Press Releases

SACRAMENTO – Today, during California Nonprofit Day, Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva (D-Orange County) and the California State Assembly honored the Illumination Foundation, and CEO and President Paul Leon. Since July 2008, Illumination Foundation has worked tirelessly to break the cycle of homelessness for Southern California’s most vulnerable populations.

“Due to the efforts of the Illumination Foundation, thousands of families, and children in need, have been helped. Their record of a 78% job placement success rate shows that their dedication and devoted work for our Orange County community has been a potent force of change,” said Quirk-Silva. “It is important to honor, and officially recognize this charitable foundation and CEO Paul Leon for the positive impact they have made in our community.”

Homelessness in Southern California is staggering. More than 73,432 people are homeless in Southern California each year.  More than 32,000 children in Orange County (1 in 22) are homeless or unstably housed.  Many people don’t realize that 54% of households in OC with full-time employment live below the poverty line.

Orange County, California - Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva, (D - Orange County) releases the newly completed artist rendering for the Orange County veteran cemetery master plan for the Strawberry Field site at El Toro Marine Base. The study was started after the City of Irvine originally voted to transfer 125 acres of land to the California Department of Veteran Affairs in September. Nonetheless, arguments as to the merits of this new site, over the previous ARDA site have ensued by the Irvine City Council. Construction costs are generally the same for both sites located on the El Toro Marine Base. The difference is the removal of over $30 million for the demolition, and removal of debris and pollution that came with the previous airfield construction on the ARDA site. The site at Strawberry fields will be roughly half the cost. More information on the study of the site is still forthcoming.

“It is important that people are informed of any developments that can spur public discussion, especially when it will determine a resting place for our nation’s great heroes,” said Quirk-Silva. “The new artist rendering illustrates the progress we have made. We have a vision, and if everything goes smoothly, cemetery construction could start as early as October 2018.”

The new cemetery is expected to relieve a shortage in military gravesites in Southern California. The national cemetery in Los Angeles is at capacity and the one in Riverside requires a lengthy wait. Local chapters of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion have backed the strawberry field site.

For further information, including a printable high definition version of the map, visit the Assemblywoman’s website, here.

(Sacramento) –Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva (D – Orange County) introduced Assembly Constitutional Amendment 27 (ACA 27), which checks the power of the University of California (UC) Regents and the UC President. The legislation would require greater transparency and openness in setting salaries, and how the UC system spends money.

“California taxpayers, and university families, have had enough of a bloated, autocratic UC system that is out-of-control, and unaccountable to anyone,” said Assemblywoman Quirk-Silva. “We need to send a message demanding transparency, and accountability, in our publicly-funded university finances, especially as the regents consider yet another tuition increase.”

“Given their veil of financial secrecy and extravagant spending, I immediately call on the UC Regents to halt discussion of a tuition increase until the public has a better understanding of the UC system’s financial standing,” said Quirk-Silva.

ACA 27 would limit the length of regents’ terms from 12 years to 4, would prohibit compensation that exceeds $200,000 per year unless approved in a public hearing, would require the Office of the UC President to submit a yearly report on expenditures, and would limit the position of the UC President to be a non-voting member of the board. Quirk-Silva is joined by Assemblymember Kevin McCarty (D – Sacramento), and Assemblymember Phil Ting (D – San Francisco) in authoring this proposed change to the California Constitution.

“ACA 27 declares an end to the era of appointing deep-pocket insiders to comfortable, quasi-lifetime terms,” said Assemblywoman Quirk-Silva, noting that most regents are multi-millionaires who do not identify with the struggles of everyday Californians. “Instead, let us hold these people accountable to parents, students, and taxpayers.”

“California students and families deserve to know that state funds are being spent on UC students, and not on government bureaucracy,” said Assemblymember Kevin McCarty (D – Sacramento). “Savings found at the nearly $800 million UC Administration budget means more monies to enroll qualified California students and minimizes the need to hike tuition fees. Increasing public trust through transparency and accountability of UC is critical to the success of the institution.”

“While the UC system has made progress in implementing some financial reforms, we need to take additional steps to ensure the problems don’t resurface and that funding is concentrated on students,” said Assemblyman Phil Ting (D-San Francisco). “ACA 27 ends secret reserve funds, keeps spending in check and promotes accountability. When enacted, University of California will be an even greater public institution.”

ACA 27 also removes the UC president from the board of regents. In April 2017 a State Audit of the University of California, Office of the President, found that the Office of the President had "amassed substantial reserve funds, used misleading budgeting practices, provided its employees with generous salaries and atypical benefits, and failed to satisfactorily justify its spending on system wide initiatives." In May, The UC Regents will be meeting on whether to raise tuition, and the student services fee, for state residents by 2.7%, an increase of $342 to a total of $12,972 for the 2018-19 academic year.

ACA 27 will be heard next in the Assembly Higher Education Committee.

Sacramento –Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva (D-Fullerton) and Assemblymember Tom Daly (D – Anaheim) announced today that they will introduce legislation to allow Orange County cities, the County of Orange, local businesses and philanthropists to pool their resources through a newly-established agency to pay for construction of supportive housing units.

“Helping the homeless in Orange County will depend on a multifaceted approach. There is no singular remedy to address the crisis. Supportive Housing means having cooperative actions at every level; local and state resources need to combine with the efforts of the public and private sector,” said Assemblywoman Quirk-Silva. “Nevertheless, transparency and accountability are of paramount importance to ensure that funds are used with the trust of the public.”

Supportive housing links decent, safe, affordable, community-based housing with flexible, voluntary support services designed to help the individual or family stay housed and live a more productive life in the community.

“Supportive housing is an evidence-based approach that combines affordable housing assistance with wrap-around support services for people experiencing homelessness,” Assemblymember Daly said. “Study after study has proven that supportive housing not only addresses homelessness and increases housing stability, but it also lowers costs to taxpayers by reducing the use of publicly-funded crisis services, including shelters, hospitals, psychiatric centers, jails, and prisons.”

The two lawmakers say their bill will support an initiative, led by the Associated Cities of California – Orange County, to establish a regional public-private partnership to help homeless individuals transition off the streets into stable housing.

Quirk-Silva, Chair of Jobs Committee, Works to Appropriate Funds for Small Business Technical Assistance

(SACRAMENTO) – As Chair of the California State Assembly Jobs Committee, Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva (D-Orange County), joined by Assemblymember Sabrina Cervantes (D – Corona) and the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), testified at the California State Budget Subcommittee on State Government.  At today’s hearing, Quirk-Silva and Cervantes discussed the inclusion of a budget request of $20 million for small business technical assistance.

“Let us be absolutely sure we are providing a good deal for the real job creators in California – our small businesses,” said Quirk-Silva. “This $20 million will be provided through grants to Small Business Development Centers, and other federally-designated small business assistance centers. As the 6^th largest economy in the world, California must remain competitive as a national and global leader by supporting small businesses, job growth, and the infrastructure on which it relies.”

With this funding request, and Assembly Bill 2463 (AB 2463), Assemblymembers Quirk-Silva and Cervantes seek to help Californian businesses develop by establishing the Small Business Assistance Program. The program would provide matching funds to federally designated small business assistance centers, particularly to those committed to assisting businesses operated by veterans, women, and minorities. Research shows small businesses that receive quality business assistance are more likely to succeed, create jobs, and strengthen the economic viability of the neighborhood in which they are located.

SACRAMENTO – This week, Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva (D - Orange County) engaged the California National Guard and Governor Jerry Brown about the impact of homelessness in Orange County, and was instrumental in securing the approval of an extension of the Orange County Cold Weather Armory Emergency Shelter Program for at least 90 days past the scheduled April closure. The Fullerton and Santa Ana armories were to be used as shelters up until April 15, 2018.

“Now is not the time to turn our backs on some of the most vulnerable members of our community,” said Quirk-Silva. “While many cities are coming together to find suitable locations for alternative shelters, due to this unprecedented influx of additional homeless, it is crucial that the Armory continues to be available to shelter the homeless in Orange County, at least until we can find a more permanent solution. These shelters must remain open for at least 90 days.”

For 27 years, the Fullerton Armory has been utilized nightly during the cold winter months, from October through April.  During those months, many homeless individuals have utilized the shelter to have a warm place to sleep.  After the removal of more than 700 individuals from the Santa Ana Riverbed, many of these individuals received 30 day motel vouchers, others utilized the Fullerton National Guard Armory directly.  After the vouchers expire, these individuals will be left with nowhere to go for basic shelter and necessary resources.  Additionally, individuals who were evicted from the Santa Ana Civic Center in March are also looking for emergency housing.

“The extension obtained by Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva is a smart, humane step that helps homeless individuals and gives government officials more time to develop long-term solutions,” said Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D – Lakewood). Solving the homeless crisis will take cooperative actions at every level. I thank the Governor and National Guard for granting this extension and Assemblymember Quirk-Silva for making the request.”

Introduction of AB2521 calls for an End to Predatory Lenders Taking Advantage of Veterans Like those in the National Guard

(SACRAMENTO) – Assemblywoman Quirk-Silva (D – Orange County) introduces Assembly Bill 2521 (AB 2521) which would seek to stop predatory banking practices that plague reservists. Certain terminology in Military and Veteran Code, section 800 (MVC § 800) has been used as a weapon against reservists who are requesting a deferment of applicable loans and obligations when they prepare for deployment.

“There are bad actors taking advantage of reservists and the programs they use with their well-deserved benefits,” said Quirk-Silva. “Some lenders target reservists that seek payment deferral before being deployed. This often leads to higher loan amounts, and to our reservists and their families in a worse financial position than they had before deployment. Our men and women in uniform deserve better.”

While deployed, reservists like those in the National Guard, are subject to deferred payment deals from predatory lenders that seek to take advantage of reservists through differing interpretation of contractual language. For those serving in the National Guard, these practices are of paramount concern as thousands are frequently called for deployment to address the large amount of emergencies across the state in a given year.

“This simple, yet effective, amendment would seek to protect our heroes from predatory banking practices when reservists are activated,” said Quirk-Silva.

Reservists are not afforded legal assistance in preparing their personal financial documents and may not know if they are using the specific verbiage, in order to obtain the protections afforded.  Recently, servicemembers have experienced denial of the protections provided under MVC §800 by their financial institution under the premise that the reservists did not include the exact verbiage of “under penalty of perjury” in their letter to the financial institution.  As the servicemembers must provide official documentation of their orders to active military service to their obligor, it is redundant to require the current exacting verbiage, and to use this language as a loop-hole to deny a reservist’s protections under state law. 

This bill is sponsored by the National Guard Association of California (NGAC). “The NGAC thanks Assemblywoman Quirk-Silva for carrying this important legislation which will benefit the men and women who serve our country and our state in times of need”, said John Haramalis, President of the NGAC.

The bill will first be heard in the Assembly Committee on Veteran Affairs on April 24.

SACRAMENTO – In response to the planned United States and North Korea summit at the end of May 2018, Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva (D – Orange County) issued the following remarks in support of continued diplomatic action. This would be the first time a sitting U.S. President will have met the leader of North Korea since the Korean War. Earlier this month, U.S. Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said that "in the meantime, all sanctions and maximum pressure must remain."

“In a time of sensitive relationships between these foreign powers, the United States should remain sympathetic to the concerns of South Korean families, and their relatives,” said Quirk-Silva. “I commend any diplomatic discussions between the powers of the United States, North Korea, and South Korea.”

Orange County is home to the second largest Korean population in the United States of America. Our Korean community exemplifies the American Dream, and the proud and rich history of a people in search of opportunity, and the freedoms America presents to those who want to make a better life for their families and children. Furthermore, the many veterans in the Orange County Korean community uphold the highest ideals of the United States through their dedicated service and considerable sacrifice.

 â€œFor the upcoming summit in May, our talks should focus on freedom, peace, and well-being for the people of the United States and the Republic of Korea,” said Quirk-Silva. “I look forward to supporting the administration’s diplomatic initiatives to avoid potential conflict that will adversely impact the Korean community in Orange County, and throughout America.”

SACRAMENTO – Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva (D – Orange County), Chair of the Assembly Committee on Jobs, joined with Assemblymember Philip Ting (D – San Francisco), Chair of the Assembly Select Committee on Asia/California Trade and Investment Promotion (ACTIP) convened an informational hearing to examine trade and investment activities between California and the People's Republic of China.

“Today's hearing is the 6th in a series of informational hearings being held by the Assembly Jobs Committee to examine the state's economy; including issues surrounding California competitiveness, upward mobility, entrepreneurship, and the future of work,” said Quirk-Silva. “At a time when the current federal administration has repeatedly referred to ‘unfair trade deals’ and strained California’s economic partnership with China, we wanted to take a level-headed approach to discussions on how to foster mutually beneficial trade and investment strategies. California must maintain worker competitiveness and bolster opportunities for Californian businesses.”