Recent data from the Los Angeles County Public Health Department shows Black and Latino communities in South Los Angeles are dying at a higher rate from COVID-19 than other communities. This type of reporting is mirrored across the nation with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention announcing 80% of COVID-19 related hospitalizations in Georgia are black.

Here in Los Angeles preliminary data shows that 17 percent of blacks (nine percent of the overall population) and 28 percent of Latinos (over 50 percent of the overall population) have died since the outbreak. The numbers for California as a state show six percent of COVID cases are in the Black community affecting ages 18-49 with a mortality rate of 15% of all deaths caused by the virus.

LOS ANGELES, California – (April 15, 2020) – Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Huntington Park/South Los Angeles), along with 22 members of the State Assembly, have written a letter to Governor Gavin Newsom citing economic impacts suffered by undocumented residents of the state caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. The group of legislators is asking the Governor to establish a relief fund that would provide immediate economic assistance to undocumented workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The fund would use state dollars to help undocumented workers unable to work due to COVID-19 or a Shelter in Place Order, have been laid off from work, have had hours reduced, or are caring for their child due to the loss of childcare. Undocumented residents remain a highly vulnerable community within the state with no ability to obtain federal assistance including wage loss, business loans or healthcare subsidies like Medicaid.

LOS ANGELES, California – (Abril 15, 2020) – El asambleísta Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Huntington Park / South Los Angeles), junto con 22 miembros de la Asamblea del Estado, han escrito una carta al gobernador Gavin Newsom citando los impactos económicos sufridos por los residentes indocumentados del estado causados ​​por el brote de COVID-19. El grupo de legisladores está pidiendo al gobernador que establezca un fondo de ayuda que brinde asistencia económica inmediata a los trabajadores indocumentados durante la pandemia de COVID-19.

El fondo usaría dólares estatales para ayudar a los trabajadores indocumentados que no pueden trabajar debido a COVID-19 o una Orden de Refugio en el Lugar, han sido despedidos del trabajo, se les han reducido las horas o están cuidando a sus hijos debido a la pérdida de cuidado infantil. Los residentes indocumentados siguen siendo una comunidad altamente vulnerable dentro del estado sin capacidad de obtener asistencia federal, incluida la pérdida de salarios, préstamos comerciales o subsidios de atención médica como Medicaid.

Assemblymember Jones-Sawyer and the Department of Corrections Act to Provide Communication Options to Families

LOS ANGELES, California – (April1, 2020) – Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-South Los Angeles) announced new measures to be implemented by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) that will connect incarcerated individuals and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“As the Chair of the Assembly’s Public Safety Committee my focus has been on the health and safety of those incarcerated and the corrections staff charged with overseeing the daily operations of our state prison system. Initial measures by the CDCR suspended visitations by family members with incarcerated individuals. I am pleased to announce the CDCR has worked with phone and email providers to enable access to calls and emails between families and those incarcerated,” said Assemblymember Jones-Sawyer.

El Censo de los Estados Unidos ha ampliado el plazo para la autocompletación del formulario del Censo hasta el 14 de Agosto como resultado directo de la pandemia COVID-19. Insto a todos los Californianos a que se tomen este tiempo para visitar el sitio web del Censo, llame al departamento del Censo para completar el formulario por teléfono o por correo en la forma física : tarda 10 minutos en completarse utilizando cualquiera de estas plataformas.

Los participantes del Censo comenzarán a visitar a los hogares que no cumplieron con la fecha límite de agosto para presentar sus respuestas en septiembre.

The United States Census has extended the deadline for self-completion of the Census form to August 14 as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic. I urge all Californians to take this extended time to visit the Census website, call the Census department to complete the form by phone, or mail-in the physical form – it takes 10 minutes to complete using any of these platforms.

Census takers will begin to visit households that did not meet the August deadline to submit their responses in September.

Los Angeles, California – March 23, 2020 – The State of California has entered into an agreement with Verity Health Systems to manage the recently closed St. Vincent Medical Center, located at 2131 West 3^rd Street in Los Angeles, to provide assistance and care to patients afflicted with the COVID-19 virus. Bringing St. Vincent’s back online ensures 381 beds for patients and an added resource for residents of Los Angeles in dealing with the pandemic.

“The residents of the 59^th Assembly District will have a recognized care and resource facility open and available to those who require treatment and quarantine upon diagnosis,” said Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer who  represents the communities of South Los Angeles including Huntington Park and Walnut Park in the 59^th District.

As Chair of the Assembly’s Public Safety Committee, I have been in contact with the California Department of Corrections and Secretary Ralph Diaz as we work to ensure the safety of all prison guards, probation personnel and inmates.