Voting Information, You Could Need
The November 5 general election is rapidly approaching. The SLO County League of Women Voters provided links to make sure everyone has a plan in place. Vote by mail ballots should have arrived by now and the state voter guide will appear in your mailbox soon.
• Not sure if you are registered at your current address? Check your status and register online to update your information registertovote.ca.gov.
• Find information on candidates and measures at VOTE411, sos.ca.gov and slovote.com
• Read the state league ballot measure Pros & Cons at cavotes.org/ballot-measures
Remember – to be counted a vote by mail ballot must be either:
1. Received at any polling place in California or at the local Elections Office before the polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day.
2. Make sure it is deposited in an official drop box by the hours posted on the drop box.
3. If mailed, be sure it is postmarked by November 5 and received by the County Elections Office within seven days of the election.
CHP gets $1.5 Million for Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) was awarded $1.55 million in federal grant funding through the Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety, Education, Enforcement, and Awareness Program.
“Everyone deserves a safe environment to travel,” CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee said in a news release. “The safety of people walking and biking on our roads is a high priority. Education is the key to building a culture of safety that protects our most vulnerable road users.”
Pedestrians and bicyclists account for 21 percent of all traffic-related fatalities in California, says the CHP. Of the 7,575 people killed between 2021 and 2023 in crashes throughout CHP jurisdiction, 1,568 were pedestrians and bicyclists.
The grant will fund bicycle safety training and educational presentations to promote safe and courteous traffic safety behaviors by drivers and bicyclists, as well as safety publications, bicycle helmets, reflective gear, and other vital safety equipment. Additionally, specialized enforcement operations will focus on areas with higher bicyclist and pedestrian traffic and crashes, and officers will also conduct public awareness campaigns in communities throughout the state.
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
2024 Medicare Annual Open Enrollment Part D
Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) is offering free Medicare Part D drug plan searches during from October 15 through December 7.
“HICAP recommends Medicare beneficiaries review their Medicare Part D plans annually,” says Brian Weaver, executive director of Central Coast Commission for Senior Citizens. “Each year the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plans change the monthly premiums, deductibles, formularies, gap coverage and pharmacy networks. It is important that beneficiaries review their current plan to see how it will meet their needs in 2024.”
To secure the free Prescription Drug Plan search services contact HICAP to receive a worksheet or visit www.CentralCoastSeniors.org/HICAP to complete an electronic version. HICAP uses www.medicare.gov to complete the search based on individual prescription drug utilization. A custom search result is prepared that presents the three least expensive drug plans.
HICAP offers free, unbiased Medicare information and counseling. HICAP does not sell, recommend, or endorse any specific insurance products. HICAP services are provided through the local Area Agency on Aging.
For information on Medicare Part D drug searches, contact HICAP at 1-805-928-5663 or 1-800-434 0222, hicap@centralcoastseniors.org or www.CentralCoastSeniors.org.
Addis Bill, Signed by Newsom
Legislation by Assemblymember Dawn Addis (D-Morro Bay) that prioritizes community choice on safety and environmental issues was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom.
Assembly Bill 3233 empowers local governments and residents to have a stronger voice on proposed oil and gas operations, ensuring that decisions impacting the environment and public health reflect the priorities of their communities.
“AB 3233 addresses the imbalance of power between local communities and major oil corporations,” Addis’ office said in a news release, “which have historically driven land use decisions at the expense of the residents’ health, safety, and environmental wellbeing.
“The signing of AB 3233 is vital win for communities across the Central Coast and all of California,” said Addis. “Putting this bill into law affirms our right to clean air and water, free of oil and gas pollution. I’m thankful to Governor Gavin Newsom for signing this important bill into law, to my colleagues for helping me get it to his desk, and to the many community-members and leaders who have been fighting this battle with me. Today is a huge win for the well-being of all Californians.”
The bill received praise from environmental advocates, local governments, medical professionals and labor organizations. It is sponsored by the Center for Biological Diversity.
“With this law cities and counties can act with confidence in their authority to protect people and wildlife from toxic oil drilling,” said Christina Scaringe, California strategist at the Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund. “Assemblymember Addis and Gov. Newsom have met Big Oil’s threats and confusion with clarity and resolve. Cities like Los Angeles have long had the authority to limit oil and gas drilling, and the courts now have a clear mandate to let them do it.”
AB 3233 takes effect on January 1, 2025.
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