hungry or without support because of immigration status.</p>

<h2><span style="color: var(--color-text-accent-secondary); text-decoration-color: var(--color-text-accent-secondary)">Supporting Immigrant Families and Food Security</span></h2>

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<p>Senator Hurtado has championed environmental justice and water equity for Central Valley communities. She helped deliver $40 million for the Food for All initiative, ensuring families do not go hungry or without clean water during climate crises. </p><p>She secured funding for critical water projects, including $1 million to launch the Tombstone Territory water project in Fresno County, which now delivers clean drinking water to families with failing wells.</p><p>She has also been a strong voice for climate resilience, introducing SB 556 to promote floodplain restoration and groundwater recharge. She authored the Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity Act (SB 892), which protects water and food systems from cyberattacks. Her leadership has consistently focused on ensuring disadvantaged rural communities are not left behind in California’s environmental and water policies.</p>

<h2><span style="color: var(--color-text-accent-secondary); text-decoration-color: var(--color-text-accent-secondary)">Protecting Water &amp; Environment</span></h2>

<p>Senator Hurtado has been a leading voice for protecting California’s farmland and supporting rural communities. She authored the Food and Farm Security Act (SB 1084), which aimed to prevent foreign governments from buying agricultural land. While the Governor vetoed the bill in 2022, her persistent advocacy elevated the issue nationally, leading to greater oversight of farmland acquisitions.</p><p>As Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, she also secured $100 million in state funding to repair irrigation canals, safeguarding water supplies for growers. Through these efforts, Hurtado has strengthened California agriculture and the rural economy.</p><p>Additionally, Senator Hurtado successfully passed SB 1448 to extend the Farm to Community Food Hub Program and support the Agricultural Land Equity Task Force, ensuring more opportunities for small farmers.</p>

<h2><span style="color: var(--color-text-accent-secondary); text-decoration-color: var(--color-text-accent-secondary)"> Strengthening Agriculture</span></h2>

<p><strong>FARMERSVILLE, Calif. (FOX26)</strong> — Farmersville celebrated the opening of its new Fire Station 83 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Sen. Melissa Hurtado, city leaders, and Tulare County officials.</p><p>The station's construction was funded by $7 million secured by Hurtado in the 2022 state budget.</p>

<h4>Farmersville unveils new fire station with state funding boost</h4>

<h4>Kern County Board of Supervisors honors Sen. Melissa Hurtado for securing state funds</h4>

<h4>Sen. Melissa Hurtado urges Central Valley counties to coordinate cybersecurity efforts in new letter</h4>

<h4>TCAG names Senator Hurtado as 2026 LocalMotion Elected Official of the Year</h4>

<h4>Ag overtime tax credit returns as lawmakers seek relief for growers</h4>

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The daughter of immigrant parents, Democratic Senator Melissa Hurtado was born and raised in the Central Valley. She started out as an organizer, working to expand access to health care for Valley families.  In the State Senate, Hurtado secured critical funding for clean and safe drinking water and strengthened public safety and fire protection. She is leading the fight to ban corrupt financial conflicts of interest for state officials, and to protect workers and consumers from corporations trying to profit illegally off Valley families. Vote Melissa Hurtado for State Senate

Melissa Hurtado for State Senate

Melissa Hurtado for State Senate 2026

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