Accomplishments
Click on a heading below to see just how much progress the Assemblymember has made on each of these important issues.
Wendy believes access to quality affordable healthcare is a basic human right. She is committed to reducing health disparities and increasing access to health services – with a sharp focus on communities of color. While in Sacramento, Wendy:
Co-authored a law that would establish the first-of-its-kind single payer health care system in the United States.
Supported a new law that lowers prescription drug prices by increasing access to, and reducing the cost of generic medications, by creating the Office of Drug Contracting and Manufacturing.
Co-authored a law that would increase access to mental health care by establishing a certification program for peer support specialists to assist people with mental health and substance use disorders.
Co-authored a new law banning the sale of all flavored tobacco products and flavored vape pens targeted at youth.
Authored a new law that removes dehumanizing language from California law that discriminates against people with mental health issues.
Co-authored legislation expanding access to care for children by requiring health plans to include coverage for hearing aids for minors.
In addition to her legislative work, Wendy has also:
Secured $98 million to allow undocumented young people between the ages of 9-26 to enroll in Medi-Cal. California is the first state in the country to provide coverage to this population.
Secured $10 million for Registered Nursing Pre-Licensure programs to address California’s nursing shortage and provide education and training to a diverse registered nursing population.
Secured $5 million to fight against Alzheimer’s disease.
The COVID-19 pandemic has hit black and brown communities hardest and stands as a stark example of how far our state and country still need to go to address underlying social determinants of health. As your representative in Sacramento, Wendy has:
Partnered with organizations throughout the LA region to launch EquipLA, an effort to procure PPE for frontline workers amid worldwide shortages. This effort delivered 106,000+ surgical masks, 15,000+ bottles of hand sanitizer, in addition to N-95/KN-95 masks, face shields, protective gowns, soap and protective eye gear.
Worked closely with local unions in supporting homecare, skilled nursing home workers and frontline workers in hospitals, distributing PPE in partnership with key community-based organizations throughout Los Angeles.
Partnered with Labor Community Services to host over 78 events across Los Angeles County helping over 112,000 families and over 451,000 people with food insecurities amid the pandemic.
Supported the creation of Project Room Key, which helped over 22,000 people experiencing homelessness get off the streets and into a safe place during the pandemic. This program eventually evolved into Project Homekey, which has housed over 8,264 people and created thousands of new units of permanent housing by converting underutilized hotels into housing for the unhoused.
Climate change is an existential crisis that disproportionately threatens low-income communities of color, which are least able to adapt or mitigate these impacts. That is why Assemblymember Carrillo fights every day to protect the environment, strengthen communities, and hold polluters accountable. Since being elected, Assemblymember Carrillo has:
Authored the Climate and Jobs Equity Act of 2021, which meets climate goals and ensures public funds for green vehicle purchases do not go to employers who violate labor laws.
Supported the California Circular Economy and Plastic Pollution Reduction Act which would protect our oceans and marine life by reducing single-use plastic packaging, utensils, containers and straws dumped into landfills by 75%.
Co-authored landmark legislation which requires California to obtain 100 percent of its power from renewable energy sources by 2045.
Authored a new law to reduce the use of plastic utensils and condiments, thereby eliminating unnecessary trash to our oceans and environment.
Supported a law that protects the health and safety of local communities by providing additional funding to clean-up contaminated areas following a hazardous waste disaster, like the EXIDE Battery Plant which has contaminated our community for decades.
Authored a new law to protect our communities from pollution and secure needed resources to detect defeat devices designed to skirt California clean air laws.
Authored a new law to keeps communities safe from hazardous waste by allowing local authorities the power to act early to protect workers and the community from an environmental disaster.
Supported a law that updated criminal penalties for companies that knowingly cause oil spills or fail to take actions that they knew would have prevented an oil spill into state waters.
Authored several laws to bolster outdoor experiences, emphasizing safe and enhanced parks access.
Authored a law to protect our water supply by optimizing landscape water use in California, improving landscape designs, irrigation systems, and urban water use practices.
In addition to her legislative work, Assemblywoman Carrillo has also secured millions of dollars to bolster these efforts, including:
$6.5 million for Exide lead contamination parkway testing and cleanup.
$5 million to support improvement at the Rio de Los Angeles State Park and the creation of a farmer’s market at the Historic State park.
$4.7 million to create clean and safe spaces at El Rio de Los Angeles State Park
.
$2 million for improvements to Salazar Park in East Los Angeles.
$500,000 for safer access to Los Angeles State Historic Park.
$500,000 for a comprehensive study to revitalize the Bowtie Parcel, an 18-acre State Parks open space, adjacent to the LA River in Glassell Park.
Too many people in California are unable to find quality housing that is affordable. More than half of the nation’s unsheltered population are living on California’s streets, in our parks, and under freeway overpasses. Homelessness is a statewide crisis that weighs heavily on our collective conscience and requires bold action from leaders at every level of government to help tens of thousands of people receive the housing and supportive services they need to reclaim their lives. Although there are no easy answers, Wendy has:
Co-authored a new law establishing the nation’s strongest statewide renter protections, helping working families avoid rent gouging and unfair evictions
Supported a new law to increase the supply of affordable housing by removing barriers that block the construction of accessory dwelling units, known as granny flats.
Secured $950 million to address homelessness statewide, providing critical resources directly to cities and counties throughout the state to get people off the streets and into housing.
Secured $163 million in Federal funding for LA County to address the COVID-19 impacts on homelessness, public health, and public safety.
Secured $15 million for Homeboy Industries to create a workforce job training pilot that integrates services, such as mental health, case management, education, legal, substance abuse, and housing for marginalized people in our community.
For too long, Black and Latino communities have lived in fear of law enforcement. Over policing, implicit biases, and a pervasive culture that protects bad actors from being held accountable have left our communities feeling stuck in a poverty-to-prison pipeline that feeds directly into the U.S. prison industrial complex.
Wendy has made criminal justice reform a top priority. While in office, she has:
Supported legislation requiring the Attorney General to investigate fatal police shootings of unarmed civilians.
Co-authored a landmark law updating the standards for use of deadly force by peace officers.
Supported a law making it a crime to make discriminatory 911 calls.
Authored legislation providing career opportunities to formerly incarcerated individuals who have assisted in fighting California’s wildfires.
Secured $15 million for Homeboy Industries to create a workforce job training pilot that integrates services such as mental health, case management, education, legal, substance abuse, and housing for marginalized people in our community.
Building on her legislative work, Wendy also:
Secured $24 million for “Ready for Life” programs which give justice-involved citizens the preparation, tools and resources they need to be successful when reentering communities.
Secured $7.5 million to create the Forced Sterilization Compensation Program to provide a semblance of justice to victims of these outdated and deplorable programs.
Wendy believes public education is the bedrock of increasing opportunity and upward mobility for families and individuals throughout the state. A strong public education system is essential to every component of society and the well-being of our state. That is why Wendy has:
Co-authored a law to provide two free years of community college to all Californians.
Co-authored a law requiring high school students take one semester of ethnic studies in order to graduate.
Authored a new law to expand opportunities and accessibility to college by simplifying the online application for community college.
Authored a new law to ensure all investigations of accused misconduct regarding college campus personnel are completed quickly and fairly.
Wendy has also:
Secured $70.5 billion to ensure the needs of school districts, staff and K-12 students to transition to distance learning and mitigate learning loss.
Secured $50 million in annual funding to keep the After School Education Safety program operating, benefiting 4,200 centers and 400,000 children throughout California.
Secured $3 million for the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs Latino Policy & Politics Initiative to help identify and address existing inequities that disproportionately impact California’s Latino population – especially during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
California is the world’s fifth largest economy, yet too often it is the wealthy who benefit while working women and men struggle to afford the basic necessitates of life. Government needs to be a voice for all people, not just the 1%. Wendy has worked in Sacramento to correct these imbalances by championing policies that protect working families and get more resources to those who need them most. As your Assemblymember, Wendy has:
Co-authored a new law to protect workers against misclassification and ensure they receive overtime pay, healthcare benefits, workers’ compensation, and other protections.
Supported a law to increase access to the California’s Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC) and the refundable Young Child Tax Credit (YCTC)
Co-authored a new law that increases comfort for working mothers by establishing a new building and employer requirements to provide access to adequate lactation space.
Supported a new law to provide greater worker protections and ensure more Californians can return to their jobs after taking paid family leave.
Authored a new law providing guidance to employers to better protect workers and public safety during COVID-19.
Authored new laws enhancing worker protections, prohibiting discrimination in apprenticeship programs, and promoting veteran-owned small businesses.
In addition to these critical new laws, Wendy also:
Secured an expansion of the California Earned Income Tax Credit, creating the cashback credit program for low-wage earners into a $1 billion program.
Secured $20 million for the Miguel Contreras Labor Center to create workforce training opportunities, pathways to good quality jobs, and provide resources to underserved individuals who have disproportionally been affected by COVID-19.
Secured $12 million for the Dolores Huerta Foundation and the Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center to increase civic participation among low-income disenfranchised youth and their families.
Secured $10 million for legal services for federal Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients and unaccompanied immigrant minors.