Darshana R. Patel was elected to the California State Assembly in November 2024 to represent the 76th Assembly District in northern San Diego County, including Escondido and San Marcos. She chairs the Assembly Education Committee.[1]
Before the Legislature she spent nearly a decade as a biotechnology research scientist, then served on the Poway Unified School District Board of Education and as president of the San Diego County School Boards Association.[1]She earned a bachelor's degree in biochemistry from Occidental College and a Ph.D. in biophysics from the University of California, Irvine, and lives in San Diego.[1]
Their recorded votes on bills that divided the chamber (unanimous votes left out), grouped by topic. A bill can sit under more than one topic. "With" and "against" compare each vote with how most Democrats voted. How topics are assigned
›Jobs & cost of living420 with · 1 against421 votes
Existing law requires a manufacturer or supplier making an environmental marketing claim relating to the recycled content of a plastic food container product to maintain specified information and documentation in written form in its records in support of that claim and to, upon request, furnish that maintained information to any member of the public, as specified.
Existing law declares every contract by which anyone is restrained from engaging in a lawful profession, trade, or business of any kind to be void, except as expressly provided. Existing law provides for a system of labor standards enforcement administered by the Labor Commissioner.
Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission with regulatory authority over public utilities, including gas corporations. Existing law authorizes the commission to fix the rates and charges for every public utility and requires that those rates and charges be just and reasonable.
Existing law prohibits the prosecuting attorney, attorney for the defendant, or investigator for either the prosecution or the defendant from interviewing, questioning, or speaking to a victim or witness whose name has been disclosed pursuant to existing law without first clearly identifying themselves and identifying the full name of the agency by whom they are employed, and identifying whether they represent, or have been retained by, the prosecution or the defendant.
Existing law makes it a misdemeanor to wear a mask, false whiskers, or any personal disguise, as specified, with the purpose of evading or escaping discovery, recognition, or identification while committing a public offense, or for concealment, flight, evasion, or escape from arrest or conviction for any public offense. This bill would make it a crime for a law enforcement officer to wear a facial covering in the performance of their duties, except as specified.
Existing law subjects a minor between 12 and 17 years of age, inclusive, who violates any federal, state, or local law or ordinance, who persistently or habitually refuses to obey the reasonable and proper orders or directions of the minor’s parents, guardian, or custodian, or who is beyond the control of that person, who violates an ordinance establishing a curfew or is truant, and a minor under 12 years of age who is alleged to have committed specified serious offenses, to the jurisdiction of the juvenile court, which may adjudge the minor to be a ward of the court.
Existing law requires a manufacturer or supplier making an environmental marketing claim relating to the recycled content of a plastic food container product to maintain specified information and documentation in written form in its records in support of that claim and to, upon request, furnish that maintained information to any member of the public, as specified.
Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission with regulatory authority over public utilities, including gas corporations. Existing law requires, until January 1, 2031, gas corporations to submit to the commission an annual map that includes, among other things, the location of all potential gas distribution line replacement projects identified in its distribution integrity management plan and any foreseeable gas distribution pipeline replacements.
Existing law requires the Department of Toxic Substances Control, on or before January 1, 2029, to adopt regulations to enforce specified covered perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) restrictions, which include prohibitions on the distribution, sale, or offering for sale of certain products that contain specified levels of PFAS. Existing law requires the department, on and after July 1, 2030, to enforce and ensure compliance with those provisions and regulations, as provided.
Existing law requires the Department of Toxic Substances Control, on or before January 1, 2029, to adopt regulations to enforce specified covered perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) restrictions, which include prohibitions on the distribution, sale, or offering for sale of certain products that contain specified levels of PFAS. Existing law requires the department, on and after July 1, 2030, to enforce and ensure compliance with those provisions and regulations, as provided.
Under existing law, when a person, as a result of a mental disorder, is a danger to others or to themselves, or is gravely disabled, they may, upon probable cause, be taken into custody for a period of up to 72 hours for assessment, evaluation, and crisis intervention, or placement for evaluation and treatment, as specified. Existing law prohibits mental health personnel from instructing a peace officer to take a person to, or keep the person at, a jail, solely because of the unavailability of an acute bed.
Existing law, the California Health Care Quality and Affordability Act, establishes within the Department of Health Care Access and Information the Office of Health Care Affordability to analyze the health care market for cost trends and drivers of spending, develop data-informed policies for lowering health care costs for consumers and purchasers, set and enforce cost targets, and create a state strategy for controlling the cost of health care and ensuring affordability for consumers and purchasers.
(1) Existing law requires county superintendents of schools to provide for an audit of all funds under their jurisdiction and control, and requires the governing board of each local educational agency to either provide for an audit of the books and accounts of the local educational agency or make arrangements with county superintendents of schools to provide for that auditing.
(1) Under existing law, a caregiver who is 18 years of age or older and signs a caregiver’s authorization affidavit under penalty of perjury for a minor who lives in their home is authorized to enroll the minor in school and consent to school-related medical care on behalf of the minor.
(1) Existing law, the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act, establishes procedures for the reporting and investigation of suspected child abuse or neglect. The act requires certain professionals, including specified health practitioners and social workers, known as “mandated reporters,” to report known or reasonably suspected child abuse or neglect to a local law enforcement agency or a county welfare or probation department, as specified.
Under existing law, upon the proclamation of a state of emergency by the President of the United States or the Governor, or upon the declaration of a local emergency by the executive officer of any county, city, or city and county, and for 30 days following the proclamation or declaration of emergency, it is price gouging, a misdemeanor, for any person, business, or other entity, to increase the rental price advertised, offered, or charged for housing, to an existing or prospective tenant, by more than 10%.
Existing law establishes the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation in the Governor’s office for the purpose of serving the Governor and the Governor’s cabinet as staff for long-range planning and research and constituting the comprehensive state planning agency. This bill would require the office, on or before July 1, 2028, to compile, standardize, maintain, and make publicly available through a consolidated online platform a core set of statewide standardized spatial planning datasets, as defined.
Existing law, the Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act, defines and regulates common interest developments, which include community apartment projects, condominium projects, planned developments, and stock cooperatives. Existing law imposes various requirements regarding the installation and use of an electric vehicle (EV) charging station placed in a common area or an exclusive use common area of a common interest development, including that the owner is required to provide a certificate of insurance that names the association as an additional insured party.
The California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA) grants a consumer various rights with respect to personal information, as defined, that is collected or sold by a business, as defined, including the right to direct a business that collects sensitive personal information, as defined, about the consumer to limit its use, as prescribed. The California Privacy Rights Act of 2020, approved by the voters as Proposition 24 at the November 3, 2020, statewide general election, amended, added to, and reenacted the CCPA.
Existing law requires the Department of Technology to conduct, in coordination with other interagency bodies as it deems appropriate, a comprehensive inventory of all high-risk automated decision systems (ADS) that have been proposed for use, development, or procurement by, or are being used, developed, or procured by, any state agency.
Existing law authorizes designated health care services providers, employees, volunteers, and patients, and individuals who face threats of violence or violence or harassment from the public because of their affiliation with a designated health care services facility, to complete an application to be approved by the Secretary of State for the purposes of enabling state and local agencies to respond to requests for public records without disclosing a program participant’s residence address contained in any public record and otherwise provide for confidentiality of identity for that person,…
(1) Existing law requires certain transportation planning agencies to prepare and adopt regional transportation plans directed at achieving a coordinated and balanced regional transportation system. Existing law requires a regional transportation plan to include a policy element, a sustainable communities strategy prepared by a metropolitan planning organization, an action element, and a financial element, as provided.
(1) Existing law grants the legislative body of a city certain powers with respect to city streets and highways, including the power to construct and maintain those streets and highways. Existing law grants the board of supervisors of a county general supervision, management, and control of county highways and authorizes the board of supervisors to lay out, construct, improve, and maintain county highways.
Existing law provides various provisions applicable to all public transit and transit districts and includes specific requirements applicable to public entities that operate commuter rail or rail transit systems. This bill would prohibit a public entity that owns diesel-powered on-track equipment from selling, donating, or otherwise transferring ownership of that equipment for continued use after the public entity decommissions the equipment.
This measure would urge President Donald J. Trump to avoid raising the cost of living for American consumers by rescinding the tariffs that he has imposed since taking office in January 2025 and refunding the American people for the costs passed on to them by his tariffs. The measure would also urge the United States Congress to enact a joint resolution to rescind President Trump’s tariffs and to oppose all future unilateral and arbitrary tariff increases imposed by President Trump.
Under existing law, there are programs providing assistance for, among other things, emergency housing, multifamily housing, farmworker housing, home ownership for very low and low-income households, and downpayment assistance for first-time home buyers.
Existing law establishes the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (”GO-Biz”) to, among other duties, serve the Governor as the lead entity for economic strategy and the marketing of California on issues relating to business development, private sector investment, and economic growth. Existing law requires the Transportation Agency to establish a freight advisory committee to, among other things, participate in the development of the state freight plan.
Substantive votes concern legislation or nominations; procedural votes concern how the chamber considers them. A Yes vote applies to the motion shown, which may not be final passage.
AB 1128 · CA ASSEMBLY
Mobilehome parks: rent caps: City of Torrance.
Not votingNO VOTE
Motion: AB 1128 Muratsuchi Concurrence in Senate Amendments
Existing law, the Mobilehome Residency Law, prescribes various terms and conditions of tenancies in mobilehome parks. The law defines “mobilehome park” for these purposes to mean an area of land where 2 or more mobilehome sites are rented, or held out for rent, to accommodate mobilehomes used for human habitation. The law caps the amount by which management of a qualified mobilehome park may increase the gross rental rate for a tenancy over the course of any 12-month period.
Motion: AB 113 GABRIEL Concurrence in Senate Amendments
The Budget Act of 2026 made appropriations for the support of state government for the 2026–27 fiscal year. This bill would amend that budget act by amending, adding, and repealing items of appropriation and making other changes. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as a Budget Bill. This bill would declare that it makes an appropriation for the usual current expenses of the state, and shall go into immediate effect. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Williamson Act contracts: cancellation fees: photovoltaic solar facilities.
YesVOTED
Motion: AB 1156 WICKS Concurrence in Senate Amendments
The California Land Conservation Act of 1965 (act), otherwise known as the Williamson Act, authorizes a city or county to contract with a landowner to limit the use of agricultural land to agricultural use if the land is located in an agricultural preserve designated by the city or county, as specified. Existing law authorizes the county or city to cancel a contract under certain circumstances and conditions.
Motion: AB 1159 Addis Concurrence in Senate Amendments
Existing law, the K–12 Pupil Online Personal Information Protection Act (KOPIPA), generally protects the personal information of a student enrolled in a K–12 course of instruction, defined as a “pupil,” by prescribing requirements and prohibitions applicable to an operator of an internet website, online service, online application, or mobile application with actual knowledge that the site, service, or application is used primarily for K–12 school purposes and was designed and marketed for K–12 school purposes.
Real property tax: welfare exemption: moderate-income housing.
YesVOTED
Motion: AB 1294 Haney Concurrence in Senate Amendments
Existing property tax law, pursuant to constitutional authorization, provides for a “welfare exemption” for property used exclusively for religious, hospital, scientific, or charitable purposes and that is owned or operated by certain types of nonprofit entities, if certain qualifying criteria are met.
Motion: AB 1307 Ávila Farías Concurrence in Senate Amendments
Existing law, the Licensed Dentists from Mexico Pilot Program, requires the Dental Board of California to issue 3-year nonrenewable permits to practice dentistry to dentists from Mexico who meet specified criteria. This bill would repeal those provisions and replace them with a new Licensed Dentists from Mexico Pilot Program. Under that new program, the bill would require the board to issue a 3-year nonrenewable license to practice dentistry to an applicant who meets specified criteria, and require participants in the program to comply with specified requirements.
Motion: AB 1331 Elhawary Concurrence in Senate Amendments
Existing law establishes the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement within the Department of Industrial Relations. Existing law authorizes the division, which is headed by the Labor Commissioner, to enforce the Labor Code and all labor laws of the state the enforcement of which is not specifically vested in any other officer, board, or commission. This bill would limit the use of workplace surveillance tools, as defined, by employers, including by prohibiting an employer from monitoring or surveilling employees in a bathroom located in the workplace, except as specified.
Motion: AB 1349 BRYAN Concurrence in Senate Amendments Move The Previous Question By AGUIAR-CURRY
Existing law provides comprehensive regulation of ticket sellers, defined as a person who, for compensation, commission, or otherwise, sells admission tickets to a sporting, musical, theater, or any other entertainment event. In this regard, existing law, among other things, prohibits specified ticket selling practices and imposes certain recordkeeping and disclosure requirements. If an event is canceled, existing law requires that the ticket price be fully refunded to the consumer whether by an original seller, event presenter, ticket reseller, or ticket resale marketplace, as specified.
Motion: AB 1609 Zbur Concurrence in Senate Amendments
Existing law prohibits a person from using a bot, as defined, to mislead another person about the bot’s artificial identity to incentivize the purchase or sale of goods or services, among other things. Existing law requires an operator of a companion chatbot, as defined, to provide a disclosure regarding the companion chatbot’s artificial identity if a reasonable person interacting with the companion chatbot would be misled to believe that the person is interacting with a human.
Motion: AB 1642 HARABEDIAN Concurrence in Senate Amendments
Existing law establishes the Department of Toxic Substances Control, which regulates the handling and management of hazardous waste and hazardous materials, and establishes the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment and the State Air Resources Board. Existing federal law sets action levels for lead in dust and emission standards for asbestos, and existing state law sets workplace standards for asbestos. Existing law authorizes local health officers to take specified actions to protect public health and establishes procedures for the remediation of certain contaminated properties.