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LA County Supervisors Implement Ban on County Firearms Purchases from Vendors in Violation of Gun Safety Laws 150 150 Hayley Munguia

LA County Supervisors Implement Ban on County Firearms Purchases from Vendors in Violation of Gun Safety Laws

Los Angeles, CA – Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion by Supervisor Janice Hahn and coauthored by Supervisor Hilda Solis that implements new processes that restrict the purchase of firearms by any Los Angeles County department to vendors who are in compliance with gun laws and regulations. In July, Hahn and Solis directed the County’s Internal Services Department to outline and propose a purchasing process; today’s motion adopts that process. A recent report from Brady revealed that government agencies across California spend millions of taxpayer dollars on guns and ammunition procured from vendors that are in violation of firearms laws and regulations. In June, reporting by KCAL’s Ross Palombo on a similar motion passed by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors prompted Hahn to bring the motion forward for LA County.

“When gun dealers violate our laws and regulations, they’re choosing profit over the lives and safety of our communities. Not one cent of LA County taxpayer money should go into their pockets,” said Supervisor Hahn.

Firearm vendors will now have to certify under penalty of perjury that they are in compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local firearms laws and regulations and that they have not been cited for repeated or serious violations. Among the most concerning violations of firearms regulations is selling firearms to individuals who are prohibited from purchasing them. Research shows a correlation between a vendor’s violation of firearms laws and the likelihood that a gun purchased from that vendor is recovered in a crime.

“Gun violence continues to harm our communities, and as the County, we must ensure we do our part in keeping our residents safe. This includes ensuring that those seeking to sell firearms to the County of Los Angeles are in compliance with federal and state laws. These commonsense regulations will set the standard for firearm vendors across the County and minimize the number of weapons sold to those who should not have access to firearms,” said Supervisor Solis.

Last year, Solis and Hahn also led the Board in prohibiting all County departments from auctioning or selling excess firearms or ammunition altogether. The move came after it was discovered that the County’s Probation Department planned to auction hundreds of guns to firearm dealers. Firearms no longer needed by LA County departments are now destroyed.

Supervisors Vote to Appoint Compliance Officer to Oversee Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall Compliance 150 150 Hayley Munguia

Supervisors Vote to Appoint Compliance Officer to Oversee Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall Compliance

Los Angeles, CA – Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a motion by Supervisor Janice Hahn and co-authored by Board Chair Lindsey P. Horvath to appoint a compliance officer to oversee and monitor the LA County Probation Department’s efforts to comply with state regulations that have threatened to close the county’s juvenile hall.

“We need to do everything we can to ensure that our Probation Department comes into compliance with state standards at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall,” said Supervisor Hahn. “We are on the clock now and it is necessary to have a dedicated compliance officer from outside the department who can oversee their work and has the ability to convene multiple departments who can help.”

Over the past two years, the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) has issued multiple notices of noncompliance to the LA County Probation Department regarding their juvenile halls. Most recently, on August 12, 2024, BSCC issued a notice that Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall was out of compliance with state regulations. Probation had until October 11, 2024, to submit a corrective action plan that would then be reviewed and either approved or denied by the BSCC.

While the BSCC has historically provided technical assistance to Probation to help the Department develop a CAP that would be approved, Probation failed to request and receive this assistance during the months leading up to the due date. Probation submitted their CAP to the BSCC on October 11, 2024, and that same day, received notice from the BSCC that the CAP was denied. Subsequently, on October 14, 2024, the BSCC sent a formal notice of unsuitability regarding Los Padrinos, giving Probation until December 12, 2024 to either come into compliance or vacate the facility.

“Appointing a compliance officer to support the Probation Department will align all County departments in the important work of getting and keeping facilities in compliance with state standards,” said Chair Lindsey P. Horvath. “With the many issues the department faces, this additional support will help ensure plans result in action at all levels of the County. Accountability is critical, especially when the wellbeing of our young people is at stake. This is a critical step necessary for lasting change.”

Today, the Board unanimously approved a motion by Hahn and Horvath to direct the County’s CEO to identify and appoint an internal compliance officer to oversee the Probation Department’s compliance with BSCC regulations and the California DOJ settlement agreement at Los Padrinos. The compliance officer will be appointed within 30 days and will have the authority to coordinate the administration of involved departments. The Board also directed the Chief Probation Officer to submit all current and future corrective action plan drafts and any related documents to the compliance officer no later than 20 days before their due date to allow them to provide meaningful input.

Supervisors Proclaim October 2024 Italian American Heritage Month 150 150 Hayley Munguia

Supervisors Proclaim October 2024 Italian American Heritage Month

Los Angeles, CA – Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion by Supervisor Janice Hahn to proclaim October 2024 as Italian American Heritage Month in Los Angeles County. Supervisor Hahn lives in and represents the community of San Pedro, which is home to approximately 45,000 Italian Americans—the largest Italian American community in Southern California.

“Whether it’s our St. Joseph’s Day celebrations, the Taste of Italy festival hosted every year by the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles, or the Festa Italiana we held in San Pedro earlier this month, the pride that LA County has in its Italian American community is clear,” said Hahn. “But the contributions that Italian Americans have made to LA County also run much deeper. The strength of our economy and commitment to labor rights are directly tied to our history of Italian immigration. By declaring Italian American Heritage Month, we are celebrating everything the Italian American community has contributed to the cultural fabric of LA County.”

The fishing industry in San Pedro was developed in large part thanks to Italian immigrants coming from Ischia and Sicily, and Supervisor Hahn led an effort when she served on the Los Angeles City Council to officially designate Ischia as a Sister City. Italian American artists, entrepreneurs, civic leaders, and workers have also made lasting contributions to Los Angeles County’s architecture, cuisine, entertainment, and labor rights movement.

Hahn Opposes Plan for LA County to Purchase Downtown Skyscraper and Abandon Civic Center 150 150 Hayley Munguia

Hahn Opposes Plan for LA County to Purchase Downtown Skyscraper and Abandon Civic Center

Los Angeles, CA — Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn has come out against a plan for the County to purchase the 54-story Gast Company Tower office building located at 555 W 5th street in Downtown Los Angeles and move County employee offices out of the Hall of Administration in the Civic Center. Yesterday, she voted against approving the County’s Notice of Intention to Purchase the property for a purchase price not to exceed $200,000,000.

Hahn argued against the County abandoning the Civic Center and lamented what would happen if the County chose to shutter buildings around Grand Park rather than retrofitting them and investing in the Civic Center’s future.

Below is a transcript of her remarks to her colleagues during yesterday’s meeting:

“This is a major purchase and if it goes forward will not only impact thousands and thousands of LA County employees but will fundamentally change how the public views LA County government and where they access help.

If this purchase happened, it would kick off a plan to move County employees and departments out of the Hall of Administration and to this skyscraper — perhaps leaving just this Board Room and a few offices behind.

I understand this is essentially a fire sale and there are some who are going to make the argument that having the County buy this skyscraper makes financial sense.

I am not so sure about that — but what I am most worried about is that it doesn’t make sense for our responsibility to our constituents and to the future of this civic center.

I think there is value in a civic center in a city — a singular place where people know to go when they need help from their government.

And decades ago, the city planners who shaped Downtown Los Angeles thought so too — with the Hall of Administration sitting across from the Superior Court, up from the Hall of Records, catty corner from the Hall of Justice, with the beautiful Los Angeles City Hall sitting at the base of the hill and the Music Center and Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on the top.

And in the decades in between, we have backed up that vision by investing in Gloria Molina Grand Park and the multi-million dollar renovation of Jerry Moss Plaza outside the Music Center.

I don’t think that LA County should abandon Grand Park and our Civic Center.

I worry what will happen to this center of Downtown between Hill and Broadway if we decide to shutter these County buildings instead of retrofitting them and investing in the future of the civic center.

I know there is a tendency to jump on real estate deals and consolidate as many people into a skyscraper as possible, but I think we have to think bigger and think about the future we want for the Civic Center, for our LA County employees, and for how LA County residents see their government.”

Hahn Congratulates McDonnell on Selection as New LAPD Chief 150 150 Hayley Munguia

Hahn Congratulates McDonnell on Selection as New LAPD Chief

Los Angeles, CA – This morning, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced that she had selected Jim McDonnell to serve as the new chief of the Los Angeles Police Department. McDonnell served in the LAPD for 28 years before serving as chief of the Long Beach Police Department and then being elected Los Angeles County Sheriff in 2014.

Supervisor Janice Hahn issued the following statement:

“I worked with Jim during his long career in the LAPD and as he led the Long Beach PD and our Sheriff’s Department. He brings the integrity, cool head, and steady hand to this job that our communities and the rank and file officers deserve. Jim also has a long history of working with Sheriff Robert Luna and I’m confident that with him at the helm of LAPD, our two largest law enforcement agencies will start a new chapter of close cooperation. When the safety of our communities is on the line, we can’t afford anything less than that. I congratulate Jim McDonnell and applaud Mayor Bass on her decision.”

Hahn Applauds FCC Announcement of Vote to Require Georouting for all 9-8-8 Calls 150 150 Hayley Munguia

Hahn Applauds FCC Announcement of Vote to Require Georouting for all 9-8-8 Calls

Los Angeles, CA — This week, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced that they will hold a vote on October 17 to adopt new rules that would require U.S. wireless carriers to implement georouting for calls made to 9-8-8, the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Georouting will ensure that calls are routed to the call center geographically closest to the caller instead of based on the caller’s area code, which could route calls to dispatchers far from the caller’s current location. The change already began last week, with Verizon and T-Mobile voluntarily implementing georouting. AT&T plans to begin over the next few months, and next month’s vote would require it of all other carriers. Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn has released the following statement applauding the announcement.

“When someone is facing a mental health crisis, every minute counts. We have the teams and tools to help, we’ve just lacked the ability to get the call to the right place because of how 9-8-8 identified a caller’s location. With georouting we will finally be able to get this call to someone in the caller’s area and dispatch the help they so desperately need,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “Verizon and T-Mobile have done the right thing already and now thanks to the FCC’s leadership, everyone will have access to this life-saving service no matter where they are or who their carrier is. This is an absolute game-changer for those who need us most.”

Background

Since the 9-8-8 national mental health crisis hotline launched in 2022, it has received more than 10 million calls, texts, and chats from individuals in their moments of need. But the federal legislation that created 9-8-8 designed the number to be routed to call centers based on the area code of the caller’s phone number, rather than the caller’s location. This has presented a problem in Los Angeles County because it is one of the few counties that has set 9-8-8 up to be able to connect to mobile crisis response teams when callers need an in-person response. If someone calls 9-8-8 from their cell phone with an out-of-county area code, they will not reach the Los Angeles County call center and cannot connect to mobile crisis response teams.

Last year, Supervisor Janice Hahn raised this issue with her former colleagues in Congress both in discussions in Los Angeles and meetings in Washington, D.C., seeking a fix. Both Congressman Tony Cardenas and Senator Alex Padilla have introduced legislation to fix the issue and require 9-8-8 calls to be georouted to the call center nearest to the caller rather than routed based on a caller’s area code. In March, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced that the FCC would pursue new rulemaking to put in place georouting without the need for Congress to pass a legislative fix. The proposed rules were published in May and Los Angeles County submitted comment in support. The vote on October 17 would publish the final rules to require georouting for all mobile carriers.

Southeast LA and Gateway Cities Leaders Champion New Metro Line in Washington 150 150 Hayley Munguia

Southeast LA and Gateway Cities Leaders Champion New Metro Line in Washington

Southeast LA leaders in Washington, DC. L to R: Maywood Councilmember Heber Marquez; Paramount Councilmember Isabel Aguayo; Lakewood Councilmember David Arellano; Downey Mayor Mario Trujillo; Supervisor Janice Hahn; Gateway Cities Council of Governments Executive Director Hector De La Torre; Artesia Mayor Pro Tem Ali Taj; South Gate Vice Mayor Maria Davila; Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins; Paramount Councilmember Vilma Cuellar Stallings.

Washington, DC—Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn is in Washington, DC leading a delegation of Southeast Los Angeles and Gateway Cities elected officials to champion the need for federal funding for the planned Southeast Gateway Metro Rail Line.

“Residents across Southeast LA and the Gateway Cities have been taking two, three buses to get to work, to school, and to doctor’s appointments,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “These communities need and deserve this high quality, reliable rail line, that will not only help people get to their jobs in other parts of the County but will be an investment in jobs and businesses along the route itself. This project has cleared every hurdle necessary and now it’s time to get it the funding it deserves from our federal partners and get it built.”

The Southeast Gateway Line is a new Metro light rail transit line that will stretch from Artesia through Cerritos, Bellflower, Paramount, Downey, South Gate, Cudahy, Bell, Huntington Park, Vernon, and unincorporated Florence-Firestone to Union Station which will provide fast, reliable transit service to communities that have long been underserved. Along the route, one-in-five residents are transit dependent and do not have their own car.

In recent weeks, the project has gotten its official certification completing the environmental process, making it officially eligible for federal funding. Now, Supervisor Janice Hahn and members of the Gateway Cities Council of Governments are in Washington meeting with the Biden Administration and members of Congress advocating for the federal funding the Southeast Gateway Line needs. The delegation includes Paramount Councilmember Vilma Cuellar Stallings who also serves as the Chair of the Gateway Cities Council of Governments, Paramount Councilmember Isabel Aguayo, Artesia Mayor Pro Tem Ali Taj, Maywood Councilmember Heber Marquez, South Gate Vice Mayor Maria Davila, Downey Mayor Mario Trujillo, and Lakewood Councilmember David Arellano.

“The dozen communities along the Southeast Gateway Line are unified in supporting accessibility to jobs, cultural, and educational opportunities through this project,” said Vilma Cuellar Stallings who serves as a council member for the City of Paramount as well as President of the Gateway Cities Council of Governments. “We are grateful to partner with Supervisor Janice Hahn in advocating with the Biden-Harris Administration and Congressional Leaders to improve our residents’ quality of life.”

The project was proposed over twenty years ago and was included in both voter-approved sales tax measures Measure R and Measure M with nearly $2 billion in local sales tax going toward its construction. Supervisor Hahn had partially blamed the project’s former name (the West Santa Ana Branch) for preventing it from getting the funding and attention it deserves. Earlier this year, Hahn held a renaming contest in which thousands of residents across LA County voted to name the project the “Southeast Gateway Line.”

Metro plans to begin the important utility relocation and pre-construction work later this Fall to prepare for major construction of the Southeast Gateway Line in the next few years.

Hahn Transfers $5 Million to Rancho Palos Verdes, Urges City to Provide Individual Assistance Immediately 150 150 Hayley Munguia

Hahn Transfers $5 Million to Rancho Palos Verdes, Urges City to Provide Individual Assistance Immediately

Rancho Palos Verdes, CA – Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn is transferring five million dollars from her office to the City of Rancho Palos Verdes in response to recent accelerated land movement and is urging the city to provide individual assistance to struggling residents immediately.

“I am urging the city to cut red tape, take the funding I am providing, and get it directly to the residents who need it as soon as possible,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “I am talking to people every day who are not only losing their homes but their entire life savings. This is a crisis, and we need to meet this moment.”

Read full letter from Hahn to the Mayor and City Council below:

September 13, 2024
Mayor and Members of City Council
City of Rancho Palos Verdes
30940 Hawthorne Boulevard
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275

Dear Mayor Cruikshank and Councilmembers,

I am writing to you about the five million dollars in funding that I am providing your city in response to the ongoing land movement that has devastated homes and communities across Rancho Palos Verdes. While I understand that the city has major costs associated with this disaster, I urge you to use this funding to immediately provide individual assistance to the impacted residents.

I talk to people every day who are at the end of their rope. We still need to fight for more state and federal resources. But in the meantime, our residents are getting more desperate every day, and they need this help now.

My office and the County stand ready to help you put together a process that expedites this assistance. We can’t allow this funding to be caught in any red tape. This is a crisis, and we need to meet this moment.

Sincerely,

JANICE HAHN
Supervisor, 4th District
County of Los Angeles

CC:

Ara Mihranian
City Manager
30940 Hawthorne Boulevard
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275

Board Approves Major Improvement Project for Carmenita Rd. and Imperial Hwy. Intersection in Santa Fe Springs and South Whittier 150 150 Hayley Munguia

Board Approves Major Improvement Project for Carmenita Rd. and Imperial Hwy. Intersection in Santa Fe Springs and South Whittier

Construction set to begin in April

Los Angeles, CA – Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a major improvement project for the intersection of Carmenita Road and Imperial Highway in the City of Santa Fe Springs and the unincorporated community of South Whittier. The project, which includes improvements to intersection safety and pedestrian access, has a total cost of $2 million and will begin construction in April 2025. Completion is expected by September 2025.

“Thousands of residents depend on this infrastructure to keep them safe and to keep streets flowing smoothly,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn, who represents the area. “These improvements are going to deliver reduced congestion, better mobility, and greater safety for everyone living near and traveling through this intersection.”

Carmenita Road includes 2 travel lanes in each direction while Imperial Highway comprises 3 travel lanes in each direction. The improvement project includes upgrades to traffic detection/CCTV and pedestrian accessibility as well as signal timing improvements, relocation of pedestrian heads to new poles, and the installation of new type street name.

“We are committed to ensuring the safety and mobility of all our residents and the Carmenita Road and Imperial Highway Intersection Improvements Project is a vital step in that direction. By enhancing safety measures and optimizing traffic flow, we are creating a safer environment for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists alike. This project will not only help reduce congestion but also create greater connectivity within our community, making daily commutes more efficient and secure for everyone,” said Santa Fe Springs Mayor Jay Sarno.

The program’s costs will be shared between the County and the City of Santa Fe Springs. The County’s jurisdictional shares of the project cost are estimated to be $1,520,000, with the city responsible for the remaining $480,000.

Supervisors Unanimously Support EPA Proposal to Add Exide Site to Federal Superfund Site 150 150 Hayley Munguia

Supervisors Unanimously Support EPA Proposal to Add Exide Site to Federal Superfund Site

Hahn and Solis visited homes near the former Exide battery recycling plant undergoing cleanup last year.

Los Angeles, CA – Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion by Supervisors Hilda L. Solis and Janice Hahn to express its support for a proposal by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to add the former Exide battery recycling plant and surrounding communities into the National Priorities List as a Superfund site in Spring of 2025. The former battery recycling plant contaminated soil in homes across Southeast Los Angeles, East Los Angeles, and Boyle Heights over a period of decades. Many continue to deal with lead contamination and inadequate cleanup.

Hahn, who represents the communities of Southeast Los Angeles impacted by the contamination, released the following statement:

“The families impacted by the Exide disaster have faced one indignity after another. Home should be our safest place, but instead their homes were marred by toxic contamination. And to add insult to injury, there are serious concerns about the pace, efficacy and scale of the state’s cleanup efforts.

“Securing the Superfund designation will mean that the federal government grasps what we’ve already known: that this problem is urgent and that these communities deserve better. It is not just about cleaning up contamination; it’s about restoring dignity for these communities.”

With the unanimous support of the Supervisors, the Board will send a letter to the EPA reaffirming the County’s support for this important step in finishing the cleanup with the breadth of resources available for Superfund sites. The Exide site proposal is currently in the standard 60-day public comment period required of all proposed additions to the National Priorities List. The EPA must respond to any comments received before the site can be added.

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