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SACRAMENTO – Ricardo Lara took office as California insurance commissioner at a ceremony in Sacramento on Monday, pledging to help Californians recover from wildfires while defeating the threat of climate change.
Commissioner Lara is the eighth Insurance commissioner of California since voters created the position in 1988.
Commissioner Lara is the first openly LGBTQ+ person to be elected to statewide office in California. U.S. Judge Vaughn R. Walker administered the oath of office. Judge Walker wrote the decision in Perry v. Schwarzenegger in 2010, overturning Proposition 8 and allowing marriage equality in California.
"California's Department of Insurance is the largest state consumer protection agency in America," said Commissioner Lara. "We are the Department of Fair Deals, the Department of Fresh Starts, the Department of Rebuilding Your Home, the Department of Protecting your Investment, and the Department of the Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow. In short, we are the Department of Hope, and we have never been more important."
He pledged to protect the victims of wildfires and other disasters, defend all Californians from the threat of climate change and insurance scams, and promote innovation and technology.
"Our seniors, people living in poverty, and immigrant communities are targets of con artists and scams. Our entrepreneurs face economic uncertainty. Millions of us live one emergency room visit away from financial ruin. We cannot deny that with climate change, California faces a threat like never before," said Commissioner Lara."
Commissioner Lara announced the creation of a deputy commissioner of climate and sustainability, a first for the department, to work with environmental and industry leaders on innovative solutions to the risk of climate change.
"To the insurance industry – I ask you to join me in this fight against extreme disasters linked to climate change. We need bold action to ensure our communities adapt and are resilient to this new reality," said Commissioner Lara. "There is no other industry that has the necessary expertise to ensure that California is prepared to mitigate and reduce risk to our communities and environment. Our planet can't wait. I am ready, and I hope you are too."
Commissioner Lara took the oath of office on a facsimile of California's first Constitution from 1849 in its original Spanish translation. For California's first 30 years as a state, all laws were translated into Spanish, starting with the Constitution. As the son of two immigrant parents from Mexico, Commissioner Lara grew up in a bilingual house and has been a champion for multilingual learning.
Commissioner Lara was first elected to the California State Legislature in 2010 and represented the 33rd Senate District from 2012 to 2018.
As Senator, he won healthcare for more than 250,000 California children and introduced universal health care legislation.
Commissioner Lara said he would work with the new administration of Governor Gavin Newsom to expand access to health care.
"To Gov. Newsom – I am excited to be your partner in expanding affordable healthcare for every Californian," said Commissioner Lara. "There is nothing we cannot achieve with our new common agenda. We stand ready for your California4All vision."
Commissioner Lara is the eighth Insurance commissioner of California since voters created the position in 1988.
Commissioner Lara is the first openly LGBTQ+ person to be elected to statewide office in California. U.S. Judge Vaughn R. Walker administered the oath of office. Judge Walker wrote the decision in Perry v. Schwarzenegger in 2010, overturning Proposition 8 and allowing marriage equality in California.
"California's Department of Insurance is the largest state consumer protection agency in America," said Commissioner Lara. "We are the Department of Fair Deals, the Department of Fresh Starts, the Department of Rebuilding Your Home, the Department of Protecting your Investment, and the Department of the Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow. In short, we are the Department of Hope, and we have never been more important."
He pledged to protect the victims of wildfires and other disasters, defend all Californians from the threat of climate change and insurance scams, and promote innovation and technology.
"Our seniors, people living in poverty, and immigrant communities are targets of con artists and scams. Our entrepreneurs face economic uncertainty. Millions of us live one emergency room visit away from financial ruin. We cannot deny that with climate change, California faces a threat like never before," said Commissioner Lara."
Commissioner Lara announced the creation of a deputy commissioner of climate and sustainability, a first for the department, to work with environmental and industry leaders on innovative solutions to the risk of climate change.
"To the insurance industry – I ask you to join me in this fight against extreme disasters linked to climate change. We need bold action to ensure our communities adapt and are resilient to this new reality," said Commissioner Lara. "There is no other industry that has the necessary expertise to ensure that California is prepared to mitigate and reduce risk to our communities and environment. Our planet can't wait. I am ready, and I hope you are too."
Commissioner Lara took the oath of office on a facsimile of California's first Constitution from 1849 in its original Spanish translation. For California's first 30 years as a state, all laws were translated into Spanish, starting with the Constitution. As the son of two immigrant parents from Mexico, Commissioner Lara grew up in a bilingual house and has been a champion for multilingual learning.
Commissioner Lara was first elected to the California State Legislature in 2010 and represented the 33rd Senate District from 2012 to 2018.
As Senator, he won healthcare for more than 250,000 California children and introduced universal health care legislation.
Commissioner Lara said he would work with the new administration of Governor Gavin Newsom to expand access to health care.
"To Gov. Newsom – I am excited to be your partner in expanding affordable healthcare for every Californian," said Commissioner Lara. "There is nothing we cannot achieve with our new common agenda. We stand ready for your California4All vision."
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
California Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Charlton H. Bonham has delayed the opening of the commercial Dungeness crab fishery from Patrick’s Point, Humboldt County north to the California/Oregon state line after state health agencies recommended to delay the fishery in the area due to elevated levels of domoic acid.
The commercial Dungeness crab fishery in the area south of Patrick’s Point, Humboldt County to the Sonoma/Mendocino county line will open at 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 15, to be preceded by a 64-hour gear setting period that would begin no earlier than 8:01 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 12.
This delay shall remain in effect until the director of the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, or OEHHA, in consultation with the State Public Health Officer at California Department of Public Health, or CDPH, determines that domoic acid no longer poses a significant risk to public health and recommends opening the fishery in this region.
CDFW will continue to coordinate with CDPH and OEHHA to test domoic acid levels in Dungeness crab to determine when the commercial fishery in this area can safely be opened.
No vessel may take, possess or land crab within a delayed area during the closure period. In addition, any vessel that takes, possesses on board or lands Dungeness crab from ocean waters outside of this delayed area is prohibited from taking, possessing onboard or landing Dungeness crab for 30 days in this area once it opens to commercial fishing pursuant to Section 8279.1 of the Fish and Game Code.
Once a positive determination is made to open the fishery, CDFW may provide the fleet a minimum of 72-hour advance notice announcing when trap gear can be set.
For more information, please see CDFW’s Frequently Asked Questions regarding the 2018-19 Dungeness crab commercial season.
This area north of Patrick’s Point remains closed for recreational take of Dungeness crab, also due to domoic acid.
Domoic acid is a potent neurotoxin produced by a naturally occurring marine alga, whose levels can be increased under certain ocean conditions, and can accumulate in shellfish, other invertebrates and sometimes fish. It causes illness and sometimes death in a variety of birds and marine mammals that consume affected organisms. At low levels, domoic acid exposure can cause nausea, diarrhea and dizziness in humans. At higher levels, it can cause persistent short-term memory loss, seizures and death.
For more information visit www.wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Ocean/Health-Advisories or www.wildlife.ca.gov/crab.
The commercial Dungeness crab fishery in the area south of Patrick’s Point, Humboldt County to the Sonoma/Mendocino county line will open at 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 15, to be preceded by a 64-hour gear setting period that would begin no earlier than 8:01 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 12.
This delay shall remain in effect until the director of the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, or OEHHA, in consultation with the State Public Health Officer at California Department of Public Health, or CDPH, determines that domoic acid no longer poses a significant risk to public health and recommends opening the fishery in this region.
CDFW will continue to coordinate with CDPH and OEHHA to test domoic acid levels in Dungeness crab to determine when the commercial fishery in this area can safely be opened.
No vessel may take, possess or land crab within a delayed area during the closure period. In addition, any vessel that takes, possesses on board or lands Dungeness crab from ocean waters outside of this delayed area is prohibited from taking, possessing onboard or landing Dungeness crab for 30 days in this area once it opens to commercial fishing pursuant to Section 8279.1 of the Fish and Game Code.
Once a positive determination is made to open the fishery, CDFW may provide the fleet a minimum of 72-hour advance notice announcing when trap gear can be set.
For more information, please see CDFW’s Frequently Asked Questions regarding the 2018-19 Dungeness crab commercial season.
This area north of Patrick’s Point remains closed for recreational take of Dungeness crab, also due to domoic acid.
Domoic acid is a potent neurotoxin produced by a naturally occurring marine alga, whose levels can be increased under certain ocean conditions, and can accumulate in shellfish, other invertebrates and sometimes fish. It causes illness and sometimes death in a variety of birds and marine mammals that consume affected organisms. At low levels, domoic acid exposure can cause nausea, diarrhea and dizziness in humans. At higher levels, it can cause persistent short-term memory loss, seizures and death.
For more information visit www.wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Ocean/Health-Advisories or www.wildlife.ca.gov/crab.
- Details
- Written by: California Department of Fish and Wildlife
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