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State Senator Curren D. Price, Jr. (D-26th District)
James J. Westbrooks
Adminstrative Office West
700 State Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90037
Phone: (213) 745-6656
Fax: (213) 745-6722
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News
SEN. PRICE INTRODUCES CA HIGH SPEED RAIL-RELATED BILLS (02/18/11)
“My mantra is jobs,” said Senator Price. “We have an unprecedented, unique opportunity for the engine of our state’s economy, California businesses, to play a vital part in ushering us into the future of transportation,” explained Senator Price. “But we must ensure opportunities for the businesses and communities in this state that need a voice the most. I look forward to leading the charge to ensure that the right decisions are made, the strength of emerging businesses is focused on and we assure maximum participation of our communities and constituents,” he said.
Initial construction for the California High Speed Rail is slated to begin in 2012, ushering in the most expensive single infrastructure project in U.S. history. The project will commence in the Central Valley, connecting the cities of Madera to Bakersfield, and creating what the High Speed Rail Authority calls the backbone of the project. In addition to state monies levied from Prop. 1A of 2008, the project has recently received an influx of Federal monies and stimulus dollars, boosting the coffers for this critical effort.
“Given the down turn in this economy, hard hit businesses, and the high unemployment rate throughout our state, this project is exactly the type of stimulus that California needs,” said Senator Price. “Businesses are ready to bring this project to fruition and create thousands of jobs that our residents are eager to perform.”
SB 733 requires the High Speed Rail Authority to specifically outline efforts to contract with and reach out to California’s business community about the opportunities for participation in its business plan. Currently, the High Speed Rail Authority is set to submit a formal business plan to the Legislature by January 1, 2012 which may not specifically address a strategy related to small business contracting and participation. This measure makes it clear that California businesses must play a key role in the project and all contracts awarded by the High Speed Rail Authority.
SB 734 will encourage participation of small businesses by establishing a small business participation goal, requiring outreach and information to small businesses about contracting opportunities and reporting to the Legislature on these efforts. SB 734 will continue to take shape throughout the legislative process to ensure that the High Speed Rail is a model for best practices in contracting with micro and small businesses in the state, especially underserved and disadvantaged business enterprises that stand ready to participate in this critical project.
SB 735 establishes a local hire preference to ensure that local employees and job seekers can take part in a segment of the project in their area. By employing a local workforce, SB 735 will play a part in the vital need to put Californians back to work and create jobs in many areas throughout the state. The bill also specifies an additional 2.5 percent preference for contracts with California microbusinesses, which will better enable these smaller businesses to compete.
Senator Price has a long history of providing assistance to California’s business community through robust legislation, explorations into procurement opportunities and helping gain access to important resources like loans and capital. This important package of bills is an extension of his commitment to better our state by empowering the businesses that strengthen our economy.
Senator Price will also highlight the issue of participation in the High Speed Rail project at an upcoming Town Hall meeting in his district. Representatives from the High Speed Rail Authority and business community will convene on March 18 at 1:00 pm at the California Science Center to explore disparities that may exist in the High Speed Rail Authority’s contracting practices, opportunities to further bolster the role that businesses plays in the project and the types of possibilities for the thousands of enterprises throughout our state.
SEN. PRICE’S SB 1341, ENCHANCES SMALL BUSINESS PROCUREMENT (08/25/10)
The legislation, sponsored by the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority “Metro,” will codify in statute Metro’s ability to enhance participation of small businesses in their procurement practices. This will be accomplished by allowing Metro to grant a 5% bidding preference to the lowest responsive and responsible bidders or “best value” proposals who subcontract with firms certified as Small Business Enterprises (SBEs) under federal definitions.
SB 1341 fulfills Senator Price’s goal of enabling public trusts like the Metro to utilize a range of tools in increasing the investment of public dollars in small businesses, the backbone of the economy and provider of 70% of all new non-public sector employment in California.
A range of firms and associations including the Los Angeles County Chapter of the American Council of Engineering Companies of California are supportive of the measure.
“I am pleased with Metro’s work on expanding their relationship with small businesses and I will continue to reach out to concerned parties as the bill moves forward,” said Senator Price.
Metro is the largest transit agency in the State. The agency is responsible for programming transportation funds, and for the planning, construction and operation of the County’s transit system. Metro issues approximately $500 million to $ 1 billion in contracts annually.
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SENATOR PRICE’S BILL TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES, DISABLED VETS (10/12/09)
Senator Price said, “Given the fragile state of our state’s economy, I am pleased Governor Schwarzenegger has recognized that now is the time for California to expand state contracting opportunities for small businesses and DVBEs. These small firms create the majority of new jobs in California, and our state needs to do all it can to promote job growth with unemployment at an all-time high since World War II.”
AB 31 encourages small businesses and DVBEs that often find themselves shut out from the state’s complex contract bidding processes and procedures to vie for lucrative state business contracts. “AB 31 will be a valuable tool for increasing Small Business and DVBE participation in state contracting with lower administrative costs and greater savings to the State,” Senator Price said.
“The multi-billion dollar federal stimulus package has opened up new state contracting opportunities for small business in California. Small businesses and disabled veterans deserve to have a shot at winning contracts made possible by these federal stimulus funds. Small businesses must also have an enhanced opportunity to bid for contracts funded from our state’s 2006 infrastructure bonds. We need small business owners participating in major public works projects funded from Proposition 1B,” Senator Price said.
Senator Price said small business could help position California for its economic turnaround. “I intend to push the state to provide small businesses and DVBEs more opportunities to do win state business, expand operations and create new jobs. Small businesses can jump-start economic growth and new job development throughout California in 2010 when we provide them with the right incentives,” Senator Price said.
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Senator Price Honors 51 Distinguished Women (08/26/09)
Senator Price said, “Every year, we need to do more to honor those women who make a huge difference in bettering the quality of life for our entire community through their service to others. These are women who work tirelessly. Women who work endlessly to care for seniors, mentor young people, educate children, nurse those who are ill back to good health, run successful business, enforce our laws, and lift our spirits through their effort and dedication. It is my honor to pay tribute to them for their contributions to our lives.”
Senator Price received nominations for his ‘SHeroes’ selections from local elected officials, chambers of commerce, neighborhood councils, homeowners associations and community residents. Each ‘SHero’ honoree was presented with a special certificate from the California State Senate and one red rose from Senator Price. A short biography on each ‘SHero’ was read during the award presentations.
In May 2009, Senator Price was elected to serve the 26th Senate District. The ‘Tribute to SHeroes’ event was created when he represented the state Assembly’s 51st District.
The event honored women for their special contributions to civic and community life. It was held at the Radisson Los Angeles Westside in Culver City on Sunday, August 23, 2009. More than 300 people attended the ceremony, including local elected officials and representatives from the business community. Ms. Markina Brown, KTLA-TV news personality, served as the event’s Mistress of Ceremonies
Performer Norm Williams provided musical selections during the ceremony’s banquet. The Water Replenishment District of Southern California, Pfizer and the Western States Golf Association’s Women in Golf Program served as presenting sponsors for Senator Price’s 3rd Annual ‘Tribute to SHeroes’ Awards.
SENATOR PRICE GETS DOWN TO BUSINESS ON CREATING NEW JOBS (08/05/09)
Senator Price will be working closely with members of his task force on workforce development to come up with strategies, plans and economic development programs designed to promote the creation of as many as 10,000 jobs by the end of 2011.
“To promote job growth on the scale that is needed locally, we need a regional strategy that involves city, county and state governments working cooperatively with business and labor. Unemployment may continue to rise in the short term, but I believe we can reduce the impact of our state’s sustained economic downturn if we devise a plan to support our local businesses and their workers, and encourage entrepreneurs to launch new business ventures,” Senator Price said.
Senator Price has appointed the following high-level members to his 26th District Workforce Development Task Force:
Leonard Mitchell
USC Center for Economic Development
Gregory Irish
Los Angeles Workforce Investment Board
Michael Dolphin
California Employment Development Department, Workforce Services Division
Dr. Jamillah Moore, President
Los Angeles City College
David Roberts
USC Office of Government Relations
Dr. Denise Fairchild
Los Angeles Trade Tech College
Stephen McGlover
California Community Connection
Trevor Ware
Los Angeles Urban League
David Crippens, Chairman
Los Angeles Unified School District Bond Oversight Committee
About Us
Curren Price was first elected to the California State Assembly in 2006 to represent the 51st District, and was re-elected by an overwhelming margin to a second term in 2008. After serving one full term in the California State Assembly, Mr. Price was elected in May 2009 to represent the 26th District in the State Senate, which includes a portion of Los Angeles, Culver City, Beverlywood, Hollywood, Ladera Heights, Larchmont, Leimert Park, View Park, and Vermont Hills.
Senator Price has earned a reputation as a thoughtful, principled, and effective leader. He is a strong advocate for investing in our public schools, empowering parents and challenging all students to meet higher academic standards. He seeks to give all Californians, regardless of income or socioeconomic status, the chance to go to college and develop the skills needed to succeed in today’s highly competitive workplace.
As a leading champion for working families, Senator Price has fought to protect the rights of California workers. He has led efforts to support homecare workers, hotel workers, security guards and other workers that are vital to California’s economy, in order to organize for better wages and benefits.
Senator Price is a state leader who works across party lines to find common ground, who speaks his conscience, and who gets things done for his constituents. His passion to serve his community led him to work towards expanding and improving job training opportunities, particularly for our youth, and investing in our families and their futures.
As a strong and consistent advocate for small business, Senator Price has continued to prove that he is among California’s most influential voices advocating for creating new opportunities for small business enterprises. He believes in policies that spark economic growth, encourage innovation, open the doors of opportunity for all, creates jobs and stimulate our state’s economy. He authored legislation that would increase opportunities for small businesses to compete for state contracts and would offer incentives for creating new jobs.
Senator Price has worked to expand the quality and affordability of health care for all Californians and has authored legislation that would allow parents to add dependent children up to age 27 to their employer-based health plans. He also joined colleagues to pass legislation that would have led to universal health care, and authored legislation that was signed into law requiring hospitals to provide public notification prior to closing its doors or eliminating vital health services.
After receiving his Juris Doctor degree in law from Santa Clara University, Senator Price moved to Washington D.C., where he was active in the telecommunications industry. As an advocate for minority enterprises, he was a frequent speaker at conferences sponsored by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Senator Price returned to California in 1988, serving as a deputy to two members of the Los Angeles City Council. Following his tenure as a deputy, he was the Southern California Coordinator for a statewide association that provided training to assist community-based organizations in developing commercial real estate projects.
Prior to serving in the California Legislature, Senator Price was an elected member of the Inglewood City Council, representing the city’s District 1. As a council member, he was chair of the City Council Community Economic Development Committee.
Throughout his tenure as an elected official, Senator Price has been awarded numerous honors in recognition of his legislation and advocacy on behalf of students, working families, and small businesses. He has authored legislation to increase funding for K-12 education, community colleges and the CSU and UC systems. The University of California Student Association twice named Senator Price “Legislator of the Year” first in 2007 and again in 2009. Also, for the past four years, Mr. Price has served as the Reading Ambassador for the Stephanie Starks HOPE Foundation, which encourages reading and the distribution of books in schools throughout Southern California.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Senator Price attended Morningside High School in Inglewood, where he became the first African American to be elected as the school’s student body president. Senator Price received a scholarship to Stanford University where he graduated and received his Bachelor of Arts degree in political science. He later studied law at Santa Clara University, where he was elected president of the Black Students Association. He graduated in 1976 with a Juris Doctor degree in law and has life time teaching credentials in Adult Education and the California Community Colleges.
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