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Los Angeles, CA — Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to end the County’s COVID-19 emergency declarations on March 31, 2023.

“These past few years were some of the darkest years many of us have lived through,” said Chair Hahn. “We were trying to walk a thin line, balancing protecting people’s lives and protecting their livelihoods, and we didn’t do it perfectly. Thankfully, because of the sacrifices of essential workers, the dedication of the medical community, and the hard work of public health professionals, we are in very different place today. COVID is still with us, but it is no longer an emergency, and it is time to end our emergency orders.”

The proposal, authored by Chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Janice Hahn and co-authored by Supervisor Kathryn Barger, ends both the County’s Proclamation of Local Emergency and Declaration of Local Health Emergency for COVID-19 which have been in place since March 2020. They gave the county broad powers to respond to the COVID -19 crisis including the authority to implement masking rules, deploy county employees as disaster service workers, temporarily enact countywide tenant protections, stand up Project Roomkey sites in empty motels, and fast-track outdoor dining policies.

“I was serving as Chair of our Board of Supervisors when COVID-19 first surfaced in our lives three years ago and initiated the emergency proclamation, so it’s fulfilling to co-author ending it,” said Supervisor Barger. “Our emergency proclamation has served its purpose – it was necessary to ensure our healthcare institutions and workforce had the life-saving resources and flexibility needed to deter an unknown virus. We’re well past that point, and I’ve consistently advocated for our County to align its emergency pandemic policies with the state’s. Better late than never.”

Even after the emergency proclamations are terminated, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health will continue to monitor COVID-19, inform the Board and the public about COVID-19 in the County, and use its existing non-emergency authority to manage the virus.

Governor Gavin Newsom announced that the statewide COVID-19 emergency declaration would end today, February 28, while President Biden announced he intends to end the nation’s public health emergency this May.

Los Angeles, CA — Today, Chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Janice Hahn released the following statement:

“Yesterday, the Probation Oversight Commission voted 5-2 to call for Los Angeles County Probation Chief Adolfo Gonzales’s resignation. I agree with them. I have lost confidence in Chief Gonzales’s ability to run our Probation Department. His ineffective leadership is hurting both the youth in our care and our staff who deserve better. I believe the best way forward is for Chief Gonzales to step down.”

Los Angeles, CA – Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and the LA County Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) launched Phase Two of the Economic Opportunity Grant program, expanding the $54 million grant program from serving microbusinesses to include small businesses ($15,000 or $20,000 per grant) and nonprofits ($20,000 or $25,000 per grant). DEO launched Phase One on January 25, 2023, initially accepting applications only from the County’s smallest and most vulnerable ($2,500 per grant).

The $54 million are made up of both federal funds through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and state funds through the California Office of Small Business Advocate. The program will give 6,800 grants in a continuous rollout to regions and organizations adversely affected by COVID-19.

“Through no fault of their own, small businesses and nonprofits across the county were devastated by the pandemic,” said Janice Hahn, Chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. “These grants are designed to help. If you own a small business or operate a nonprofit, this might be just what you were looking for.”

Venegas Technologies, based in the City of Bell, is one of the recipients of an Economic Opportunity Grant. The business provides IT services to other small businesses. Founder Saul Venegas joined the Board of Supervisors and the Department of Economic Opportunity and its partners this morning for the press conference announcing the Phase Two launch. Venegas estimates that he lost 1/3 of his business due to the COVID-19 pandemic, much of that from restaurant closures. His $2,500 grant will help Venegas Technologies recover from that impact.

Applicants can visit grants.lacounty.gov to access live and multilingual webinars, instructional how-to-apply videos and demos, one-on-one application support, and in-person support events across the County to verify eligibility and submit successful applications.

Los Angeles, CA — Chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Janice Hahn reacted to recently released findings that show a cleanup of residential areas near the former Exide battery recycling plant by the state’s Department of Toxic Substances Control failed to reduce the amount of lead in soil to levels deemed safe. Hahn attended a community meeting held Monday evening by East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice where residents received information on the status of the cleanup and shared their own experiences.

“I first want to thank East Yard for holding yesterday’s community meeting, this press conference, and most importantly for never letting this issue drift out of our attention.

“I also want to thank the research teams at USC and Occidental College. Your commitment to the truth, along with the collaboration of the LA Times has shed light on a wrong that must be made right.

“It’s our duty as elected leaders to meet the moment where others have failed. The greed of Exide leadership and the decision to turn their backs on these communities led to what can only be described as an environmental and public health disaster. Now, a flawed cleanup process by the state’s Department of Toxic Substances Control has added salt to a deep wound.

“Home is meant to be our safest space. To the residents whose homes remain contaminated with unacceptable levels of toxic substances: I’m angry too. This cleanup has failed to meet the standards that keep your families safe.

“I attended last night’s community meeting here along with several members of my staff. We witnessed firsthand that frustration that so many residents expressed. We hear it, we share it, and we’re committed to taking action. At our next meeting on February 28, the Board of Supervisors will vote on a motion I introduced along with my colleague Supervisor Solis to call on DTSC to meet their responsibilities and provide a full and effective cleanup.

“We can’t undo the actions of others that led us here, but I’m committed to doing everything in my power to get this cleanup back on track.”

During a Tuesday morning press conference held by East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice, Hahn’s office delivered the following remarks in Spanish to affected residents:

“To the residents who have been impacted by this disaster, I share your anger and indignation. You’re now experiencing an injustice born out of greed, thanks to a company that got rich and then turned their backs. Today you experience another injustice, thanks to an inadequate cleanup process that continues to expose the health of your families to an unacceptable risk.

“Yesterday I attended the community meeting and I witnessed the feelings expressed by these communities. I want to make it clear that we hear you, and that I am committed to doing everything possible within my power to take the necessary steps. When it comes to the health and wellbeing of your families, the challenges ahead will not impede our efforts to produce the solutions that you’ve waited for for so long.”

Los Angeles, CA – On Tuesday, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to send a five-signature letter to Federal Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Robert M. Califf to express support for the newly proposed FDA guidelines that ease the federal agency’s discriminatory blood donor policy. Current blood donation policies take sexual orientation into account when determining eligibility for blood donation. The new guidelines would eliminate the current restrictions based on sexual orientation and replace them with a risk-based questionnaire for all blood donors.

“For decades, gay and bisexual men who were already being marginalized in so many other areas of life have also been excluded from donating blood. That policy is outdated and irresponsible,” said Chair Janice Hahn, who authored the motion. “Limiting who is allowed to safely donate blood makes the work of saving lives harder. Today, all donated blood is rigorously tested to detect blood-borne diseases, including STIs. To continue denying people the ability to donate blood based on their sexual orientation is not only discriminatory, it’s unscientific.”

The motion underscores that “these new guidelines do not remove all existing restrictions on LGBTQ blood donors, but they represent a step in the right direction and should be supported by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.”

“I am happy to see that the Food and Drug Administration is addressing policies that have discriminated against gay and bisexual men from donating blood – an important and much-needed public service,” said the motion’s coauthor Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath. “I hope that this is simply the beginning and that the guidelines continue to expand equitable access to life-saving blood donation, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation.”

Current blood donor policy requires gay or bisexual men to abstain from sex for a minimum of three months before they can donate blood. The roots of the policy date back to the HIV/AIDS crisis of the 1980s, in an era when HIV was poorly understood by scientists and doctors. For years, the American Medical Association has been calling on the FDA to remove this discriminatory ban and treat all potential blood donors equally.

Pico Rivera, CA—Yesterday, Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn was in Pico Rivera to cut the ribbon at the grand opening of the new Boys and Girls Club of Pico Rivera Clubhouse. The new youth center was made possible by a $300,000 grant from Supervisor Hahn which covered necessary renovations to the building. The new clubhouse was created in what was an unused 3,200 square foot building adjacent to Ruben Salazar Continuation School.

“This new Boys and Girls Club youth center is going to be a safe space young people can come after school and during summer vacation,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “They will be able to hang out with their friends, get homework help, or meet with a mentor. This is the kind of support that can make all the difference in a young person’s future.”

The Boys & Girls Club of Whittier and Pico Rivera provides after-school and summer programs for young people that emphasize academic success, the development of good character, and the formation of healthy lifestyles. The new clubhouse is meant to be a place where any young person can find safety and encouragement.

Hahn was joined by Pico Rivera Mayor Pro Tem Andrew Lara, and Councilmembers Gustavo Camacho and Johnny Garcia.

Huntington Park, CA — Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn has released a statement reacting to a video showing the moments before Huntington Park police officers shot and killed Anthony Lowe. Lowe had previously had both of his legs amputated and was armed with just a knife when he was shot in the back.

“I fully support the Sheriff department’s investigation into the officers who shot and killed Anthony Lowe and I urge the Sheriff to ensure the investigation is thorough and that the results are made public as quickly as possible. I hope that their investigation shows that these officers could have and should have used different tactics in subduing this double amputee besides resorting to shooting this double amputee in the back and killing him. The public is crying out for law enforcement to use other strategies to deescalate situations.”