Assemblymember Chau announces Legislative priorities signed into law
On October 8 Assemblymember Ed Chau (D-Monterey Park) had some of his legislative priorities signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom. These new laws are geared towards safeguarding consumer privacy by prohibiting the purchase and sale of stolen data, strengthening the cybersecurity posture of school districts, combating wildfires, fighting climate change through collaborative partnerships with other nations, and recruiting other healthcare professionals to assist in the ongoing fight to stop the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cybersecurity and Consumer Protections:
Assembly Bill (AB) 1391, prohibits the sale, purchase, and use of hacked data. (Chaptered by Secretary of State – Chapter 594, Statutes of 2021.)
“Some companies have seized the opportunity to turn a profit by selling data originally obtained by hackers, which is a practice not currently restricted under state law in most circumstances,” said Assemblymember Chau. “This new law is an essential first step for California to tackle the proliferation of the hacked data marketplace by sanctioning the sale of hacked data, and prohibiting the purchase and use of data that the purchaser or user should at least reasonably know is compromised.”
AB 1352, authorizes the state Military Department to conduct independent security assessments for local educational agencies, at the request of an agency and in consultation with the California Cybersecurity Integration Center. (Chaptered by Secretary of State – Chapter 593, Statutes of 2021.)
“As local schools districts have become increasingly reliant on their computer systems, these systems have also increasingly come under attack. Fortunately, our state government already has a department with a large breadth of experience in protecting computer systems from cyberattacks,” said Assemblymember Chau. “This new law will help protect our state’s schools from malicious cybercriminals by allowing local educational agencies to utilize the expertise of the Military Department to strengthen their cybersecurity posture.”
Climate Change and Wildfires:
AB 697, creates a program for California to plan, manage and implement forest restoration and community fire protection projects on U.S. Forest Service lands through an expanded and formalized use of the Good Neighbor Authority (GNA). (Chaptered by Secretary of State – Chapter 232, Statutes of 2021.)
“Many major wildfires start on federal forestlands then spread to and damage communities throughout our state,” said Assemblymember Chau. “It is therefore important for the state and federal government to work collaboratively, through a formal program, to address forest health and wildfire risks with the goal of mitigating the growing problem that wildfires present in California.”
AB 39, codifies into law the California-China Climate Institute, which is a partnership between the Regents of the University of California, the Institute of Climate Change and Sustainable Development at Tsinghua University, other entities and institutions in China and California. (Chaptered by Secretary of State – Chapter 227, Statutes of 2021.)
“As global temperatures continue to rise due to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions, we must have strong partnerships around the world to address our growing climate crisis,” said Assemblymember Ed Chau. “By recognizing and codifying the ongoing work of the Institute, we will continue incentivizing collaborative climate action through joint research and dialogue between two of the world’s largest economic powers, California and China.”
COVID-19 Pandemic:
AB 691, expands the authority of a qualified optometrist to administer specified COVID-19 vaccines and tests.
“We have all bared witness to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on California residents and the economy, and know that the fastest way to get our state back to normal is through testing and administering vaccines,” said Assemblymember Chau. “This new law will support our ongoing mission to save lives by helping to identify and stop the spread of COVID-19 by permanently recruiting healthcare professionals, like certified optometrist.”
Other legislation that Assemblymember Chau authored and was signed into law, include:

AB 1247, requires the statute of limitations for felony prosecution of computer hacking offenses to commence within three years of the date of discovery, rather than from the date of the offense.  (Chaptered by Secretary of State – Chapter 206, Statutes of 2021.)

AB 1546, creates a special exception to permit the City of Alhambra and the Alhambra Unified School District (AUSD) to conduct a special election, thereby enabling the AUSD to proceed with its transition from at-large to by-trustee-area elections for members of the board of education consistent with the Elections and Education Code requirements. (Chaptered by Secretary of State – Chapter 145, Statutes of 2021.)

AB 473, reorganizes the California Public Records Act and improves its clarity without making substantive legal changes, so it easier for the public to use and understand. (Chaptered by Secretary of State – Chapter 614, Statutes of 2021.)

AB 474, adjusts CPRA cross-references to conform them to the new statutory scheme established pursuant to AB 473. (Chaptered by Secretary of State – Chapter 615, Statutes of 2021.)

Assemblymember Ed Chau represents the 49th Assembly District, comprised of the communities of Alhambra, Arcadia, El Monte, Monterey Park, Rosemead, San Gabriel, San Marino, Temple City and portions of Montebello, and South El Monte.